Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-06-25

ly we wed, and whom we wed we give hand with
heart and heart with hand. But reflect well,
Sir Knight. If you pledge your faith to me,
your love ought to be as pure as the lmpid va
ter, and as true as the steel of your sword A
single inhdcty, after are united would inc.
vitality cause your death, and would make me }
eternally miserable. For it is the fate of our
tribe, that our joys and our gricfs know no /
end"
The count swore that il would be equally m- |
possible for him to live without her to be I'M
inithtul. The nymph then gave him her hand. |
lie pressed her with tenderness TO his bosom, |
spoke to her ofthe delightful situation of his
castle, and of the happiness by which she would |
be surrounded as its mistress and after a long |
conversation they parted, having firrt named The |
day for their nupiials.
On the of this day the count found on his |
table three baskets, most elegantly ornamented,
one filed with gold, another with silver and the |
third with precious stones of every variety
He perceived that what she had said to him re- |
specting her being without wealth, must have
been only'to ascertain whether he loved, her
dsintcrestedly, for these baskets and their con-
| tents would have succeeded fol a princess dow
cry. She soon afterwards appeared, attended
by numerous suit, and requested to speak in
private with the count. He conducted her to
another saloon, where she entreated him to re-
| fleet once more on what he about to do. ere
1t should be too late to retract. eff your love
for me" she said, emphatically, "cools for one
| moment, or is transferred 10 another, you are in
| evitaby lost and the sign of your approaching
| death will be, seeing no other part of my per.
son but my right foot
The chevalier again repeated his protestations
of fidelity with all the tenderness and ardour of a
first and violent love I; and as the lady wished to
believe him true, she was not long in giving
him credit for all the. VOWS he uttered The
ma, rage soemnized with the utmost
splendor days and months passed in success
sion OF pleasures the young wife became each
day more beautiful and amiable, and the birth of
a s'.H, seemed to place thar happiness beyond a
possibility OF doubt. But alas nothing can be
certain A war broke ont the frontiers of
France. Pierre was brave, and now ambition
divided his heart with 1--we The countess did
not choose to oppose hsdesre for fame, but at
parting she shed many tears, entreating him not
to forget his wife, nor the lovely pledge of their
affections.
Pierre passed the Rhine at the head of a small
banners of French duke In every engage.
nlent he distinguished himself, and in one saved
the dukes life. The peace which was soon al.
ter concluded, was also brought about by his ex-
eriions and the duke, full of gratitude, and
thinking he could not pay him too much respect
offered him the hand of his youngest and fairest
daughter in marriage, a reward for his many
services. Pierre's INCONSISTENCY now showed it.
self, and his behaviour now offe red the most sin.
gular contrasts for at the same time that he
meditated the deserton of his lovely and confid.
ing wife, the righteousness of his character
| would not allow him TO deceive the duke by
! concealing his marriage. He therefore, faith
fully related all that had passed The duke
sock his head but as he much wished for the
counts marriage with his daughter, he obst.
natey closed his eyes TO the injustice of the pro-
ceeGing, and declare that the whole affair had
been the work OF magic, that the eternal well
| fare OF the counts soul depended on this most
dangerous connexion being dissolved. The
chaplain, when consulted, assured the cheva-
her that the whole of this magical dcluson
would vanish on his receiving the holy bene-
dction of the church.-Perre allowed himself
to be persuaded without much difficulty and the
ceremony of betrOthing was performed the
nuPtials we're deferred for a fortnight On the
eve of the day appointed for the marriage, one
of the counts people arrived from Stauffenberg
with the intelligence that his wife and child had
disappeared from his palace on the very day of
Ills betrothing. This information confirme The
| idea that the whole was the work of magic
! Pierre believing that he was rid of them now.
and thinking OF nothing but his young birdie,
set out with light heart to country palace of
the dukes were all seated at table, the count. !
being not the least merry ofthe party accident.
ally cast his eyes the wall of the saloon, and
beheld, starting from it beautiful foot the
graceful form Of which he remembered but Too |
well. In vain did he rub his eyes and epdeay. |
our to persuade himself that his sight deceived
him; still, to his horror 81 disrnay, this omnous
appearance long remained At length it vanish |
| ed. The count emptied goblet after goblet of |
tbs choicest wine, endeavoring to drown his |
gloomy presentments, and at length partly sue. |
ceeded. In the evening they had to return to |
the dukes palace small and gently flowing |
brook crossed their path. All the comoanv.
with the exception of Pierre, passed over the |
bridge, but he chose to ford the stream. None
| opposed him j.; but as he reached the middle. the
waters, before placid seemed agitated bv
violent tempest waves rose as high as the vex.
ed ocean, when the north wild tosses it from i,s
very bed. The company gazed in horror from
the opposite bank, ard saw tho count struggling
with the raging element. He uttered a sbriek
of despair, his horse seen TO plunge, and
disappear for moment beneath the waters; in
the next he gained the opposite bank; but Of
the unfortunate count no trace remained.