The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-05-31

sity ofmood which was only surpassed byIher
capacity of subduing it to quiet, underta rigid
and controlling will. Loathing tie sway of
her tyrant, revolting at his person, she was as
little disposed to regard with favor the af.
factions which had been profered her, .ofhis
more subtle and malignant nephew, The per.
son of Juan de Silva, graceful and snowy as it
was could not blind her to his heartleslyani.
ties, and that dangerous cunning of character,
which SO admirably co-operated with the mock.
ing and 6endish GOODNESS his soul. If she
had loathed Valasquez, she feared, as well as
loathed, De Silva and feared him the moro, as,
in possession of the secret of his infdeIity to
his uncle, she WAS yet made fully conscious of
the truth of his boast, that any revelation of it
which she might make to the latter, would avail
but little against him. But, though anxious,
she was not the woman to despair She re.
volted too greatly at her own condition ofre.
straint, bondage and denial, to yield even tenn
porarily to dependency. In the moment that
saw her feeble and wretched lover consigned to
the lonely islet of the Caribees, she made
secret resolve to avenge his fate or to peril her
own person upon her vengeance. She clearly
had no absorbing passion for the victim. 1t
was evident that she; could still maintain pru-
dent restraint upon Ler. feelings at the moment
of their greatest trial ;T-but the highest and
proudest heart needs something for Affection
some other one upon which to lean for SYM
patny-- and which, at least, makes show5of
responsive interest In It's affections. II was
thus that she had turned willing ear .to. the
professed devotion of Lopez de Levya, Ito bis
tastes and his gentleness. contrasting as they
did with the brutality of al around her, and
making her somewhat Indifferent to his feeble
ness of will and lack of courage. But she3had
not fancied his imbecility to be so great as the
hour of trial had shown it. Though scorning
his weakness, she sympathized in his cruel des.
tiny. The respite which had been given him
from death, by the capricious tyranny of Velas.
quez, suggested to her mind hope ofhis future
extraction. Food had been left with him suti,
ciept for month What might not be done
in that space of time, by subtle thought and
a determined spiriti In a moment, Maria de
Pacheco had her plans conceived, and her soul
nerved to the prosecution of a single purpose.
But she had an opponent. not less subtle than
herself, in the person of Juan de Silva; and the
keen, scrutinizing eye which he fixed uponher,
as she turned from the spot upon which Lopez
had been left, seemed to denote an instinct con-
ception of the purpose which had passed that
very instant through her soul But she was
not discouraged by this fear.
"Well," said he in whisper, "you see see
how hopeless is the STRUGGLED What is left
for you, but and smile of mixed fondness
and significance closed the sentence. The
ready expression of the woman's face was made
to accord happily with the single word with
which she furnished an equally expressive con,
clusion "Death~
"No no y said be. &c. s You will not die
You shall not! You shall live to be far more
truly the mistress of the Dian de Burgos, than
she finds you now. Why should we he enemies
Maria" . avaia
Beware your uncle,s eye is upon ns!''' q
He turned away, and this single sentence, as
it seemed to denote disposition to make a
secret between them, brought afresh hope to
the soul of the young man. He smiled, and
glided to his uncle. Maria smiled also, butit
was with sterner feeling-not a less hopeful
one perhaps, but one in which bitterness was
much more positive ingredient than delight. ~
81 must battle his vigilance" she muttered
to herself. ale only need be feared, and he
must be met and vanquishcd! Ay but how!
How | must manage this--and | viii p -
Her eyes followed his retreatiug form as she
spoke They noted quickly the jaunty arsof
self conceit which marked his movements; they
scorued the snowy und quantity cut garments
which he wore, and the protuse decorations of
his neck aud breast-and the quick instincts OF
the woman at once suggested an answerto her
doubts. lsSlgs
How, but through his vanity? He would
be loved, AS he would be admired and watched,
Well he ahall be loved, loved as he desires!
The task is hard one enough truly-but it
shall be done Juan de Silva, you shall be loved,
You, at least, shall believe it-you will believe
it; and this will suffice" -....s-
In this she expressed portion of her poicys:
It will TO all that we need to show at present.
How she pursued this policy, by what constant,
hourly practices, by what adrot feminine arts,
and with what fxedness of purpose, need only
be sug. ested The details would be too nu,
merous. But she was encouraged to perseyer,,
ance by SUCCESS She had reason to believe
that she had succeeded in dsarming the jeal,4
ousies, and in awakening the hopes, OF her ene-
my, They both maintained judieioas regard
for the exactions of Velasquez; but there, were
hours when he slept, or when he suffered, when
they might throw aside their caution, and speak