Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-02-08

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were coin. Bul men too often throw away
the true coin as if they were counters
| Several OF The company had now gathered
round the little group. Sir Charles was
pleased that so celebrated man as WAL
s'Dgham spoke so freely and earnestly in
his house. Remembering that his reading
was much admired. he now came to him
and asked him fhe would read. Walsing
| ham, whom Maria's presence seemed to
have lured onward, and unlolded, looked
a, her, caught her eve. which sparklcd At
the proposal, and taking down n volume
from the bookcase, read The following mar.
| ratlvc.
CHAPTER VII.
when I was IN Italy some wears ago.
knew young EngIishman who was in the
habit of seeking places to reside in. little
frequen'ed by his countrymen. lie was a
lover Of solitude and study, and addicted to
reverIe; and much of his life was a gentle
and shimmering dream that gided to the
music OF romantic traditions. A, the time
| must now refer to, he had selected as his
abode one of the deserted palaces of the
Venetian nobility on the banks of the Bren
Ia. But he had no acquaintance with the
owners to interrupt his solitude, for he had
hired it from the steward to whom their
affbirs were entrusted. Il had attracted
his fancy, though 1t was much out of order.
from having gallery Of pictures, chiefly
portraits, still rema ning, anG IN good pres
eva ion. There was also large neglect
ed garden with terrace along the river.
and IN It's shady overgtown walks the Eng,
'lshlnan sat or wandered for many hours Of
the day. But he also spent much time in
the plcturc-gallery, converslnT with the
grave old senator's, saturatiug his mind with
the colours Of Tinorc,to, and Paolo Vcro>
ncse. and contemplating like a modern
Paris the gnddesses ofT.an's pencil. But
there was one picture which gradually won
his very heart. It was portrait by
Giorgione of young Venetian lady ; and
the old servant of the house called her La
Celesina. She had the full and luxurious
Venetian form; but, unlike any Of the other
female portraits, there was a profusion OF
rather light brown hair flowing down her
back. as one secs in some of the early ltal-
ian pictures of the Virgin, and the sunny
streams fell from wreath Of bay leaves.
Her dress was Of dark green silk. An
antique bust Of an old man was represented
on table before her, and her right hand
and raised forefnger seemed to indicate
f that both she and the spectator on whom
her divine eyes were fixed, must listen tC
some expected oracle from the marble lios
Sne might have served as lovely symbo
: of the fresh p:c.ent world listening to The
f fixed and Skyline Fast. Her eyes were
large and dark, but not lustrous; they
. seemed rather heavy, with an lnwart
' thoughtful melancholy, as If there were
. something in her situation or characle
more solemn than her years or cIrcuuIStan
: ces could have led us to expect. Ther,
G was. however, no tradition of her story
. except that she was daughter OF the fam
d ily which still possessed the palace and tn
:, picture, ana that she had died in early life
, Before this figure the young Engllshma'
o would remain for an hour or two at time
endeavoring to shape out for himself SOM
: distinct view OF her being and story. TIN
r was idle work, as it led him to no defiant
2 and lasting creation, but it occupied hin
t for the time as well as any thing else tina
n he was likely to have done. BY and b.
5 his fancy so gained upon him that he hal
e the chamber next to that part OF the CALLER
It where the picture was. arranged as IN
5 bed room, 50 that he might be near his in
G corporal mistress even during the hours G
Y sleep. One night, soon after this chang
!. had been made, while he was lying IN be
; and messing of Cees'lna, he thought h
II heard noise in the gallery consecra,ed I
&c her, law voices, and light step. He fell
I believe, nay cherished. some dash
supers, itiOus fear in his character, aud b
>. did not rise TO examine into the matte
e The next night was hat of the full moor
and again he heard the same sound an
It again for he third time on the night 10
IS towing. Teen it ceased, and for some day
ID he was in much perpcxlty. The CALLER
&c by day light presented no appearance
change. lie brooded over the remeu
re brance, whether founded in fact or mag
lr nation. :ll it struck him that, perhap
% there was a connection between the sOunt
D. and the age of the moon when they wei
70 heard, and that if so, they might possb
Mt return at the next corresponding per
ST He grew thin and nervous with anXlel
and resolved at all hazards to endeavour
I clear up the secret. The night before Il
So full moon came, and with it the sounds
I'd the light whispers mourned and sang lor
1t the high walls and ceilings and the ste
he fitted like fairies from end to end Of Il
&c galleries. But even now he could not r.
solve to part with the tremulous pleasn
to of The mystery. The following night, III
he Of the full moon, he felt WORKOUT, irette
nd and desperate. Again the sounds We
nd heard, the doors opened and closed, Il
We steps throbbcd in his heart, the lndSu
", aushable words few on, ill he caught
I'd low but clear tone. the name of CelstIn
to He seized sword and stepped silently
ut a door near HIM which opened into t
rst gallery, and was in deep shadow. Uncle
il ing it slowly, he looked down the To-
All room, aud there opposite the place Of I
ed we'll, known picture, stood, ia the brig
Use moonlight, CeIestina herself upon the tlo'
no ,NLa xIc III hanl mns raisel like Il