Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1846-10-22
Take up thy late, Della" said Isabel,


of the ladies in waiting
what, then, SyblIa' cried she in
patiently, 'am to lack diversion, becau,
one of you is froward? Hast thou n
legend this evening"
4 pray your highness PARDON answer
ed the Gavorite, but let me first ask for
gveness for our poor Leila. Your irow
hath made her sad
She deserved the chiding, else she ha
not received it,, returned the princess, =
Come to thy tale.
Snail i, be of uurequied love and Don
Ferdinundo" asked the maiden archIy.
Thou art but too bold, grit but
smile disarmed the reproof Of its severi
ty.
Or of Don Ruy Of Alvc, who has sigh
ed so long in vain"
Or of the handsome cavaliers, AIonzo?
interposed the lady Clara.
See, how her highness curls her lip!
cried another.
or of the Prince Of Arragon; or Henry
Of France, or Prince Julian, Cor hundred
others" said Sybila, IN sooth, the same
chronicle wonld serve to record the fate
of every one; they worshipped the bright
star of CASTLE, were scorned and reject
ed. Isabel, the beautifuI-Isabe, the
cruel-adored by all, dsdaining all
An exclamation Of 'Silence' from the
princess interrupted the speaker. No
more Of them!' she exclaimed, frownine
and waving her hand disdalnluIIy. and
you can devise me no better entertain.
ment, will 90 and bear my solemn father
company in his audience to the embassy
from Navarre!'
The ladies' burst into a merry laugh at
this speech, as they always did al any
sporlIve sally from their mistress. Ever
changclul in her humors as an April SKY,
she next ordered the dancers to be in.
troduced, aud was presently watching
them with childish glee, as they wound
through the graceful maze-now gliding
with stately motion, now darling like
snow-"lnged birds here and there, at the
bidding OF exquisite aud subdned music
In the midst OF this entertainment one of
the pages informed her that the ch,efmin-
lister asked admission. VeXed at the in.
terruptlon to her amusement, the princess
refused to receive him. This was an act
Of contumeI y against her fathers authori-
ty, inasmuch as The minister had come by
the royal order; but the lady OWNED the
purpose of his visit to be the customary
one of proposal for her hand; and made
no scrupIe Of denying him audience.
TIA, the king vas dispIeased at this
bold act was soon evident. The page re-
turned almost Immediately, announcing
a visit from the monarch himself
The effect produced by this will be un-
derstood by any reader familiar with the
street etiquette of the Spanish court in
that cml-barbarous age. The right of a
pIreut over a child at that time we're those
d. master, and scarcely limited in re-
gard to the disposal of a daughter in mar
rage. II any father could compel his
child to wed whom he pleased, how much
was the power enlarged IN the case of the
monarch, when motives Of state policy re-
CURED him to consult his own will alone
without reference to her inclinations!-
Princess Isabel well knew that she held
her independence only by suiferance from
her sire, and that The imperious scorn
with which she had hitherto treated all
her suitors had been tolerated only be-
cause il was not deemed necessary as vet,
to compel her TO submission. But as usu-
al with the spoiled and waward, the self.
wlled obstnacy Of her impetuous nature
was strengthened by indulgence. OF
late, from certain mysterious cabinet au-
dIences g. hints thrown out by her father,
she had been led TO fear that it was his
intention to bestow her hand on some
favored applicant; but she determined to
resist to the last. 1t was thus with no
little dread that she awaited the royal Wis
it.
With a beating heart and flushed cheek
but with most resolute determination eX-
pressed in her beautiful face, the princess
rose to receive her father The ladies in
attendance stood silent aud embarrassed,
looking upon their mistress and one an.
other IN evident anticipation Of something
unusual.
The king entered. His daugeter ad-
vanced TO meet him with so much dignity
and grace, that the irown upon his brow
relaxed and he embraced her with ap-
parenlly as much affection as admiration.
This semblance of reIenting was plainly
not unnoticed by the princess. She re-
covered all her wonted stalelincss and
seIf-possesson as she led the king to
seat and stood by his side, etiquette no,
permitting her TO sit in the presence Of
the sovereign.
Dismiss your ladies', Isabel, said the
king.
!. AT sign from their mistress the attend
arts Withdrew.
Il have reason for displeasure, my
daughter, at your refusal but now to gran,
an audience to the minister Your girIish
folly hath been humored to long
The princess stood with arms folded
and head dropped on her bosom, as if sub.
mlssIve to the reproof,
But much may be pardoned if you are
gentle and docie hcnceforward, as be.
comelh a daughter of CASTLE
Isabel raised her dark eyes for an
instant TO her fathers face. then fixed