The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-02-08
4 SELECTED Gale.
A VENETIAN STORY.
| lCONTINUED.l |

TO his lonely lodgings, and long, long wore
on the hours before he fell asleep. lie
dreamed again of the figure, the face, the
voice of his vision-"Venezia" was again
the word she multercd to him; and again he
woke up terrified and agitaIed. The connex-
ion OF Venice with hisunknown was perfect
" natural. from the fact Of the one he had
believed her connected with having been an
iuhabilanl and native of that city.
Trafnrd woke up TO remember he was an
engaged man; and the feeling was far from
pIeasurable. The idea nf the Courless was
associated with none Of the ecstalic happi-
ness and bewidcring tumult he felt might
have fallen to his lot. had he succeeded in
rcaIising the fairy dream that each ones
youth have nurscd and middle age destroyed.
Still he was engaged; and he must now
behave himself accordingly. So he rose,
and dressed. and went al once 10 the Hotel
de FIcurangcs. lie stood before the gloomy
portal. so soon 10 own him fnr master. and
was admitted into The boudur of Inc mistress
Of the mansion.
She was there. In her eyes shonc The
light Of successful love. She never ln"kcd
handsoIner or happier; but Trafford felt his
heart sink into mnuruIul and morbid apathy.
lie saw before him one who, for his sake,
had given up every prospect held out 10y an
alliance with wealth and rank. and yet he
taxed himself with ingratitude and coldness
for feeling so little the vast sacrifice she made
on his account
lie tlicd in vain to rouse himself from his
melancholy mood. lie made every effort
10 appear as happy as so prosperous lover
should, but 'hc vanity, and folly, and cmptl-
ness a! his life. had never before struck him
so painfully. The woman before him then
was to he the end and final background Of
the future he had reserved so long to himself.
The vague mist TIA, had hung over the one
he was at last 10 find, and worship. had
cleared off, and had sc(l full in his view
handsome French widow. with cinqunnte
mile acres lie rentc, certainly. But 1ratfnrd
had no covcnns love Of money, and would
rather have left unsatisficd his avarice than
his romance.
The following evening he went late To the
house Of Madame dc FIeurangcs. lie knew
she was out. She had gone to see friend
at Chan,ly; bat he had left a book in the
morning on the table. which lie had intended
TO take away. lie went into the boudor
where they hal spent the morning together.
The book Git was Scots MonaSiery, then
just published. $500 he could not find. He
looked on all The snias. chairs. and couchcs.
He thought it must have been put away by
some uf the servants. lie would not leave
the house without II. HIS fancy had been
thoroughly fascinated hy the hurried glance
he had taken of The sayings ami dnlngS OF
that most successful nfshns,s. lhcIWhile La
dy of Avcncl. Without her company he
would not spend solitary evening in his
lodgings. Through the airy ips of the splr-
ii of Avcnc spoke the voice Of his own lost
vision to his crazcd Imagination -
What am must not slew.
what am thou couId'sl no, knox.
Something bctwixt Heaven and he'll
Something thai neither stood nor lc
Something that through thy vii or will
May work thee good, may work thee i'll |"
lie searched every corner. AT last he lett
tho boudoIr, and went INTO another room,
There were some books on the table he ap-
preached; figure with linht in her hand
entered Il, that moment. lie turned. Ii
was an old, 'lark-cycd woman. dressed in
a somewhat primitive style. He looked at
her steadily. She approached. it was
remarkable face, with the fire of an Italian
eye. and white hair braided in girls y con-
,rast to the smooth olive brow beneath.
"Coso vuol ella" she said, letting tho light
fail on his face.
"Ccrco, un hbro,' said Trallnrd, mon
10 trovo pcro." lie went to bnokcasc
near, or what appeared such, and opening
IFS folding doors, observed some drawers
The old woman drew near, and opened one
-,icrc was nothing in II.
mon v 'mcomodl, vIprcs"," SAID Trail
ford. careless! =.
"Oh <crva sua !" said the old Italian, and
opened another.
Tran H., r,'.rd in with vague curiosity.
The linht t,i full on small portrait. lra'-
lord almost tainted when he recognized the
face Of bis long sought vision.
MA coSa liza siguorr' cried the woman
amazed.
"Chi Chi = gaspcd Tratlord. Per
amor del Cco dinl-chI c
"QurlIa oh !c la cugIna della Contessa !"
~, q. rJ ;,.,,u,l, Il; ;rI hpr nonp hCr