ver been extinguished; and to wreak his dire vengeance and hatred upon her offspring, was a rich banquet his vindictive heart panted to be gorged with. The extravagance of Polydore and Elvira, with all their fatellites, fwallowed up almoft the whole of the immenfe poffeffions of Manfredonia: the eftates were difmembered, mortgaged, fold; and little was now remaining to pamper prodigality with. The eftates of Ariofto were all entailed upon Victoria in cafe of her brother's dying without iffue. Alphonfo's long minority had made a confiderable accumulation of wealth, and Garcias ftarted the idea of Polydore's marrying Victoria.The ducheffa was to be terrified into their schemes, and divorced. In the castle of don Manuel, Victoria's fears were to be worked upon to teach her compliance; and Alphonfo, by a well-directed hot, was to be flain in the field of battle, where the war with Britain promifed foon to call him. This horrible plot was in agitation when Orlando appeared in France, and his presence only haften. ed its execution. Elvira, believing Orlando to be her fon, foon evinced the utmoft maternal fondness for him; while the object of the lefs pure affections of this licentious woman was onte de Montfort, a remarkably handfome young Frenchman, who was amongst the number of Victoria's difcarded fuitors; but who, unlike his fellowfufferers, would take no refufal, although his perfeverance inflicted pain upon the object he profeffed to love, and often taught even the highly po-. lithed, amiable, and fweet-tempered Victoria to evince that contempt her bofom cherished for him. Still Elvira encouraged his vifits, and fed him with delufive hopes, to induce his attendance upon and attentions to herfelf; for the doubted not the influence of her blandithments and charms (for fill was the beautiful to an afto niliing degree) would at length win this volatile and not very fenfible young man to herself. Upon Orlando's arrival at the château de Vicenza, comte de Montfort attached himself wholly to him, as, from his extreme dejection, the poor inamorato conceived our hero to be, like himself, an unsuccessful votary of the blind urchin. Sure, therefore, of the fweet fympathy of tender fentimentalifts, he unbofomed himfelf to Orlando, and told him the hiftory of his unfuccessful love, and refolution ftill to perfevere in addreffing the flinty-hearted Victoria when, to his utter amazement, inftead of the foothing commiferation of his fympathifing auditor, he received his moft levere cenfure for unmanly and ungenerous conduct. ́ You acknowledge,' fays Orlan do, that lady Victoria has never fed, by a fingle ray of hope, the flame you cherit; but, on the contrary, has taken every pains to convince you that the never will be yours.Why, then, are you fo ungenerous, I may fay pufillanimous, to perse. cute her thus for what the cannot grant? You must know, that nothing can be more diftreffing to an ingenuous mind than fupplications for what it must deny; and, believe me, a woman of true delicacy must think from the fenfualift, who only thinks of his own happiness. You know that your paffion cannot be returned; it is therefore now your part to exert the energies of your mind, and no longer torture, by your unmanly perfecution, the being you profefs to love: and though you cannot gain her tendereft affections, deferve at leaft a place in her efteem.' De Montfort confidered both the opinions and advice of Orlando entirely interested, arifing from his own views upon lady Victoria; and though half angry, and quite jealous, he could not deny himfelf the plea fure fure of talking to him of her when- to. The commiffion was directly ever he had an opportunity; and Orlando, clearly perceiving the comte's fufpicions, would fometimes playful ly beguile his own fadnefs, by alarming the defponding yet perfevering lover by declarations of fpeedily afferting his right, as conte Vicenza's nephew, to an introduction to the ducheffa's niece.' applied for, and would have been as immediately granted, only for the machinations of Elvira, who could not brook the idea of her fon entering into fo dangerous a profeffion; and by her manoeuvres both the conte and Orlando were completely deceived, by the fecretary at war, with plaufible pretences of delay. Although ftill heart-whole, no one Orlando had the ducheffa's permifwas a greater admirer of beauty than fion to visit her every morning in her Orlando, nor could