New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-04-15
LCoMNuaICArEp.l
In Which I Attest My Desflny.
ny ULYSSES rlsHpAeK.


romance. Nevertheless such you shall see to have
once been the case. The threadbare coat of the
last beggar you met-supposing him to have had
one-may have once graoed some aristoeratic back.
In his ruined habitation, that most melancholy of
all dccnying things there may perhaps still be seen
fragments of rich traCery, aud his desolate cham
bers may have once resounded with music and rev.
elry. 1t is thus that Time deals with us we ad
| vance in years. There only remains to US the
| wreck of our brighter youth.
One winter there came to reside with u.s. from
Paris, certain blooming widow known MS Madame
| Zambelli. She had indeed been born and educated
in this State, and possessed still stronger bond OF
attachment, in the shape of valuable lands and ten
ements. The excitement of q Partisan life had,
however, caused her to forget what she was pleased
TO term her provincial birthplace and fearful that
such articles could not be procured on this side Of
| the ocean, she had brought her carriage, horses,
| and plate with her. The wooden fastenings which
| had so long covered the doors and windows of her
| aristocratic family mansion were removed the in
| terror refurnished with such modest hangngs and
upholstery as could be obtained in this market, and
the house thrown open to the reception of company.
| There also came with Madame Zambes equi-
page and retinue, what perhaps she would gladly
have left behind-certain whispers with reference to
| her Partisan life. Rumor had it that for her hus
bands death, though by his own hand, she had
| beeninarectlv the cauSethat she had paid for her
position in society with the lives Of several Of her
| friends and that with view to retaining the same
she had exiled herself for a while from her former
| world.
In spite of the scandal which was attached to
| her name Madame Ilnbe found little difficulty
in filling her salons, and her first S0h'ee con-
| ceded to have been the most brilliant assembly of
tile season. In her parlors and gardenswhich
| were illuminated-there was the usual quantity OF
female loneliness OF which we never have to COM
| plain of any dearth, and an unusual display of da-
| monds and costly laces. which are much more rare.
The mob of well dressed gentlemen who lounged
| about the doors and otherwise seemed to relieve
| the scene, was incOnvenicntly strong.
But the most remarkable figure in that splendid
assembly was that of Madame-our hostess OF
| Spanish and Italian ancestry, her features combined
the softness, sentiment and passion WHICH are the
characteristics of one the other OF those races
while her form had gained that symmetry and IN
| dulating movement for which the foreign exotic is
| proverbal when transplanted into American soil.
| She combined the grace of the lndlcnne with the
tournure of the Parissenne Add to these slightly
| foreign accent which increased the charm OF her
conversation, the possession of those accomplish
| ments which please without wearying, andsyou had
| before you woman who was born to command
| admirers-at least in the drawing room.
Surrounded by acquaintance whom had long
| known and from some of whom, as a cavalier, it
was impossible to escape, l had convefsed and
danced the larger part OF the evening away, befwGe
found an opportunity, since my formal presenta-
| ton of approaching my hostess. She complained
to me as drew near, of heat and exhaustion, and
begged for the use of my arm for a stroll in the
garden Ny answer was of course, protfcr of
nv services, and soon we were amid Powered
| parterres, tropical fruit and the perfume of the
orange.
heard of nv companion, and fearful of the fascna-
tion of her presence, resolutely l attempted to
steel myself against too favorable impression.
Nv forebodings. though we'll founded, were nse
less As il divinng what was then in my thoughts,
the conversation insensiby turned upon herself.
DeEicatey she alluded to her past history-to the
errors and mistakes that an mpulsiye woman
might make upon her first entrance into new
sphere of fe-into the whirlpool Of a fashionable
life especially when the vortex was Paris. While
speaking of something entirely irrelevant to what
was uppermost in my mind, she indirectly banished,
if she did not permanently dispe}, all unfavorabe
pyepossessions. Without denying COMPUTING
anything which had been said against her charac-
Ter she had done away with its effect.
very much fear that if describe to you what
followed it will fall cody upon your ear and will
seem much more like the ncoherent rawlings of
lover than the calm remembrance of one " no is
longer young But are there not locked up in the
breast of each and all of US some recoectons, about
| which we cannot help being earnest-about which
we are compelled to say what we feel? The cold
| est and most Indifferent have some soft spot-some
souueun'-lock Of hair, it may be-which is sacred
| l have seen my Insurer, who always splits my note
I in halves, talk like poet about some old minia-
tire and tears trckling down his red whiskers like
| a gentle summer shower.
| So, smile not sceptc, when I tell you that did
| not remain nnmoved when youth and beauty
pleaded for q hearing. My doubts melted away.
| Intoxicated through every sense with the melody
of her voice, the faultless symmetry of her figure
| and the pleading expression of her face, tremOr
| went through my frame, and felt that had met
my destiny.
| Sitting as we now were, near small fountain,
with the distant hum Of merriment contrasting
with the silence around realized that life had no
| greater happiness in store Tor me. did not even
hesitate to tell her what was passing within.
She appeared to pause for moment, but recov-
ering herself, she answered me playfnlly; Tell
me, sir captive, since it is thus you call yourself,
what you suddenly find to love in one whose
| whole character but momentago, you misrusted.
Since you will natter me, you must inform me, at
some future time, which of my features-my eyes,
mouth or my nose, has disturbed your repose."
"They are all equally my enemies" answered,
sadly. But she had taken my arm, and we were
| now amid the throng.
The crowd soon after dispersed but long after
the music haze died away and the last reveler had
disappeared, wandered around the now deserted
| house. wondering in which of its many rooms she
might be sleeping, or whether the drOwsy God had
yet visited her eyeids. 1t was not until SUNRISE
the first time | had witnessed it for years-that
sought my couch.
My life for the next six months passed like te
versh dream. At the time of my first meeting with
Madame Zambelli, | was absent from my home
whittier expected to return in q few days. had
embarked in career in which ] might have at
tanned name and certainly wealth. | overlooked
all of these-I did not return home-my ambition
was forgotten-my profession abandoned. Nc
my friends avail. passed UNDECIDED the one, ant
, disregarded the other.
For time had been satisfied to simply see he
| and know that was in her presence. But as on
by one the number of her suitors increased, myloy
became more exacting. began to demund some
thing in return.
| "Let me hear my fate definitely,"'I at lengtl
said to her. "S Say that you love me, if you can
otherwise let me go my way. have already aban
doned what mostly men value in life--aTnbtion
wealth. the opinion of my friends 1t may still no
be too Iate-I may yet find something to live for
yoG will only Danish me from your too fatal pres
ence. Leave me this poor BOOM and tell me wha
| am to expect"
s 'tYou are too eXactng," said she. "Suppos
r for moment that do not love you, must there
, fore sacrifice one ofmy most amusing friends?
decide not to accept you as sutton or husband, til
more reason for extracting your full value at once
Otherwise, you have nothing of which to complain
:. except that spoil you too much Leave the futur
l. to ITSELF"
e And SO a faint hope still detained me at her sidt
y But it could not always remain thus.
Is The blow at length came.
c "Our ways part here,' said she to me in ansWe
| to last appeal. "Since you will have it SO,
l. | really love you much as l now can any one
IT But what would you do with me in case | marie
6 you? You love me rather too much, end ce
in tainly should make you unhappy. Meantime a
my property is mortgaged and subject to the shel
10 ifs hammer. l live without love but nc
$. without wealth. My decision has already, there
ID fore been made. Unjust marry another"
BE it so, madame. utwould it not have bee
| better since could not give you the wealth 20
d | rnnuira tn have LET me taken nv Senarate nath