The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-10-11

nOal ldulIiess symmetry, acquired duuIlOIldt cap
| tvatIon, from the display and costlness permitted
! by theatrical costume. Her face too was one of
surprising beauty. Large deep blue eyes, waves
of the gossiest hair, and skin of that clear trans
parent Wheness, which shows with such dazzling
effect at night-al these attractions were in them
selves enough to fascinate the sight. But there
was that about La Florinda which interested
the feelings fully much. The dreamy melan-
choly of her profound and passionate eyes-the en-
! tire repose of all her features-the extraordinary
expression about the small cherub mouth, which
seemed formed for love and dimples, yet which
none had ever seen relax into smile-lhis it was
which lent such witchery to her beauty, and threw
| around her a kind of mysterious charm, even
amidst the glare and frivolity with which she was
surrounded.
Though assaiIed by temptation in every shape,
so rigid and unblemished had been her conduct,
| that the noble family, to which she was about TO
be allied, vainly sought In it pretext TO dissolve
the engagement between herself and their relative
| Yet she lived in utter unprotectedness, with only
the companionship of young girl who officiated
| her attendant. With society she never mixed, nor
left her home, except to attend her professional
! duties.
On this her last evening of public existence, all
was done that could render her exit triumphant
The stage was literally filled with bouquets flung at
! her feet accompanied by many valuable and less
! pershing testimonies to her worth and talent
! When she made her farewell Acknowledgements,
! each felt pang of regret at parting with one so
with tears-yet she, the cause, alone remained I'M
moved There was gratitude in the graceful bow
ing of the head, and the meek folding of her hands
| on her bosom-but the face was calm and lmpas-
! sive The curtain fell amidst an outbreak
! of such feeling, as shook the very walls of La
| Scala TO their foundation, and Florinda was seen
| there no more.
Now pray, Signora, on this your wedding day,
| do look as if you were happy Heigho! if were
so beautiful beloved too by the Marchese, should
be smiling all day long"
My good ROsalia have long forgotten to smile
! or weep In truth, poor child you have had but a
wearisome life, in attending on one in whose bosom
! the pulse of joy hath for ever stopped"
| g o say not so, Sicnora all the girls in Milan
| would be glad to wait so kind, so gracious so
! gentle mstress-ay, and so pretty one too. For
when am braiding those long tresses or fastening
the sandals on your tiny feet feel quite proud in
| being permitted to serve La EOrinda, who, all
Milan says has borrowed the face and form of the
| famous Venus at Florence"
| . File on thee, child would chde thee for this
flatery but that unkind word ever sends foolish
tears into thine eyes. But hasten, Rosalia; the
! time wears on. Give me my veil and leave me.
| The attendant did she was hidden, and Flo
| rinda was alone. For while she sat in deep med
! itatiou, her small white hands clasped upon her
| brow as if to still the tumult of feeling rushing
! through her brain. The day at length had come
| for which she had patiently waited for Years for
which she had devoted herself to a profession she
abhorred, and toed in it laboriousy and ceaseless
! ly-and nourshed life she would otherwise have
allowed the nildew of grief to corrode and destroy.
| The hour was at hand, when the one purpose other
| existence was to be realiZed-the long recorded
| VOW fulfilled. The near accomplishment of her
! wishes gaveto the cheek of Florinda flush of
crimson, deep as the sunset of summer, and lit up
her lustrous eyes with almost Unearthly brightness.
As she contemplated herself in the mirror, arrayed
in all the costly magnifcence of bridal attire, van
| ity for moment prepOnderated but it a tran
sic N re-
| sumed its look of calm, stern determInailon-the
| beautiful mouth, its compressed rgidity. Having
adjusted the orange wreath on her temples, and ar
ranged the drapery of the long delicate veil, whose
snowy folds enveloped her form from head to foot,
| she entered the conservatory adjoining her cham
| ber and taking from it bouquet of the choicest
flowers, awaited the arrival of her bridesmaids
| and friends In few minutes the expected guests
assembled, and leaning on the arm of the brother
of her betrOthed, she entered of the carriages,
and the party proceeded to the church of st. Am
| brose The nuptial rites were performed-and Flo
rinda was greeted as La Marchesa iii Vivaldi.
| The Marchese gently passing his arm around her
waist, would fain have folded her to his bosom.
| quick shudder, which seemed to convulse every
limb, passed over her.
| g My beautiful love looks pale 20
"'Ts nOthing-a sudden faintness / culed
these flowers for you, your favorte heliotrope is
there-take them, you will not surely refuse your
| brides first gift?'
The Marchese took the bouquet presented, pressed
it passionately his lips inhaled its fragrance and
| fell at the feet of Florinda lifeless corpse.
A wild, unnatural hurst of laughter from the
Marchesa pealed through the church. g 1t is well
it is well Victor my beloved, thou art avenged.
| Now will join thee
| Uttering these words she took from beneath the
folds of her dress small ponard, and buried it to
the hilt in her breast
The bride and the bridegroom lay dead together
! On searching her desk a paper was found eXpana-
/ of he pata Ts nppP
! to say that " La Fiorinda y the name assumed
by Isabelle d Aubigny. In the record left of her
motives and actions, she stated that after the execu'
! ton Of Victor, she made solemn vow to become
| his avenger-but with a refined revenge, when his
destroyer, De Biron, was at the height of earthly
bliss For this purpose her first aim was to captl-
vate his heart As the widow of Victor, she might
fail in this. She was aware that he was passion
| ate admirer of dancing. Through the agency of
| that ACCOMPLISHMENT, superadded to her beauty of
person. she hoped to ensnare his affections. Her
first step was to become the pupil of the most cee
! brated master of the day, and by dnt of unremit-
ting toll she qualified herself for public exhi-
btion. She resolved to appear in Italy, to which
country Auguste de Bron had retired, to escape the
strong manifestations of dislike which, after the
execution of Victor d'Aubigny, followed him when
| ever he entered society at Paris. He was also the
heir to title and considerable estates in the Abruz
ri. The death Of his relative soon put him in pos
| session of these, and he became the Marchese di
Vivaldi. At this PERIOD FlOrinda who was cogni-
zant of all that belel him, made her debut at Ma
| pies. All Italy soon rung with her fame-and she
vas offered an engagement at 8 La Scala" She
accepted -appeared-became the idol of the pub
| lic-and soon the obect of her revenge bowed at
her feet suppicant for her love-a sutton for her
hand. She accepted him. During the life of Vic
| tor, he had never seen her, and who, that looked
! upon her fair unruffied brow, listened to the
music of her low soft voice, could imagine that IN
| her breast every particle of womanly softness was
extirpated-that her thoughts were only of revenge
and death. 1t was at the affairs foot her adored
| Victor had been torn from her arms; it should be
at the affairs foot the expiatory sacrifice should De
made-his murderer destroyed. She procured from
the East a deadly poison the simple inhalation OF
which produces abrupt and certain death. Every
! flower in the bouquet was stepped in the deadIy es-
sence its effects have been narrated--and thus by
of those fightiul transitions, when clrculn