The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-03-06

dnys-see me but as you have made me |;
,e4'. oh. give me hope, in order that hope
trdts me strength aud encouragement
"A of right"
~. ..-h y. started the words he spoke
both suggested fear of the permanence cf
the change, and n means of trying its real-
~.
" Do you mean, my lord" she said,-
"do you mean, that if Blanche of Navarro
can give you no hope of ever obtaining her
hand for will not affect To misunderstood
you-do you mean, that il she can give you
no reward, no encouragement, you may fall
back into the errors Of your former life p
Francis Of Folk paused thoughtfully for
a moment. Old habits and deep acquain-
lance with the wnyward, the capricious, the
weak, the vain, aud the vicious part Of
womankind. suggested to his mind for a,
single instant that Blanche might seek and
find good excuse for yielding to her own
inclination in his favour if he admitted that
he might relapse into evil should she deny
him. But the nobler spir, which her love
had entbroned in his heart rose up instaat-
ly, and trampled tho demon under foot.
He paused, and gazed in her face then,
clasping his hands together, he exclaimed,
No Blanche, no God forbid that |
should use amy persuasions towards thee
but the true ones. No Pure, and beauti-
fu, and good, aud noble, if | cannot win
thee by truth, I will ever live or die in
wretchedne,s without thee. No! If thy
heart can never be mine if the errors of
my early years have inspired thee with nb-
borrence that thou canst not conquer; IL
some happier man have won The jewel ihs,
l cannot win; if cold indifference even
place its icy barrier between thee and me
still, Blanche Of Navarro still thou hast
conquered, thou hast convinced, thou hast
BUNDLED, thou hust amended Thy mem-
cry would keep me pure If thy love were
denied and the light which has shone up
on my soul from thee and thy virtues,
should never go out again till the cold earth
OF the grave were cast upon my breast"
Blanche trembled very much, aud she
was several moments ere she could reply /;
but at length she said, in n low and fnl,er-
ing tone, fear, Sir Count, ! very much
fear, that resolutions taken under the innu-
ence Of passion are rarely more permanent
than those formed during tho reign Of sick
ness. ! can promise nothing, my lord, nnc
dare say but little ill I am more assured
Suffice it," she added, after a moment,
pause, and lifiing her eyes for single in
stani 20 his countenance,-" suffice il, that
| love no one, that nay heart is free, and, Vt
she added, hesita;ing,--" and it mny be
won; but it must be won 10y uprigh, hon
our and pure virtue. One word more
mny say think not that The pna will lin
ger in my mind if the future be contraasd
brightly with il. IIc who conquer. his vi
ces must ever be, in tho eyes of Blanche Of
Navarro, more worthy Than if he had never
erred for he gains victory over greut
enemy"
Enough enough |! enough 7" he cried;
and, as he spoke, hope, like the fiIfnI flame,
once more blazed up with brighter lgh,
than ever i, had before cast upon the fu-
tue.-" Enough enough oh 4! dearest
Blanche, you have spoken enough Too
well know your nnture-too well, by sad
comparison with others, do l know the
beauty and caudor of your bear---,eo well,
far too well, to doubt for u single instant,
that those words, calm, and gentle, and no.
bic as they are, imply n promire and
hope, a boon, n consolation, nn encourage
ment. I have risked uIl to tell you the
truth. ] have risked all and gained alI and
now know that success with you depends
upon myself Forgive mo if I speak too
boldy-forgivc me If speak too rnshly
but yet know and feel, aud dare 10 nvow
feel, that on myself and on. my own con-
duct, whereof enleftain no doubt, depends
my chance Of winning you--of winning
happiness, Of winning love; love suclr as
my heart has never known-lovc, snch as
my heart never, till lately, hoped for.
Henceforth, dearest most beautiful, most
noble, most pure henceforth ! journey
through life like n pilgrim with, high be-
fore his eyes, raised on some blue noun
tain's CLOUDY brow, the shrine To which all
his efforts, all his wanderings, tend, d,-rnis- |
ed far above himself, but still the object Of
his aspirations and bis hopes to reach
which nothing is required but strength,
and fortitude, aud resolution, and which
nothing can debsr him from but folly, vice,
or weakness"
He took her hand in his-her unresisting
raising it calmly to his lips, he
added, +" Blanche Of Navarro, beautiful and
beloved princess Of a sovereign house ~
thou art, thou mnyest think il bold that Fran
els Of Fois has raised his eyes to thee But,
lady, I tell thee, and tell thee true, that new
er sovereign Of thine house, however war
like be his name in story, has gained
greater conquest than thou hast. do not
speak in pride, and, If ] do, II is IN pride OF
my humility. I say not that thou hast con-
auered Francis Of Folk, for TINT were vani-
ty but I say, that thou hast conquered
stubborn human heart, pampersd With pride,
nourishsd with much success, strengthened
with idle fame, psnoplied in iron habits.
and leading on host Of follies, vices and
mistakes, to war against one bright and
beautiful being, armored alone IN virtue
aud wesponed solely with right. lsay 1t IN
all humility-as the chained captive, as the