Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-09-09


4 cries, he did venture on selection from
the brilliant crowd he singled out one, -
llndisiinguished, however, BY the lusire-sf
/ Nyfy-shoulders or a tiara Of diamonds.---
1 simple in allure as IN department., his beau
" fingered behind the rest, with downcasi
eyes aud cheeks suiiiused with bushes;
4 girl. young girl, arrayed 10 simple white
and the no less spotless array Of perfect in
nocence She had never shone IN bis ga
las Of other times though nov she stood
out prominent on the canvass, while all
others vanished into shade. AT last she
seemed alone and Charney begsu TO re-
consider her, charm by charm, feature by
feature. His feelings were gently ngitaied
by the lovely vision. Bat how much more
when. on raising his eyes to the dark braids
Of her raven hair he beheld flower bloom.
ing there, his flower, the flower Of Picciola !
--lnvoluniariIy he extended his arms to-
wards the beau,eous apparition, when 10 !
all grew confused aud misty and the dis.
tant music Of the orchestra became once
more audible. as the fair maiden and fair
flower appeared to melt into each olhef.--
The fragrant corolla expanding, enclosed
with its delicate petals the loteles, Of hui
man faces. till all was hidden from his view
Instead Of the gorgeous hangings and gilded
walls Of the ball-foom, lowering exhaIalion
presented itself 10 the eyes Of the Count
The lustres gradually extinguished, vanish
ed in the distance, emitting feeble arch Of
light on the outskirts of the gathering
clouds. Rude pavement replaced the
smooth and lusirous floor stern Reason
reapPeared to take possession OF her throne
and the gracious illusions OF fancy expired
at her approach. A touch Of the fatal wand
OF Truth, dispelled at once the dream Of the
captive
Chafney woke to find himself musing on
his rustic bench, his feet resting on the
stones Of the courtyard, and the daylight
fading over his head. But Picciola,-
thanks be 10 Heaven. Piociola is sill before
him
The first time the Count became con-
scious Of this species Of vertigo, he noticed
that il was only when medtating in the at
mosphere Of his plant, tina, such gentle Wis.
ions descended upon his mind lie recol-
lected that the carnations OF certain low
ers are OF SO intoxicating nature, as even
ioproduce asphyxia. TWAS therefore under
the influence OF his favonrite, that these de-
licious dreams visited his Imagination and
for his fete, his hours, his banqueis.
his music The was sill indebted 10 Pic
ciola.
But the fair girl, 1.-The modest gentle girl
by whose image be had been so powerfully
Impressed, from whence has he derived
her imagei Did he ever behold her among
the haunts Of meni--Is she, like the other
disinities Of his dream, the creature Of re-
miniscence Memory had nothing to re-
ply The past afforded no prototype for
her charms But the future ;-if the Wis.
ion his fancy has created should be the cfea-
ture OF anticipation, presentiment rather
than Of recollection alas Of what avail
anticipaions-ul wha, avail revelations OF
the future TO the unfortunate Chaney ln
sentence 1t mHr'soguen, '4r I.e. fle de..
t.I.- a t.e ap.te afc accomplished
Al. human hope, therefore, must be laid
aside. The young girl Of blooming blush
es and draperies Of virgin white, shall be the
Picciola OF his Imagination Picciola in the
poetcaI personiiication Of dream hi
IDOL, Ibis love, - his bride The sweet
counIenanec and graceful form revealed to
hirI shall image forth the guardian spirit Of
his plant with that, his reyeries shall be
frightened. and the aching void in his hear
and soul filled up for ever l-She shall dwelt
with him, muse with him, sit by his side,
accompany his lonely walks, reply TO him,
smile upon him. enchani him with her
ethereal love She shall share his exis-
tence, his breath, his heart, his soul. lie
will converse with her 10 thought, and close
his eyes 10 gaze npon her beauty They
shall form but one, in order that he may be
alone no longer.
These emotions superseded the grave
studies Of the prisoner Of Fenestrella. the
enjoyments Of the heart succeeding to those
Of the mind. Charney now gave himself
up TO all that poetry Of existence, from
whose sphere the soul returns laden with
perfumes, as the bee, after extracting from
the breast Of the flower a harvest Of honey.
There was life Of daily hardship and cap
iivity 10 be endured ;--there was life of
love and ecstasy TO be enjoyed, aud united,
though apart, they completed the measure
of existence oil the once enyied but most
unhappy Count de Charney. His time was
shared between Picciols, his mortal flower
land Piccioia, his immortal love 10 rea-
son, or rather reasoning, succeeded happi-
ness aud love
CHAPTER X.
Induced at length TO renew his expert.
mental Inquiries into the process of inHor-