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appear to be exactly mortal, and in a quarter of an hour the unfortunate patient betrayed some symptoms of animation: his breathing gradually grew stronger, and in an hour some hopes were entertained of his recovery. The count was peculiarly solicitous for his life. This melancholy catastrophe put an abrupt termination to the gaiety of the morning, but as the parties retired, they employed themselves in conjectures respecting the cause or motive of the dreadful spectacle which they had witnessed. The talents which the youthful strangers had evinced during their short sojourn at Lyons had created some envy; the ladies were chagrined at hearing Madame Palowski's playing and singing commended with such enthusiasm by the gentlemen, and, although she did so, uniformly, without aiming at display, she unintentionally provoked the envy of many. These now pressed forward with uncharitable surmises; they hinted that the relation in which she stood to the young hussar was not the most creditable; and taking it for granted that she was the occasion of the dreadful resolution which, so far as she was concerned, had been carried into effect, they loudly reprobated her selfishness in having persuaded her gay and gallant lover to sacrifice himself.

The sentimental, the romantic, and the disciples of Rousseau, however, regarded the event with feelings of enthusiastic admiration. They sympathised with the lady-they pitied the lover; and their fancies imagined a thousand apologies for an act which the sober and the good had no hesitation in pronouncing unjustifiable. The mystery which still hung round the stranger served to irritate still further the curiosity of the public, and the sensation which the occurrence excited, continued, without diminution, for two or three weeks. None seemed inclined to accuse the young Hungarian of criminality.

In the mean time the skill of the surgeon had produced the most happy effect on the unfortunate patient. Time and care, it was thought, could not fail to restore Monsieur Palowski to health and society; and the count

Solenski and his lady felt such an increased interest in his welfare, that their stay at the chateau was purposely prolonged, in the hope of being able to witness his perfect recovery.

The unhappy man was not insensible to their kindness; his emotion in their presence sprung evidently from a heart overflowing with gratitude; but the assurance of the surgeon, that his case had assumed an appearance of convalescence, did not seem to communicate to him any considerable degree of pleasure. He heaved a deep sigh at the intelligence, his eye became moistened, and he expressed a wish to be left alone, the better to indulge in that melancholy which had taken possession of him.

One evening he appeared more than usually tranquil; and the window-curtains were withdrawn sufficiently to permit his having full view of those orient streaks which precede a setting sun. The sight of the summer sky appeared to give him no common pleasure, and while in this happy mood the count entered the chamber. He approached the invalid with extended hand, and, in a tone tremulous with affection, he expressed the delight he felt at seeing him apparently so well: I would willingly,' he said, 'stop until you should be perfectly recovered, but the king, my master, will not permit my further absence; I leave the chateau to-morrow; but a servant, in whom I place confidence, will stop to watch over you, and perhaps, when your health permits, you would honour me with an assurance of perfect recovery, under your own hand? Can I render you any service in Vienna ? '

Unfortunately none,' replied the invalid, and he pressed the count's hand between his; friendship, even as noble and disinterested as yours, can render me no further service.'

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Come, come, my friend,' said the count, ‘you must not give way to melancholy-it is a dangerous indulgence which you permit yourself: the past cannot be recalled; and, although your lady merited all your affection, you must not consider the world unworthy

of your presence, because, unfortunately, she is ab. sent.'

You are good, very good, dear count,' said Monsieur Palowski, 'but you are necessarily unacquainted with the peculiarities of our case.'

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Nor do I,' interrupted the count, seek to know more about it than you may choose to communicate; I would willingly be of service to you, in mitigating those sorrows which appear to have fallen somewhat numerously on you: if my knowledge of the circumstances of the case would enable me to do this, most assuredly I desire it; but if not, your want of confidence in this particular shall give me no pain.'

