Morning herald., 1839-12-23
[From the London Forget Me- Not, for Isaol
Tho ~ sasquernde.


Tho Masquerade.
A TALE OF THE SOUTH.
On come to my side oh come. till / tell
Ofthe lavd Of all beauty the land of the SPELL
Where there is not star in the summer eve'. skv
But sheds on the earth, or the water, its dye;
Where Love is the spirit of mount and Of stream,
And Lille ghdes away In one exquisite dream.
TAssoNL
The finest season Of Italy, and, of course, of the
WORLD is the Neapolitan spring. The earth ia then
covered with vegetation pure and green as the EN-
erald; the sky is soft, serene ana enchanting The
air brealhes the very spirit Of existence and as for
the water, it is all dancing. sparkling and brilliant.
as II Neptune and Amphilri'e held court. days from
week 10 week, and invited all the men, women, and
children of "Napoi" to be of The party For on
those waters every human being is sailing, swim
ming, rowing, and singing all day, and probably all
night. But this season OF capvation lasts-but ten
days!
Il was on one of the evenings OF this very lovely
season, that ,he Count Carlo Vvaldl cornet in the
mounted chasseurs Of the Royal Guard, and reign.
ing merreiiieur Of the moment touched lightly at the
door OF the apartment of the Chcvaer Andrcas Ora.
dnskl on the ChieJa The door opened and the che.
Waller enjoying all the luxury.of that most
delicious of the twenty-i0ur hours stretched on his
sofa IN front Of huge easement with the breeze fan
ning the curtains cool from the Bay, and with the
whole unrivalled panorama before him. covered
with all the red, blue, and green ofa southern sunse
and Capr IN the midst, more ghttering and golden
than any thing since the car of Apollo.
The cheva'ler was apparently about forty with q
CO unienance OF strong and rather lines pow
er ial eye and lip whose involuntary curl from time
10 time, showed that he could sReer and smile with
equal effect But he was evidently an admirer of tho
NeapoItan taste In furnishing apartments; fer all
round him was melangs OF that lsxury and mrcgu-
lanty whchis TO be found IN every epulcnt Chamber
OF the South. The csseatcd floor had probably moi
been washed since the accessoa of the Spanish line
The curtains though worthy Of the looms of Turkey
and embroidered like the trewsers of Persian Sui
tana, exhibited the work Of tme as we'll the hand
Of man. And under their shadow stosd 60 manv
bronze Apslles and aabaster nymphs, piled on SO
many pedestas OF marble, mixed with SO many plar-
ing specimens OF the NeapolItaR school, the most
varnish-levng in the world SO many charming an.
tiques, with SO many formidable modern limitations,
that the chevaler might have been taken. one was
IN the mood for prince, or a pnwnbroker; an anti
Qusraa smit with the rage Of cirfu, or trafficker
ia those wares which extract sci many pounds ster
ing from the capdcols pocket Of that most innocent
and curiosity loving of all human dupes, the travel
ling John Ball. guitar and a cremona, resting on
n table mosalcked with the whole Napoleon DYNASTY
EXHIBITED his taste in musi.; and a magnificent hoo
kah, from which he was Inhalng the smoke OF NIX i.
ture OF sandal wood and leaves show we'd that the
chevaller hsd not been among the followers of the
Prophet IN vain.
The counts entrance wa recognized by a slight
bsw and slightcr emile, but u vas no, suffered 70
disturb the equanimlty of countenance which seem
cd 10 bs that moment in the highest state OF epicu
rcansm.
"what still here :" said vivaldi; you will be too
late al the Corso.''
Gradinski, Iesurely taking the pipe from his lips,
and in a tone scarcely above a whsoer-it would
have been toe much trouble 10 have spoken londcr-
said, see Il all before me; what can get by join
ing IN u worth this Turkish tobacco and the breeze
through ths easement y
"What can you getl why you can at least &c, rid
of being alone; besides, you will see some remarkably
pretty women"
"Probably; but at tbs distance see them, with.
out hs airing them talk; 40 they have all chances IN
ther favour. The sex 10 me are like opera singers
delightful at the distance OF the stage, bat both their
rcaee and their voices require distance for complete
captivatlon."
mo, ne, said vivaldi, 81 abAor sentmcst Of anv
kind. But there three English heiressos, rch
rs Croesus; every seul OF them dying with delight
at every thing Neapolltan, from lazzarene up 10
field marshal, and ready TO fall into the hands of the
first dancing master, valet, or cAevaler d'lndustre
who calls hmselfa duke, wears order Of ST. Janu-
arms at his button hole and promises them a princ-
pallty at the top, or-the bsttom of vcsuvns"
"Ncll, Count do you want me 10 fall m love with
any one of The three, or with them alll Am 10 su
persedc you, or act lhe Grand Tmkl You need not
be 90 desperate. II one wife tries man philosophy
what must the triple chain be- have not foriltudc
enough for he experiment."
"Yet one OF them Is certainly very handsome
said vvaldi, with conscious look.
well, then make her my compliments, and tell
her that II she is fundamentally disposed, and will be
content 10 purchase me with her rent roll, while dukes
and princes to be had for nething, shall have
the honour Of recommending 10 her notice a noble
chevaer Of the Guards of his Majesty Of all the Rus
sas, who will spend her guiness IN the most brilliant
possible manner. Now 90, and lssc no time"
The truth is," said VIvald, hcsaiInely, 'that
wished to talk TO you upon this very subject. The
English dana is really lovely, and worth vcntuTng
for. met her nj of the court balls, danced with
her, and thought that she had particular objec-
ton TO my devoirs. In short, the sdsr seemed so
obvious, thar had 10 cut Oft the moustaches OF a
prodgious German baron, who threat ned TO sabre
me for superseding him and within these twenty
four hours have been obliged 10 run tho chance OF
having my throat cut by a French colonel, who
swere ten thousand sacres inat had insulied the
whole French army, Napoleon and ell, by carving
Dh the lady on whose purse he had fixed he stIsc-
tone. Luckily, | ran him through the swore arm,
and thus escaped--for the time
"Cspilali Of course this settled the affair with the
lady. never knew any woman resist fellow who
has fought for her. A soldier, a swordsman, and an
Adons any one Of the titles would be strong but the
three together ere irresistible. But what will you
have me do7 Is che 10 run away with yoH, or you
with hcr7 Am 10 fight the guardian, or bribe the
presg Are vou turn knight errsnr, or act the reg
uar bridegroom In al cases, am perfectly At your
servce"
Gfadinski rose from hie sofa, threw of his robe
dc chnmbre, and, taking Jewel hlItcd raper from
the wall, began 10 practise fencing. Hs tall and
museular figure brought out into full seton, seemed