any one long own apartments, but at the hours in more impatiently than he did to be which Victoria was engaged with hold Victoria, whofe perfonal graces her masters; and one day, as he was he had heard fo univerfally admired, hatening to pay his morning compliand of whofe mental perfections he ments to Elvira, he faw Bianca about had been convinced, by having acci- to close a door through which she had dentally obtained the knowledge of come from Victoria's apartments, feveral beautiful and affecting anec and at the fame moment the found of dotes, wherein the virtues of her the moft melodious voice he had ever heart were most strikingly pourtray heard, ftruck upon his ears. He ed; yet fuch an intention as that he motioned to Bianca not to fhut up bantered comte de Montfort with, the fafcinating founds; when that was one of the last things upon earth worldly-minded woman, for once he would have attempted. He felt actuated by a laudable motive, withhimfelf a dependent; and his indiging to ferve her brother-in-law, who nant foul told him the ducheffa ought, was Victoria's finging mafter, by unfolicited, to introduce Victoria to gaining Orlando's approbation for the nephew of her husband. The him, offered to admit him into the thought, therefore, which engaged anti-room, where he could distinctly his mind more than projects to behold hear the enchanting warbler. Victoria, was how to get into a profeffion to obtain for himself the bleffing of mental liberty, in a state of independence, fince he had not made his obfervations long at the château before his foul recoiled from the idea of dependence upon conte Vicenza, and from the debasement of being a great man's fatellite. His heart panted for the army; and he at length fo far did violence to his feelings, which taught him to revolt from owing an obligation to his fuppofed uncle, as to requeft him to obtain a commiffion for him, fully refolved, if his requeft was not moft graciously complied with, to enter immediately as a volunteer in the French fervice: but his with was too congenial to conte Vicenza's not to be inftantly attended Our reader can easily fuppofe how readily Orlando acceded to the obliging propofition He heard Victoria fing to the greatest advantage; he lost not a fingle tone, and was fascinated.The moment for fignora Beraini's departure was at hand; Bianca apprifed Orlando of it, but he heard her not: entranced he liftened, the founds still vibrating on his ears, until roufed by a rough thake of the arm from the alarmed Bianca. Conte di Urbino muft immediately depart,' faid fhe! for I thould be ruined was it difcovered that I had brought his lordship hither.' Orlando inftantly moved away, though his foul feemed to linger there, and he uttered not a fyllable until arrived at the door leading to the the ducheffa's apartments; when, Montfort out of his abfurdity; but fuddenly turning to Bianca, finding that a vain attempt, he laughGood Bianca,' faid he, cannot ed at the angry lover, and amufed you befriend me, and obtain for me himself by mock acknowledgments even one glance at lady Victoria ?" 'for difcovering thus kindly to him The feclufion lady Victoria now the fplendid alliance the ducheffa was lives in, replied Bianca, utterly de- fo fecretly and generously projecting ftroys the poffibility of my having for him; and that now his eyes were the happiness to oblige conte di Ur- opened to this flattering profpect, he bino. She even now goes not to would no longer rein in his impati church; a priest attends in her apart ence, but inftantly fet about inventments for her religious duties, and ing means to obtain a view of his her time for taking exercife is when lovely intended.' my lord and lady are engaged with their guests at dinner.' Heavens!' exclaimed Orlando, and can ill health compel fuch feclufion? Her voice proclaims no indifpofition of her frame.' Bianca fhook her head with a myfterious fignification, and, opening the door into the ducheffa's dreffing-room, prevented all further enquiry. Montfort, in difmay and alarm, flew to Elvira to plead again his caufe; while Hugo, believing his mafter ferious, determined to prove himfelf a prompt and valuable agent, by contriving as fpeedily as poffible to gratify his matter with a view of her, whom poor Hugo thought, with comte de Montfort, the paragon of human excellence and beauty. From this moment the voice of In the ball-room was a most brilli