The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-07-02

4 VENETIAN STORY.

eh'eeHtii century, young nooie, U
whom the chronicle gives us only
the baptismal name, Leonardo, re,
turned to his country from Paris
whittier he had accompanied the We
netian Ambassador. The chroniclel
adds, that he was of the most an.
Gent and powerful family. Gifte'
with precious soul, adorned witt
polished manners, surrounded witt
powerful friends, eloquent, brave
and humane, he soon became the OBJ.
ject Of love to the people, of envy
to the aged aristocrats, and Of imi.
tation to the youthful mobiles, who
honored him as their chief.
Venice had no honorable Office
no brilliant dignity to which Leon
ardo, not yet thirty years Of age,
might not aspire. lie led gay life,
however, amid ambitious projects
and cares of state, and had in accor-
dance with the custom Of this day,
his casino-a temple consecrated to
mystery and pleasure.
One day his most intimate friend
entrcated him to grant the use OF
this for a few hours in order that he
might conduct hither secretly a
young lady, with whom he wished
for some conversation, and of whom
he drew, with all the eloquencc OF
love, most enchanting picture.
Leonardo consented, striving in
vain to learn the name of the lady.
Urged by curiosity, he resolved, at
last, to conceal himself in one of the
rooms through which the unknown
fair one must pass, and in which,
when she laid down her zendado,
(mantle of thin silk) he could see
her, unseen, and retire without be-
ing observed. His plan was sue
cesslul.
The lovers entered this room to-
wards midnight-the youth murnur-
ing few words in the ear of his
mistress, took from her after a slight
resistance, the close wrapping zen
dado. More perfect beauty had new
err met the eyes Of Leonardo. a
mixed expression of candor, virtue,
and sweetness, was the great attrac-
ton of this almost divine face. Her
hair was fair, her eyes vivid blue.
Such was the force of the impress
sion, that Leonardo, to dissipate it,
was obliged to keep in mind who
was her companion, and for what
purpose they were there then this
simple and pure expression was to
him only an error of nature, an hyp-
ocritical mask, and he conceived to-
wards this beautiful creature only
repugnance and disgust. These
feelings, united with astcnishment at
her marvellous beauty, stamped her
features indelibly on his memory.
Many months passed away, and
Leonardo, in the vigor of his age,
beautiful in person, conspicuous for
his endowments and hono,s, was de-
sired as a son-in-law by the most il
lustrious of the ariStocracy.
lie yielded to the representations
of an aged friend, who proposed his
marriage with the only daughter and
heiress of a powerful senator. Leon
ardo obtained the consent of her
father, and permission to present his
homage to the beautiful Eliza-that
is he was allowed to pass beneath
her balconies two or three times in
the course of each day. She fire.
qucntly showed herself there, but
her form and features were always
totally concealed by an invidious
veil.
Leonardo was in despair at this
extraordinary reserve, which, it
seemed to him, could proceed only
from dislike and contempt; but he
was told that vow to the Virgin
forbade the maiden to uncover her
face before any man but her father.
1t is easy to imagine with what en-
chantment this mystery and delicacy
enveloped Eliza in the eyes of her
admrer. We know how powerful
is the influence of imagination in
love, and how it feeds itself on the
indefinite and indeterminatc.
At length the day of nuptials ar
rived the friends and relations of
both families assembled, at setting
sun, in the house Of the aged sena-
tor: Leonardo, after the custom of
his country, received the guests at
the door of the palace. He was the
last to enter the grand saloon, and
his emotion was, for time, suspen-
ded by the imposing spectacle be-
fore him. The mobiles occupied
seats raised above each other around
the hall, in the manner of an amphi
theatre; at the end Of it priest
clad in pontifcial robes was kneel-
ing before magnificent altar. War
like trophies, arms and weapons of
every variety, hung from the walls,
blackcned by age, and the splcndor