The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1843-03-24

dlst thou say, in hollow voice; he is dead
thy paramour-take thy bed beside him p know
not what said, but it seemed to move thee; thy
hand tremoled, and the point oflhy weapon drop
ped. 1t was then that. hearing thy voice, Leon
arda fastened into the room, and bore in her arms
thy child. 'See,' exclaimed, see thy daughter
see, she stretches her hands TO thee; she pleads
for her molher!' At that sight thy brow became
dark. the demon seized upon thee again. Mine
were thy cruel words-they ring in my ear still
no, she was born before the iime-ha ha-,hou
dds, betray me from the frstWilh that thou ddst
raise thy sword; but even then (ah, blessed
thought! even them remorse and love pasleJ tiny
hand and averted thy gazc; the blow was not that
of death. ! fell senselcss to the ground, and when
recovered thou vert gone. Deirium succeeded;
ard when once more my senses and reason re-
turned to me, found by my side holy priest;
from him, gradually, learned all that till then
was dark. Ferrarez had been found in the valley
watering in his blood Borne to n neighbouring
monastery, he fingered for few days TO confess
the ueachery he had prac'ised on thee; 10 adoP,
in his last hours the Christian faith; and TO attest
his crime with his own signature. lie enioned
the monk, who had convered and confessed him.
to place this proof my innocence in my hands.
Behold it enclosed within If this letter ever
reach thee, thou wilt learn how thy wife was true
to thee in life, and has, therefore The right to bless
thee in DEATH
AT this passage Caderon dropped the letter and
was seized with kind ofparslyss, which for some
moments seemed to deprive him of life ITSELF
When he recovered, he eagerly graspcd scroll
that was enclosed in the letter. but which hitherto
he had disTegarded. Even then, so strong were
his emotions, that sight itself was obscured and
dmmed, and il was long before he could read the
characters, which were already discooured by
time.
"To INEz.
Il have but few hours TO live, let me spend
them in alonement and in prayer, less for myself
than thee. Thon knowest not how madly adDrcd
thee, and how Thy hatred or Indifference slung
every passion in TO torture. Let this pass, When
| saw thee again-,he forsaker Of thy faith, poor,
obscure, and doomed toa peasants lot-darng
hopes shaped themselves in fierce resolves. Find
ing tina, thou were incxorabe. turned my arts
upon thy husband. knew his poverty and am
bcr we Noors had ample knowledge of the
avaraie Of the Christians! babe one who could
trust to seek him out ut Madrid. Neah-- 'y,h
weallh--wcalih, that could open to "A Sirn'9Id 50
the gates of power, WIS offered In him Il ha wnu,I
r"nonnce thee for ever. Nay, in crd"r to crush
out all love from his breast, il va, told him that
mine was prior right; that hou had ,ia,drd to NY
snit ere thou dhst fly with him; that ihou da.f
use his love AS an escape from thine own ti,hoGor;
that thy very child OWNED another Gather ! hid
learned and a,ailcd myself Of the kfOyIrd.r,
that it was born before lis tine. We had ni,,aj
cola'ed the effect Of this representation, backed
and supported by forged letters; instead Of aban.
donins thee, he thought Of revenge for his shame.
As left III! house The last time gazed upon thy
indignant eye, fnund the ayenger on my path!
lie had seen me- leave thy roof; he needed no 9th
er confirmation of the tale. | fell into the pi,
WIN" H'h h'uI'u 'UT lNee' CoHsclencc uNnefN-
ed my hand aud b'rnird my sword; our blades
scarcely crossed before his weapon stretched me
on the ground. They tell me he has fed from the
anger of The law; let him return without fear.
Solcmny aud from the led Of death, and IN the
sigh, Of the last tribunal, proclaim to justice aud
the world that we fought fairly, and perish just
!y. have adopted thy faith, though cannot
comprehend its mysteries 1t is enough that it
holds out to me the only hope that we shall met
again. | direct these lines to be transmitted 10
thee, an eternal proof of thy innocence and my
guilt All, canst thou forgive me J knew no
sin ill knew thee. ,ARRAREz FERRAREz."
Caderon paused ere he turned to the conclud-
ing lines OF his wlfe's letter; and though he re-
manned no,onless and speeches.. never were
agony and despair stamped more terribly on The
face Of man.
CONCLUSION OF THE LETTER OF INEz.
ard what avails TO me this testimony Of my
faith Thou art fled; thew cannot track thy foot
steps; ! shall see thee no more on earth. lam
diving fast, but no, Of the wound | took from thee;
let not that thought daTken thy soul, my husband!
No, that wound is healed. Thought is sharper
than the sword; have pinned away for the loss of
thee and thy love! Can the shadow live without
the sun And wilt ihou never place thy hands
on my daughters head, and bless her for her
mothers sake All, yes, yes! The saints that
watch over our human desiinies will one day east
her in thy way; and the same hour that gives thee
a daughter shall redeem and hollow the memory
of wife Leonardo has vowed TO he
n mother TO our child; to tend her, work for her,
rear her, though in poverty, 10 virtue ] consgn
these letters 10 Leonarda's charge, with thy pic
ture, never 10 he removed from nv breast I'LL the