Victoia, with her myfterious retirement, mingled with every thought of Orlando: worlds would he have given for an explanation of that myftery, but not for worlds would he queftion the domeftics further, although he believed his own valet Hugo was fufficiently communicative for that purpose. ant affemblage of beauty; and the love-ftricken Montfort danced, firted, ogled, diftributed his attentions, and difplayed his elegant perfon with as much fpirit and perfeverance as any heart-whole man in company. CHAP. LXIX. Orlando danced, converfed, admired, and was himself more than admired; but in the midft of this fplendid fcene of hilarity, Sebaftian in AT length there was to be a fplen- captivity, Matilda immured in a condid ball at the château, given by the vent's gloom, Victoria in ill health ducheffa as a compliment to the ne- (for fuch was the reafon ftill affigned phew of her husband: and while by Elvira for her not appearing), all this pretended nephew was adonifing ftruck upon his imagination;~ and for the occafion, Montfort entered his faddening heart now led his mehis dreffing-room in terrible dudgeon with Elvira for not infifting upon Victoria's gracing the ball-room with he: prefence; and fo mortified and enraged was he, that he talked him felf into a thoufand jealous abfurdities, finally attributing the ducheffa's ftrange feclufion of her niece entire ly to her project for uniting her to conte di Urbino, for whom the evinced fo great a degree of partiality. At first Orlando ftrove to reafon lancholy fteps to a room far diftant from the merry dance. Here he had not long enjoyed his mournful contemplations, when the watchful Hugo whifpered to him that he had juft learned lady Victoria's intention of walking through the colonnade when the guests were feated at fupper, to view the company and the decorations; and that at the termination of the colonnade was a dark grotto, close to the only window through which the the banqueting-room could be advantageously viewed, in which he, might fecurely conceal himfelf while lady Victoria remained. This was an opportunity for gratifying his anxious with too favoura ble to be neglected. Orlando return ed to the company, and watched an aufpicious moment to escape, when the guells were arranging themfelves at the banquet. In perfect fafety Hugo conducted him to the grotto; where he had not long concealed himfelf when the whom Heaven had formed to reward his virtues, and. conftitute his happiness, firit appeared to him. Along the colonnade Victoria lightly bounded, Farinelli and Rofelia fwiftly following. Her movements evinced nothing of an invalid: her light airy ftep proclaimed more of a fylph or wood-nymph, a darling of Hebe and the Graces. Victoria's impatience brought her first to the window contiguous to Orlando's ambufcade. The light from the banqueting-room gleamed fufficiently upon her face to fhew it perfectly to her attentive obferver. She looked carneftly into the room, and then drew back a few paces to give her. companions the fame advantage the had enjoyed. After fome moments' contemplation of the gay fcene, Victoria broke filence in a foft cautious tone, but fo articulate that Orlando loft not one word. • Look, dearest madam, at my infidious uncle; how amiable he looks! how fweetly he now fmiles upon that lovely girl! Ah, conte, conte! how man can fmile, and fmile, and be a villain! Who could behold his ingenuous countenance, and conceive fuch a licentious heart had thelter in his bosom !' She paufed-the most interefting penfivenefs flole over her animated face. At length the proceeded:Alas! my friend, and is it furely poffible that he whom from my earliest days I loved and reverenced with the affection and duty of a child. could really have meditated my deftruction? An unbidden tear trayed down her lovely cheek, which Urfuline with maternal tenderness kified away; and the venerable. Urfuline was at that moment the only being upon earth whom Orlando envied. A fudden found of mirth called Victoria's attention to another part of the room. Ah! the exclaimed, there are the dear D'Harcourts! Happy girls! But for my naughty uncle I should not be here ftealing a peep at them: I fhould be with them, and one of the gayeft of the gay.' And yet, faid Urfuline gravely, my fweet child muft ever furely feel the fpot where virtue has placed her the most attractive.' Victoria deeply blushed. • Forgive,' fhe cried, this little flight of levity upon feeing the alluring mirth of my innocent young friends. Affuredly I do not regret the choice my heart has made; nor can your pupil ever find that path gloomy which Virtue guides, or that spot attractive where he is not.' Urfuline fmiled approbation, and Victoria's vivacity returned. 