The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-03-13

ScCTcl WHICH, HOWc'cI tiHiuS ~ may
seem to you, is to me just now n matter
of extreme moment. Will you then re-
spect my confidence, if give it you
promptly and without reserve 7"
"Certainly," lreplied, laughing at the
very mysterious expression Of his coun-
tenance, "provided it involve neither re-
bellion, heresy, nor chism."
"Listen, them" interrupted Herwald-
sen; and, drawing his chair closer to-
wards me, commenced his narrative as
follows ''About three weeks after part
ed with you a: Carlstadt, l reached Ma
pies. where, however, / made but a
short stay, disliking its tone of manner
and society. l was not sorry to quit
them, and take up my abode at Terra
cina-a retired neighborhood, sylvan and
unassuming, and one that happened ex-
actly to hit my taste. Here, in due time,
l managed TO become acquainted with u
French aristocrat Of the old regime, whose
family, consisting of himself, wife, ana
one daughter-whO received me with an
abundance of kind but stately courtesy.
Of the two former, l shall say nothing
more than that they were poor and inn
measurably proud; but as regards the
latter-she was indeed-but you shall
see her, and Judge for yourself--of "a
warm, impassioned, but perfectly art
less nature. In fact, she reminded me
of Virgil's heroine /; but her name, lucki-
ly, was more euphonious-it was Hor-
tense. see you are smiling, Herman,
and anticipating the upshot of my tale.
You are right fell distractingly in love
with this fair creature. We read, we
conversed, we walked together and a
spell was thus thrown over Terracina,
which Naples with all its voluptuousness,
with all its scenery, with all its classic
: associations had wholly failed to inspire.
But now comes the more serious portion
of my romance. Poor Hortense had
been for some ycars-and, as l verify
! believe, unknown to himself-betrothed
to her cousin, a foolish looking fellow,
whose sole recommendations were a
thick head and long pedigree, and who
at this particular juncture, was moment
ary expected at Terracina. On receiv-
ing this intelligence | was as you may
conceive. in a very pretty state of anxi-
ETY., but was Gained by solemn assur-
ances of Ho-tense, made in the course
of one of our long evening rambles to-
gether, that nothing on earth should ever
induce her to marry her BOBBY kindsman.
And nobly she redeemed her word-the
high minded, generous girl When her
cousin came, and the purport Of his mis-
sion was declared. she at once remon-
stratcd with her father, and on his refus-
al to listen to her supplications, explain
ed to him candidly the state of her heart
and even went SO far as to implore his
consent 10 our union. The old gentle
man was thunders,ruck. "Marry her.
etic !" he exclaimed, dashing his hand a
gainst his forehead-"my daughter the
descendant of a hundred ancestors, mar
ry hereto Never! would sooner
see her stretched dead at my feet" And
accordingly, that very day, Hortense, ii
being impossible to overcome her abhor-
ence to her cousin, was sent off post
haste to nunnery about twelve miles
distant from Terracina. Here in due
time she was entered as a novice, and
compelled 20 undergo all those annoying
preliminary ceremonies, which, though
they do not irrevocably bind the nun
10 solitude, at least suffice to pre-
vent her from ever marrying. In a few
weeks, however-no matter by what
means-I contrived to find out her place
of abode; and by dint of bribery, perse-
vcrance, and an incredible stock of that
impudence which am proud to say, has
never yet deserted me, managed to gain
. first one interview with her, then Sec
ond, then third, then fourth, and fin.
ally TO prevail on her to elope from the
detested nunnery, and accompany me to
Stockholm, where she now is."
"And of course, your wife. What an
insipid termination to a romance ~
"Probably so nevertheless, it is pre-
cisely that sort of insipiGity which am
anxious to secure to myself"
"How are you not married, then 7"
/. Herwaldsen's countenance fell.-"I
am not" he hurriedly replied "for Hor-
tense herself is the obstacle to our union.
Whenever l entreat her to let Inc make
the only reparation now in my power,
she answers me-and the reply serves to
shcw the disinterestedness of her affec-
tion--by a reference to the conventions
al laws, which declare it seems at least
in Italy, perpetual imprisonment to who
ever is sacrilegious enough to steal nun
from her vows. Even here in Stockholm,
this dreadful idea pursues her. Knowing
nothing of the world it has grown with
her growth and strengthened with her
ls,ronntb. and NOT all NV persuasi sions-