Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-06-19

time for idle fantasies, and the count was
among the gravcst Of the jewellers. Amid
the many masks which he followed, was
one that finally rivettcd his attention. Her
light step seemed scarcely to touch the
ground, and every now and then a dark curl
or two of raven %softness escaped the veil at
last the mask itself slipped aside, and he saw
the countcnancc of his beautiful %incognita.
He addressed her, and her answers, if brief,
were at least encouraging; he followed her
to a gondoIa, which they entered together.
1t stopped at the steps of the palace he sup
posed deserted.
evil you come with mel" said she, in a
voice whose melancholy was the lutte, when
the nightwind wakens its music and as she
stood by the sculpturcd lions which kept the
entrance, the moonlight fell on her lovely
face-lovcly as if Titan had painted it.
"Could you doubt 7" said Ludolf, as he
caught the extended hand "%ncitier heaven
or hell should keep me from your side !"
And here l cannot choose but laugh at the
exaggerated pleasures of lovers why, a stone
wall or a steel chain might have kept him
away at that very moment. They passed
through many a gloomy room, dimly seen in
the moonshinc till they came to the picture
gallery, which was splcndidly Illuminated
and strange contrast to its usual desolation,
there was spread a magnificent banquet
The warm tapers burned in their golden
candlcsticks, the lamps were fed with per-
fumed oil, and many a crystal vase was filled
with rare flowers, till the atmosphere was
heavy with fragrance. Piled up, in mother
of-pcarl baskets, the purple grapes had yet
the morning dew upon them and the carved
pine reared its emerald crest beside peaches,
like topazcs in a sunset. The count and the
) lady seated themselves on a crimson ottoman;
one white arm, leaned ncgligently, contrastcd
with the warm color of the velvet; but ex-
tending the other towards the table, she took
a glass at her sign the count filled it with
; wine.
+ "'W,i you pledge mc?' said she, touch
, ing the cup with her lips, and passing it to
i him. he drank it-for wine and air seemed
, alike freightcd with the odor other sigh.
"'My beauty exclaimed Ludolf, dctain.
ing the ivory hand.
+ "'Nay, count returned the stranger, il
. that sweet and peculiar voice, more like
music than language-'I know how lightly
you hold the lovers vown
"'I never loved till now! y exclaimed he
S impatcntly; name, rank, fortune, life, soul
are your own"
e "'Sle drew IA ring from her hand, an'
IS placed IT ON his, leaving hers in his 'lasI
what will you give me III eschhnee-lhis
Il and she took the diamond cross III all oiIr
e wlicl, he wore.
Gay. and by my ~knieltly toDot. Will
and redeem il al yout pleasure,
"It was liei hand which nav efasped his
ii change passed over her face: j thank yDt
Il my sisief-in-deatl, ioi youf likeness. saI
She, IN an altered voice, tuning TO where 81
il portrait had hung. For the first time, III
count observed that the frame was clnpt,
Her grasp frightened upon hint was III
ii bony hand of a skeleton. The beauty var
n ished the face grew a familiar one-it va
that of Bertha! The floor became INSTALL,
+ like water; he felt himself sinking rapidly
ii again he rose to the surface-he knew ii
te gloomy pine trees overhead !; the grasp q
ID his hand ioosened he saw the fair head
,e Bertha gasp in its deatl-agony amid the W;
as tiers the blue eyes met his the strea
flung her towards him her arms close
!; round his neck with a doaAly weight; dow,
down they sank beneath the dark river Il
ts gethcr-and to eternity"