'Rofelia,' faid the, there are several handfome frangers among the men; pray which of them is conte di Urbino?' I have been looking for his lordfhip fome time,' replied Rofelia, but cannot fee him any where.' 'Look again,' faid Victoria, who ftanding behind her, playfully threw her fingers acrofs Rofelia's eyes in the form of fpectacles; look again, and through a pair of spectacles you cannot choose but fee him.' felia. . Indeed he is not there,' faid Ro Come, defcribe your Adonis to me; and as I am taller than you perhaps I may be able to find him out.' • That That lady Victoria could readily do without my defcription, were he there, fince he as much furpaffes the reft of mankind in beauty and elegance as the does every Victoria here put her hands upon Rofelia's mouth, and laughing faid, Do you not think, madam, that poor Rofelia is in love, and has loft with her heart the faculty of feeing? Or is it, Rofa, that you have been in love, and now, recovered from that defperate malady, can no where fee a being equal to the paragon your infatuated fancy had pourtrayed? But come, let me fee if I cannot trace out this nonpareil.' And now, with finiling, playful archnefs, Victoria fcanned over all the male ftrangers within her view, rejecting the idea of each, as the criticifed him, being the irrefiftible Urbino, by finding, from her mock investigation, fome ludicrous blemish in face or figure ungenial to the deity of Rofelia's idolatry. - Alas!' fhe at length cried, he too furely is not among them! But But where can the teafing truant be? Nothing but the machinations of that odious little Cupid could have played me fuch a provoking trick! Depend upon it, Rofelia, your conte di Paragon is no longer heart-whole; and that, poor languishing drone, he has got into fome fly corner out of our fight, either to make love to, or contemplate the affections of, his adorable. Oh! if it is fo, may the blind urchin avenge my bitter difappointment upon them both! May Urbino's heart be perforated through and through and may the abominable nymph fall as many fathoms deep in love with him as I am now overwhelmed with mortification at my difappointment! For, to confefs the honest truth, curiofity brought me hither folely to fee that interefting though unfortunate young man, whom cruel destiny has thrown upon the protection of conte di Vicenza. May, 1808 The heart of Orlando almoft bounded from its feat with different, emotions; but ftill he contrived to conceal his feelings and himself from obfervation, while with penfive eager nefs Victoria anxiously looked through the fupper-room in fearch of him. So then, he is really not to be found; and all I have got by this expedition is the horrid mortification of finding that comte de Montfort will not die for me. See how pro vokingly gay the apoftate feems, and what indefatigable pains he takes to look irrefiftible! Surely, if I longer contemplate his fafcinations, I fhall at laft be vanquished.' Victoria now throwing into her face a ludi crous expreffon of admiration, Urfu line, in laughing, ftrove to fupprefs a cough; and the fpeaking counte nance of Victoria inftantly changed from the burlesque to the most tender folicitude. Ah, Heaven!' the exclaimed, my more than mother, you have got cold in your kind indulgence to my foolith with. my foolish with. We will go in immediately.' " No, faid Urfuline; I have not got cold, my fweet apprehenfive child! Stay and amufe yourself little longer." No, not for worlds, now the idea of your fuffering from the night air is awakened. On the wings of af fection thall you now be borne to your chamber. Come, dear Rofelia, and we will fly away with her from danger.' And throwing one of her beautiful arms playfully round Urfu. line, and Rofelia doing the fame, they affectionately hurried her along the colonnade. Orlando ftood gazing after Victoria while he appeared in view; and when he was no longer to be feen, he fofily articulated Yes, moft fafcinating Victoria ! part of your with is realifed. My heart is perforated through and through; and were the rest to be fu! filled, Heaven could not grant more 3 F •happines |
