Spirit of the age., 1861-06-05

w j
standing over me. nathing my temples. /
locked wildly around | saw we were still
in the boudeIr, alIhptgh all but one or two
had departed; and fresa the window, now
opened there came ceel refreshing breeze
| looked anxiously asound for the Count
ess she stood at table, her cheek deadly
pale, and thought her appearance evinced
great agitation heard her, in a low wits
per. ask-What can this mean p
Immediately recovered M self sufficient
Is to say, that, overcome b, the heat of the
sal on, in my then weak state, that | felt
completely overpowered But saw my ex-
planation seemed incaiaple:e, and that some
words must have Eallef from me which, did
nat vememtR
Tlls1 1Coss.t, VI tae} ,pe iusssnt, putting
his lips to nv Saf, sav
Carl, this must be explained at another
and more fitting moment
This increased my agitation, for | now
perceived that my merely being taken su =
denly i'll could never haze given rise tr such
a feeling as all around seemed TO labor un-
der. Before then couldnot at all dete mine
how to act, the Countess pppr .ached me, and
in her softest, kindest hammer, asked if |
were better.
In moment all my agitation was forget
ten; and, indeed, every tne of the party
seemed to participate, as if by magic in the
'almy influence her few words shed around
WITH a wonderful tact size alluded at once
to such subjects that compelled me, as an
artist, to speak and speak warmls and
seemingly, catching the enthusiasm from me
that she herself had created, she spoke of
Eenicc-its thousand recnllecLions-its treas
ures Of a't-its ancient glory; and then, ta-
king up her guitar, played with such tender
ness and feeling one of the weli-knovn
gondolier canzonetts, as made the very tears
stand in my eyes.
The victory was complete: | forgot the
past knew no long wEere / Was.
bright Elysium of bliss had o; ened before me;
and even nov, after ears of such misery as
few haze known, | can say, that one hour
Of snch inoxicatig happiness would be- al
most, cheapI} bought 10y even such affliction.
| started from my trance of pleasure on
observing that the guests were taking leave
| at once arose, and, as she extended her
hand to me | telt the blood ru h to my lace
and torhead. | barely dared to touch it
With my lips, and retired hurried f, ON
the villa, and springing intp my boat was
soon landed at the bridge of the Dresden.
From tha; time my visis to the villa were
m, receiving one or TWO invitations from
the Count and at last to such an extent
did my in,imacy proceed, and so super or in
attraction VAS the society there, that for it
deserted all other, and only felt happy
when with my kind patrons. One evening
when dressing for the Counts villa, | re
ee;v v<a e &tkie~ syritts. ~ >eif1t I.trI1 cTrs
! iy IN haste; it came from himself and in
tormei me that The ounte>S, who had that
mo ming made sh 'rt excursion upon the
river, had lurned home so i'll that the en-
/ te' tanment Was deferred. was however
requested to call the following mofnng, to
take somc sketches from Pirna from the vii
la, which had long since promised to make
for them. So completely had | Withdrawn
myself Fl m al other society during my great
Intimacy Aith Count Lowenstein, that now
tell the billet, | eceived left me unahle to
say where % how | should pass my evening.
In THIS uncertainty wandered forth, and
without thinking WHITTIER M, steps led me.
it Was only Oh hearing the boatman ask if |
were ready, that perceived had stlo,led
to the steps beside the nrldge, where / u>u-
ally took my departue tor the villa. Lost in
reyerle and led captive by habit, I hal
. walked to this spot unconscionsly to myself
| was about TO dismiss the b0atmen 10, the
night, when whim Seiz-sA4he to drop on
board and visit those small and wooded
islands that lie about league up the river.
1t was calm and beautiful night and in
the wild and unit, odden solitude of these
! romantic Islands | remained till near mid
night.
+ As we passed the q ounds of the Count
D ] ordered the bo'tnen to land me at spo
r remote from the house, whence | could pro
f. ceed en- foot, wishing to make some inquiry
t TO the Countess before | returned home
( Ihey accordinglyput me on shore at a small
flight OF steps which descended to the watei !
I edge, from Il terraced patn mat ian consld
erab!e distance through the park, and wa
: concealed in It's entire length by tall hedge
y Of beech, coml mllc'ely overgro n with flower
ing creeping Shrubs, and so impenetia BILE
@ that, evenln noon-day it was Impossible 70
Y those without, to see persons walking within
o wniie the closely-shaven sod effectually PFC
t vented footsteps being heard The m0or
: was up, and nearly at the fall and all be
n meath me IN the richly ornarnentated flower
; garden was bathed in sea If mellow light
t The marble statues that adorn the walk
5 threT their Enlightened shad3ss at their b
n ses, l.ile their own whileness seemed pure
). aud farer til n ever. stool lost in tn
, enjoyment Of the delicious repose of tn
y wnole scene, when IL Slight noise upon til
q gravel walk attracted my attention listen
# ed, and now distinctly heard footsteps AT
preaching, md also the voices of person
e whispering in a los ami suppressed tone
q They CAME nearer. and now only cunceae
,. from my view by the tall hedge. beneat
wniched they walked; and soon the sh ldog
e OF two figures were cast along the broad ii
d In the br ght moonlight. For a momrr
| they stopt,e speaking, and then heard
/, laugh, in low under.one-but such
l. laugh My very blood ran chilled back VI
IS on my heart as heard 1t. Oh, if the fen
Of himself had gwen the dreadful and heart az
d pa'lins laugh, it coud not be more awful
ID 1t scarcely died away in the faint echo er
le heard the Sobs, deep and low, of anothe
d. and far different voice. At this instant til
hgures emerged from the darkness and stoo
re in the bright moonlight They stood besid
G. an old and broken pillar, which had ono
II supported sun-d al, and around who's
i shaft the clustering ivy had wound sef :
d They were ntIrel, conceaisd by large clio /
to wu'ca eny~loped the ,eslti 6gureS, bl
pr still could perceive that one was mucn a
H. ger aid more robust than the o. her. Til
ed latter, taking small lamp, which S co
he cealed beneath the folds of his cloak, place
e : it upon the pillar, wmle at the same inst
ed the other tisure, throwing of the cloa
er knelt at his tee'. Oh, tnat reason had lie
;at ME, or that life Itself mad parted from IN
ere shou Il look upon tnat scene! She-
q she who kneit and ned her suppliant ham
I'd, was La Mercia and he who. now dlvest
uf his man e, stood over her. was the da
he and awful ohing man of the pictuiel Th
Ter they stood. Tue esses of 10Th were cop
ID to the life; their iooAs-oh, Heaven tn,
/ l.. H. A. n