Spirit of the age., 1861-06-05
8sSeget9 2ss|teret#r<. s
La MERCIA.
(coNcLUDED.)

y
my eyes upon was the picture. The case had
been ruaely torn open, and il lay there ex-
posed to all NJ, promse-my so emmy
pledged oath, came instantly to my mind,
and all the aN iul denunciations the old uan
bad spoken of as in store for HIM who should
look upon that picture | was horror-struck
and speeehless, and only remembered shere
] vas, as the E0m1aissaire who stood behind |
me and looked at it. asked If | was the pain
ter? replied not.
The likeness is, indeed, wonderful, said
he
started, hut immediately recove ing my
SELF said You must he under some mis-
take. You could sea eely have seen the per
son for whom this was intended 2 said |
thus because, from the attentive consideration |
had given 1t, as vel as the initials in the |
corner Of the drapeFy, | perceived it to b
one IF the most beautifully executed euamelS
ff Julio Romano, and must, at least, have
been nearly two centuries old. ....
I'm ossble can re mis- akenr said he
tuat is not only tie Countess IL Alvlni her
sef but there, and even moTc like, stands
her uncle. ii Doitore Albretto. as he was
called Why, remember as well as though
1T we're hut yesterday, though was only a
boy al the time, her marriage-with one of
your own profession, too. How can TO
get his name !-ah, | have it--.Ahtonio Clio
vental by the by, hey said, ton the union
was none OF the happIesr, and that they
separated soon after. Bus of that kno
nothing myself FIR they never a,,i,ea ed M
/ Naples after the mo ming they we're mar
ried'
How Ilonged to make one or two inoui-
/ rieS but tear prevented me; lest my own
4 no Of I y,io
! ute might be dscove ed, and | confess, too
something like dread for, the evident g. of
the pictu al!ied but i'll with the account
the C0mHsiSsaire gave of the characters rep
resented and | longed for the IDomcut
should fut into execution, at least So much
Of my promise as VAS yet in my power; put
TIM 1t up, therefore with such of my effects
as | Iecognized, | returned to my hotel.
The enure evening could think of moth
ing nut the story Of the COmmiSsdife The
artist could have been none other than my
old friend Nlchola Calertio-for by this name
had known him-and that lovely creature
must have been his wife Aud what was
her fac and what could have been the aw-
a mISts5EX M that ySEaRF RI tgsf lH hs2i8 aa8 fra=
ming ten thousand solutions of the sec ct,
at last sunk into sleep
Rome. On my arrival, what was my horror
to discover that Nichola had died the dav
after my departure from Naples, and that he
had been buried in the strangers burial
ground but in what spot, no one knev-nor
had he one left who could point out his grave
Again my oath came to my mind, and |
could not divest myself OF the thought, that
in the series Of events which prevented its
accomplishment, chance had noth,n: to 10 +;
and the hand of Il guiding Providence had
worked these apparent accidents for His oAn
wise ends
From that hour guarded, how closely |
cannot say, this picture from all human eye
tJT 1t had been my custom, when iist re-
tuned tc Dresden, TO sit FIR days long with
that picture open before me. As work OF
art, ii possessed undoubted excellence; but
| could not help feeling that its my teilous
history had invested 1t with an interest alto
gether deeper and more powerful than the
beauty OF the execution could alone count
for. TuiS habit had been first broken in up
4 On by the numerous and varied occupation.
\ my newly y-arisen popularity brought upor
t me; aud amid the ,bors of the painting
- room, and the gay hours Os fashion tbc dis
patton, | had been nov some weeks with
/ out once having seen il, when the events
: had just detailed, and my determination tt
:, copy from 1t, brought it again fully to my
= mlnd
r When awoke from the deep musng m,
thoughts had fallen lnto, it was aIreai, even
/ ing; and wandered forth to enjoy the fre
5 AR ana balmy breeze upon the back of tn
h f. be- After some time crossed the bridge
aud continued my walk through the >uou lis
:, in ending to return. by beautiful garde
| l. /, ~,
a approached the Ebe | was struck by III
= urisLt glare of light which, proceeding from
sume building near illuminated the rIve
; nearly the whole way across, displaying III
n ON Tvs CLASSY suEiace several boats, in whc
>, the s,eopIe sat resting on heir oars, at
= scarcely movin. in thc gentle iide of th
e sire III. | remembered tur moment, an
f then II occr, ed to me that the brilliant glar
of light proceeded from the villa ot Coun
+" Lo tcnst,in, When sto d upon smal D {
u monsory of land, aoout TWO miles from Dire,
"a den, this being the night of prlva' e Soiret
/. to winch only his nearest and most intimat
q I'leuds ~ere ever invited. Report had spc
p- ken loudly of the singalar beauty OF the vi
la SELF, the Splendor Of its decorations, tit
:, richness aud taste Of its furniture; MI il
le decd, ound the whole character of the plac
and the nature Of the entertainments hel
IN there, he dltlicuI'y OF entree, aud the s.
j. crccy observed 10y he initiated, had throw
~ an air Of the most romantic interest.
SC tueSe SoireeS, although hon, red by ma, ks
is the greatest distinction and even admltte
TO the closest intimacy, the Count never il
re viled me, aad in the days Of my prosperit
on It had ever been with a seEse of liqne
n ca led t. mind he ci cumstance Thlther
ir- now In idvertenly bent my steps, aud 1T W
en- onl " hen the narro ness of the pain whIt
f. lay between the hedge of the garden al
the river required my caution in kin
nd that remembcred that | must have enter
me the grounds, and was then actually within
e. few PAGES Of the villa While stood for
j. mam NJ, uncertain whether to retreat or
L. vance, | was struck by Observing the boa
1t; had gradually and noi>elessly a. proach
ttn the bank, short way from where | was, a
by ,he attitudes Of the figures | could %
ceive that they were listening most eager
and attentively. | approached few ste
out TIL, at the sudden turning If the walk
us, found my self beneath the terrace Of sp.e
nd, did saoon, brilliantly lighted, nd CT WI
by numerous AID tulI.dressed uests. I
ter rar st plants and IN st beautiful Xut'cS stu
esi- in jars along the balustrade, difiusins tn
lS. pei iume round, and the cheerful hum
e voices was heard in the still night air as !,
tor ties walked 10 aud fro upon the balcony
Suddenly the dln of voices was hushed, tn