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There is no circumstance of my life, my dear count,' said the invalid, which I am anxious to conceal from you; but your humanity can do no more for me: I feel that the hand of death is on me, and it is a conviction that I cannot again enter the world, which to me has been full of sorrows, that has given me such an unusual flow of happiness this evening. My spirit shall shortly join hers that has preceded it; but before I descend into the tomb, after a manner which the good may censure, I would willingly convince you that your friendship has not been bestowed upon a mere charlatan-on a man entirely unworthy your regard. I can do this in a very few words, if you relieve yourself from the fatigue of standing;' and he pointed to a chair immediately opposite the bed. There was an earnestness in his manner which induced the count to consent to his implied request; and, in addition to the curiosity which he naturally felt to know the history of a pair so lovely and so mysterious, he had an indistinct notion that he could be of some service in disabusing the stranger's mind of some strange notions which evidently possessed it.

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My story,' said the invalid, as the count sat down, though full of misery, is devoid of romantic events: I have not to complain of disappointed love or false friends. I cannot impugn human nature-I dare not accuse Providence; and yet the circumstances of my

case, though cruel-melancholy-are attributable neither to individual indiscretion, nor to the misconduct of others.

'I was born in that country which has had the honour of being the place of your birth; and, being a younger brother, I entered the army at an early age, and revelled in all the gaiety of a soldier's life-happy and thoughtless-until six months since. At that period the regiment to which I was attached entered Weimar. The grand duke frequently invited our officers to his court, and it was at a ball, given by his duchess, that I first met Bertha: you will pardon this emotion-the name of her I have lost, and long to follow, recalls to my mind associations of so conflicting a nature, that I know not whether I ought to curse or bless, on her account, the night on which we first met. I need not tell you that she was young, beautiful, and accomplished. To see her was to love her; we danced together; I was permitted to visit her; and, in a short time, our two hearts seemed to beat only with one pulse. Our tastes were similar; our affection was reciprocal; and though my only fortune was a stout heart and a good sword, her guardian-for she was an orphan-did not threaten to oppose any formidable obstacle to our union.

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My brother officers pronounced me a most fortunate fellow-I entertained the same opinion; but I must do myself the justice to say that her portion, which was ample, weighed with me not a feather, compared with the perfections of the lady herself. There were, amongst my pretended friends, those who envied me, but our mutual fondness kept all aspirants for the lady's favour at a distance. She was a stranger to the arts of coquetry; her soul was all sincerity; and her mind, somewhat tinged with the poetry of romance, revolted at the idea of being wooed when she had already recognised a lover.

My time now passed on in a kind of tumultuous happiness; the day of marriage had been appointed, and I felt inclined to chide the tardy hours. Every

moment, not spent in the discharge of my military duties, was devoted to Bertha: we walked together, sang together, and read together. Our mutual felicity was calculated to put to shame those sages who deny the possibility of continued temporal happiness, when an occurrence, against which we could not guard, because we could not anticipate it, put a period to our dreams of lasting bliss.

'Amongst the tokens of affection given me, on my leaving home, was a little dog, remarkably vivacious and intelligent: he was the gift of an only and beloved sister, and, for her sake, I cherished the little Pompey with great care: the animal, itself, created an interest in me he was attached to his master; was full of playful tricks; and served to amuse many an unoccupied half hour. In all my walks he accompanied me, and was quite as frequent as myself in his visits to Bertha. His playful agility had frequently amused her; and she invariably welcomed him by gently caressing him with her hand. One morning he appeared to be unusually sullen; his eye had lost its animation; and he seemed anxious to avoid me. I roused bim, however, and he followed me to the house of my mistress: she was not in the drawing-room on our arrival, but she entered soon after, and, as she was wont, patted Pompey. For the first time he received her favour with displeasure, and when she playfully, by way of punishing him for his ill-humour, patted him with gentle violence on the head, he suddenly turned upon her and snapped at her fingers. She screamed violently: her cheek became as pale as death, and, at the sight of blood upon her hand, her usual fortitude forsook her, and she sank upon the sofa.

'The destruction of Pompey was but the work of an instant: I was myself his enraged executioner; and, on my return to the drawing-room, I was pleased to find Bertha recovered from her swoon. The wound was trifling it had already ceased to bleed, and she then affected to think nothing of it. Indeed, she felt

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