Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-01-02

trial. never doubted her heart; and all the
change 81, which such an attempt cou,o DC
productive. was the losing OF her forever:
The more Lelio thought Of this adventure,
the more he was convinced OF Marlino's quit;
and he could no longer doubt IL, when on the
first interview with his mistress, ne extoried
The truth from her. From THAT momen he
forbore to mention the subject to Martlno; but
he swore very cordially that he would be re-
venged; and as he was impatient Tor the OPP
portunily. i, was not long before it occurred.
The reader will recollect, no doubt, that Mar
tino also had a mistress. But with more lev;-
~ in his amours, or less amourous than his
Lelio; he seemed to have no other view IN
winning her hear:, than to employ some mo-
ments in an agreeable amusement. Rosina,
who was not only beautiful but v%irtuous, was
formed to engage the esteem; as well as the
love of a man of sense; and Notwithstanding the
disparity Of their fortunes and Of their situa-
ton in life. she was too capable of contribut-
ing 10 the real happiness Of MARITIME, to be con-
sidered as an object Of occasional amusement
With respect to Lelio, the reader may perhaps
conjecture, that his object was to seduce Rosi-
ma, in order TO be revenged Of MARITIME in the
same way in which he had been himself insult
ed. BY no means; nothing was further from
the intentions Of Lelio; End it will appear in The
sequel, that in The mode he had adopted to
punish Maripo, he was solicitous. to perform
an act Of justice, while he INDUCED himself in
the pleasure Of revenge.
AS he had ceased TO speak TO MARITIME OF what
had passed, the latter entertained no suspicion,
and continued, as before, to communicate his
secrets to him ILelio, therefore, was acquaint-
ed with the time and place Of interview between
his friend and the beautiful Rosina. One eve
ming, when he knew they we're together, he has
tened to her relations, communicated this Cir
TO them, and advised them to surprise
the two lovers, and oblige the young man, by
force, if necessary, TO repair their honour
They instantly followed this advice. They
went armed to the place OF interview, and OF.
fered TO Martina the choice of marriage or OF
death. However terrifying marriage was in
the eyes Of MARITIME, death appeared still worse.
He let no effort untricd to evade the alterna-
tive; for, within few days, he had cc!ne 10 the
resolution Of making proposals TO Rosina OF a
very different nature from those which virtue
would dictate; and the charming CIR! was to
have been devoted by caprice and libertinIsnn
TO all. the anguish of disappointed love. But
the relations o. Rosina were infexible, and COM
PEELED the reluctant lover to consent. A nota-
~, who was at the door, entered instantly to
draw up the contract, and witness the sigma
lures. The relations Of Rosina, who were on
the very point Of assassination, now loaded Mar
limo with c~aresses, and he retired quite confu.
sed, and married.
In his way home he met Lelio, who enquir-
81 x,h,nco he ra0oo Martipo re1atpH m him
that, in spite Of himself, he had just been COM
PEELED to espouse Rosina: LeIio, with grea,
GOODNESS, answered-"I knew il. Embrace
me- continued he; lit is l who have mar
ried you'-Martino was dumb with surprise,
s &ebs ne had taken ic accomplish it. ''' ii is but
JUST added Lelio, with a smile, that I should
obey the dictates Of gratitude Your happiness
and Rosina's ought certainly to be as dear to
me as mine and Lauretta's was, so very lately, |
to you. But | have been the most unfortunate Of
the two. You have only prevented me from
having the least suspicion of my Lauret,a's
heart; but have secured to you for ever the
possession Of your Rosina.'
Lelio had now a fine field open for sarcastic
reproaches, but he had accomplished his plan
of revenge, and he was too generous to proceed
He considered ,ha, Mar,ino was mo,
devoid OF good princi piles, although, in the
thoughtless lerily Of youth, they had been suf:
fered to lie dormant; and he thought that a wo-
man endued 9TH the charms and excellencirs
OF Rosina might yet call them into action. He,I
therefore, seriously expostulated with his friend
on the imprnpriely of his past conduct: be ex.
pa'iated on the felicity Of possessing such
heart as R%osina's, and being entitled to all lis
gratitude and love, to the pungent reflection
that must have arisen, from the consciousness
OF having abandoned, ifnot betrayed her. The
path to happiness, he said, was now open TO
him, and it would be his fauit, if, with such a
companion as Rosina, he should miss it. These
arguments were not lost upon Martina: he no,
only allowed the justice, but the extreme gene.
roslty of that revenge which his friend had &C.
eomplished: he atoned for the reluctance he
had ,hewn to espouse Rosina by the uniform
Of an afs ction which her charming
behaviour 70 him augmented every day; and he
TO Lelio, that the transports Of vir-
tuous love. far surpassed all the pleasures of
.houghtless levi.y ard insipid passion. With
to Lelio, the author of so much felici-
ty, he had the happiness, some months after,
to be able to remove the family obstacles that
had impeded his union with the faithful Lau-
retla. Their nnptials were not lsng delayed
Rosina and Lauretta participated in the friend.
ship OF their husbands (the friendship now Of
and aHectA,nN ,nd .nuL ...: |