but returned, to intreat Viola would allow her to bring Jerome in the even ing to her apartment; to this she at last consented, for her curiosity increased every day respecting Zanotti; and every thing she heard,. tended to strengthen the conviction, that there was some lurking history attached to him. He had now been twenty years in the convent, but friends, family, or connexions, no one had ever heard him mention ; nor had he either (excepting to the castle), strayed beyond its walls; nor, but in the duties of his function, did he ever enter into conversation with a human being; and, in short, appeared to have a mind so blunted and chilled, either by the crimes or calamities of his early career, that it resembled a hard and rugged rock, inaccessible to mankind; dark and dreary to himself. From these reflections she

again returned to her own situation: misfortunes make us selfish, and it is the poor privilege of sorrow, to delight in brooding over them: she besought Heaven, who had given her strength to look forward to want and privation with calmness and fortitude, to grant her firmness to bear up against temptation and her own inclinations; and she resolved, as her mind gained power to argue with itself, to write immediately to the Abbess of the Santa Ursulina, informing her of her distress, and requesting her protection: this she instantly did; she knew it was a proper measure, and she determined to fulfil it; she sealed her letter, rang for a servant, and sent it to the post-house; but a torrent of tears succeeded to this effort of heroism, and the idea of Albenza unhappy, nearly put to flight every acquired principle of fortitude:

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more than ever too, was she terrified at the thought of encountering the Marchese, to whose natural dislike would be added his viewing her in the light of a designing girl, who had destroyed the hopes of his family, by interesting its only son in her favour. Olivia, for there indeed was she most vulnerable; could she bear her scoru, her hatred, and malice? Ah no!-this was too much, and she rejoiced that her letter to the Abbess might cause her departure in a few days. It was now with many pangs, that her mind recurred to what might have been the destiny of her parents; her own mysterious and apparently disastrous origin: and she turned cold, as she remembered the task yet to be performed, in destroying the records of their fate. The extraordi nary disappearance of her papers, