The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-04-15
HENRI AMBOS.

| stages beyond Fulda / was standing atthe
window Of the inn, WITCH was opposite totthe
| posthouse, and looksngsat crowd of travellers
/ who had just been iisaorged from a huge Eli
wagon, or post-coach, witch was standing there.
| Among them was one female, who, before
was aware, fixed my attention. Although
closely enveloped in a.winter dress from lead
to foot, her height, AND: the easy decision 9th
which she moved, showed that her figure was
fine and we'll proportiGned and, as the Wind
blew aside her black veil, i had glimpse Of
featuresswhich still farther excited m7 curotity.
had time to consider Der, as she alighted and
walked over to the inn alone. She entered ct
once the room--it was sort of public saloos-
in which was /; summoned the waiter, wson
she addressed in go1d .humored, but rather
familiar style, and ordered breakfast; not sur
of chocolate or coffee eu lat, az became ne.
roine, for you see was resolved that she shontd
| be one, but q very substantial German b-eab.
fast--soup, a culet, snd pint (eine hat6e
fasche) of good wine; it was then abouTten
o'clock. While this was preparing, che threw
off her travelling Announcements; first dark
cloak, richly lined with eur; one or two shagls;
a sort of peIisse, or rather surtout, reaching to
her knees, with long loose sleeves, such as you
may see in the prints Of Tartar or Museovite
costumes; this was mace of beautiful Indian
shawl, lined with blre silk and trimmed With
sabes under these splendid and mutifarious
coverings, she wore dsess Of deep mourning.
Her figure, when displaced, excited my adnsars
ton it was one of the most perfect ever be-
held. Her feet, hands, and head, were stall
in proportion to her figure her face was got
| so striking-it was pretty, rather than bspd
some her small mouth closed firmly, 80 az to
give a marked and singular expression of r So
luton and decision to a pbysognomy OF err
wise frank and good hunored. Her eyes, also
small, were of a dark-bszsl, bright, and with long
| blonde eye-lashes. Hergbundant fair hair Vas
| plated in several bandl aud fastened to .he
top of her head, in the ashton Of the German
| peasant girls. Her vice would have been
deemed rather high pit.hed for '' ear polite"
but it was not deficient II melody; and though
her expression was grave, and even sad, upon
our first encounter, sooa found that mirth, end
not sadness, was the ntlural character CT her
mind, as of her countensnce. When anything
ridiculous occurred, she burst at once into a
laugh-such q merry, m1sical peal, that it was
| impossible not to sym patnize in it. Her whole
| appearance and name: gave the idea OF
| farmers buxom daughtsr nothing could pc
more distinct from our notions of the lady-lile
yet there was nothing that could be more free
from improperly, more expressive Of native In
nocence and modesty bat the spendor Of her
dress did not exactly suit with her department :
it puzzled me. / observed, when she drew 1T
her glove, that she wore q number of silvr
rings of peculiar fashion, aud among them
fine diamond. She walked up and down VIII lie
her breakfast was preparing, seemingly lost n
painful meditations; but, when il appeared, a e
sat down and did justice to it, as one who b, d
been many hours without food. While she W IS
thus engaged, the conductor Of the Eilwagi
and one of the passengers came in, and sp0 e
to her with interest and respect. Soon aftir
wards came the mistress OF the i'm, (who b q
never deigned TO notice me, for it was not Z e
fashion in Germany j she came with an eli II
of particular services, and from the converts
ton l gathered, to my astonishment, that tbs
young creature--shs seemed not more than tS
or three and twenty--was on her way hon !,
alone and uuprote cted, from-can you imaglni ?
even from the wds Of Siberia But, then, whist
had brought her there? L listened, IN hop
of discovering, but they all spoke go fact that
could make out nothing more Afterwards
had occasion TO 60 over to little shop to NAL
some purchase. On my return, found hr
crying bitterly, and my maid, also in tears, W 3
comforting her with great volubility. Nolf,
though my learning in German, like Orlandots
beard, WAS not considerable, and my heroii E
spoke still less French, could not help ASST, +
ing in the task of consolation-never, certainl I,
were my curiosity and interest more strong y
excited. :
Subsequently, we met at Frankfort, whe, e
she was lodged in the same hotel, and wi 8
enabled to offer her a seat in my vehicle o
Mayence. Thus had opportunities Of hearin c
her whole history related at different times; ar3
will now endeavor to give it to you ia cor.
nected form. l may possibly make some mis-
take with regard to the order of events, but
Ca ILL &Iot l..
ton of names, or dates, or circumstances, ma =
fail me, will not, ike Mademoiselle de Mon
pensier, make use of my imagination to supply
the defects of memory. You shall have, if n, t
the whole truth, at least as much of it as ca
remember, and with no fictitious interpolatioGs
and improvements. OF the animation of voice
and manner, the vivid elcquence, the graphic
spirit, the quick transitions of feeling, and th E.
grace and vivacity of gesture and action, wit
which the relation was made to me by this fir
untutored child of nature, l can give you NJ
idea-it was altogether study of character
shsll never forget.
My heroine-truly and in every sense dos
| she deserve the name-was the daughter of !
rich brewer and wine merchant of Deuxpont a
| lin the German maps, ZweibI token the CA
ital of those provinces of the kingdom of Bav, :,
ris which lie on the left bank Of the Rhine
| She was one of five children, two much old, +
and two much younger than herself. Her
eldest brother was called Henri; he had esri :
displayed such uncommon talents, and such !
decided inclination for study, that his faith, Z
was determined to give him all the advantage J
of q learned education, and sent him to th ;
University of Erlangen, in Bavaria, whene !,
| he returned to his family with the highe +.
testimonies of his talents and good conduc
| His father now destined him for the cleric, l.
profession, with which his own Wishes q,
corded. His sister fondly dwelt upon !. hi
praises, and described him, perhaps with all +
sisters partiality, as being not only the prid
of his family, but of all his fellow.citizen,
tall, and handsome, and good" of a mos
benevolent, enthusiastic temper, and devote ,
to his studies. When he had been at home 70 !,
some time, he attracted the notice of one of tn !
princes in the north of Germany, with whom
he travelled, believe, in the capacity Of secre
| tary. The name of the prince, and the partic
| ulars of this part of his life, have escaped me
| but it appears that, through the recommends.
ton of this powerful patron, he become prc
lessor of theology in university of Courtland
l think at Riga, or somewhere near it. for tn
| name of this city was continually recurring i
| her narrative. Henri was at this time abou
| extraordinarily.
While here, 1t was his fate to fall passionate
| ly in love with the daughter of rich Jep
merchant His religious zeal mingled with hi I,
| love he was as anxious to convert his mistres
as to possess her-and, in fact, the first was
necessary preliminary to the second; the con
sequences were all in the usual style of sucl
matters. The relations discovered the CORES.
pondence, end the young Jewess was forbidde,
to see or To speak to her lover. They met ii
secret. What Arguments be might use t
convert this modern Jessca, know not, bu
they prevailed. She declafed herself convinced