The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-03-29
FLORETTA: OR, THE FIRST LOVE OF
HENRY ".

BY HEINRICH ZsCHoKKE.


The evening at the fountain never seemed
tedious to either. A Gle ar or clouded sky, they
never failed TO be there at the ninth hour. -
Thus four weeks of most lovely spring fed
away. Every evening the Prince carried the
pitcher of his love 10 her house.
Floretta's father never observed that his
daughter, since that first evening, had such a
desire, to make her usual visit to the fountain so
late. The wise Lagaucherie, however, percei-
we'd that his royal pupil regularly disappeared
at certain hour when darkness approached,
and that the top of his cap was always wet, how
clear soever the evening might be. For long
while he could not solve the riddle. The
young Prince never spoke of the circumstance;
and hence Lagaucherie avoided asking him.
Still the fact was a strange one, and the wet
cap of the young Prince excited his curiosity.
To crafty this, he one evening secretly
pursued the nightly wanderer. He followed
him at such distance that he could not east
ly be discovered. He saw him at the fountain
of Garenne, where he saw female form. Both
became invisible. To the tutor a part of the
riddle was now solved. Yet how the cap of
the prince became wet, was still unexplained.
He had already watched long time. He
drew nearer and nearer he heard their whisp-
ering. After some time, he saw the young
Prince of Bearn with pitcher full of water
on his head, and the young maiden leaning Oh
his arm, take the path to the cottage of the
gardener, and then bound back TO the castle.
The mentor shook his head thoughtfully,
and communicated what he had seen privately
to the Queen. His mother was confused and
angry and would lecture her son severely.
"No, gracious lady," said the wise Lagau-
cherie, "no passions are killed by lectures
Their charm is enhanced by punishments and
prosecutions; the stream only swells the more
powerfully by confinement. The temptation
IS overcome best by separation fiom its object.
The passion is destroyed when its nourishment
IS Withdrawn, by exciting nobIer ones"
Thus spoke Lagaucherie. The Queen dis
cussed with him the measures to be taken. while
she entirely conceded with his views.
LagaucherIe went the next morning to the
prince and reminded him that the world was
now awaiting his exploits; that he must form
himself to be sovereign that in conflicts, Ell
ther with the reverses of destiny. or the incli-
nations of his own spirit, or with his enemies
on the battle field, he should have but one mot
to, the basis of all religion and Of all glory, TO
conquer or TO die.
After this exordium, Lagaucherie mentioned
incidentally, that on the next day the Queen I;
with all her court were going to the castle of
Paw, that Henry would remain short lime
only at his birthplace, and then travel on to
Bayonne to be present at the interview be-
tween the King of France and the Queen of
Spain.
Henry listened TO the communication of his
:utor in silence. His looks betrayed great en-
barrassment. Lagaucherie observed it, but
acted as if he perceived it not. He dexterous-
ly turned the conversation on other topics, and
diverted the prince with all the events and
news, so that he had scarcely time to think of
what had so alarmed him. The Queen, on