Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-04-07

ottb oiOuto ~ tC CiSitNcu DtODlC, llIUu
above which rose the wild shrek of the prin-
cess, the emperor dissolved the assembled
court and retired within the inner chambers
of the palace.
Night had scarcely bcgunto veil the streets
of the capital in gloom, ere the private pos
tern that gave access TO the quarters of the
palace occupied by the princess EvIla, was
cautiously opened, and a female figure came
forth with her mantilla closely drawn about
her form and covering all her face, save one
lively eye. But with all her care, each pas
ser-by knew her to be Ophiel, the ~favorite
slave OF the princess. After surveying the
ground about her, 10 sec that she was unob-
served, she hastily darted across the street
into the shadow of temple, and swiftly pur-
sued her way through many winding and
across many squares, until she came TO a d.
lapidated building, which had formerly been
the abode of a minister of state who, with
his whole family, had been beheaded within
its chambers for treason. 1t was now the
abode of a sorceress, who, TO many other
marvellous sciences, added the knowledge of
the secret virtues of all herbs, so that by her
art and skill she could both convey death
through the eye and restore a life by breath.
AT the sunken portal Of this dread abode,
the female paused 10 look about her, and
then with a hesitating, yet onward step, she
entered beneath the arch, and crossed the
deserted hall. AT its extremity she came to
a low door, at which, after hesitating an in
slant, she knocked. A stern voice babe her
enter. Before her sat the woman she sought.
In a few words Ophiel told her of the love of
the princess and of Montezuma, and of his
sentence.
Why do you come hither maiden = de-
manded the sorceress %sternly, after the slave
had ended.
For the aid of your art and wonderful
knowledge. For the princess Eylla, who
has sent me hither, has heard that thou wer,
skilled insall the mysteries of creation, and
that to thee arc unfoldcd the hidden springs
+ of life. She now asks the exercise of tlli.
power in her favor and that of the poor you'll
who will assuredly perish else. Canst thor
do nothing for him, mother?
The princess Eylla is gentle, fair, ant
v%irtuous. She shall be obeyed. Wait my
return
The sorceress left a room by a door hith
erto unseen, and Ophiel remained with he
heart throbblng etween hope and fear. Ii
a few minutes the woman returned and plac
t ed in her hand a small sealed package, will
these words
place this in his hands, and leave tn
, rest for his manhood and his lofty love to &C
t complish.-.Dcpart speedily as thou earnest.
Ere Ophiel could thank her or question
her of the contents o fthe package, she wa
gone.
The succeeding morning a band of thou
+ sand soldiers marched out Of the northern
gate of the city-thelr numbers serving rath
err TO add dignity to their mission, than a
y necessary TO guard the chained prisoner
who moved with a proud step and unbrokei
bearing in their centre. The first night the
r encamped within a league of the mountain
The youth slept in his guarded tent, and hi
dreams were of love and ambition-for
f stout heart like his, and one that loved so tru
ly, did not despair Of success, even where hi
| path was over the footsteps ola million win
, had gone before him, and left their bone
bleaching on the mountain side. AT mid
night his dreams of Eylla were disturbed b
a slight touch on his shoulder. He started
opened his eyes, and beheld an indistinct fg
! ure gliding from the tent, without walking til
= the tired and sleeping guards, who doubtless
thought their prisoners safety sufficiently Sc
= cured by his heavy chains-hc at the sam
! moment discovered that something had bee
left in his hand. Ins,inctively he haslil
y concealed it in his bosom, and turning owe
: with clanking chains, which reused his guar
dians, once more sank to slumber.
= With the rising sun the camp was in me
a ton, and under select guard of one thou
sand men, the prisoner was led to the foot
=" the mountain and Invested of his chain.
. The captain of the guard then embraced hi,
for he had compassion on his youth and gen
= %tleness, and wishing him success, accompa
MED him a few PAGES on his way, and bad
him farewell.
For the first two miles the accent wa
comparatively easy. But a, length the youn
man, of whom the soldiers never lost sigh
y reached the region Of eternal snow, agains'
# which his dark form was but Just relieve
appearing like a speck, which, save that the
had continued to keep it in their eye, coul
not have been detected.
When the young Montezuma, after grea
hardships gained the region of eternal win
ter, the verge of which, far down the noun
J. tain, was whitened with myriads of bleecf
d ing bones, of those who had persisted befor
h him, but which made him no fainter hearted
n he paused to survey the icy pyramid tina
pierced nearly a league higher into the skie.
n presenting to the eye of those below onepol
e ished cone of glltterIng snow. crowned b
Is the starry gem that had burned on its ores
Is from the frs,day ofcreation. Notwi,hstand
il ing the probably fatal end OF the attemp
Montezuma, after gazing upward awhile an
% seeing many assures in the sides of glacier
If invisible to those below, resolved to make Il
Lying down on the last spot of vendure t
rest his weary limbs, he reposed for an hou
and then with a bold spirit and inspiring him
self with the thought of Eylla, he began t
a scale the icy steep. He had toiled two hour
and won but a twentieth part Of his way
when, as overcome by the cold and exertio
,e he was about to admit into his mind despair
- a. N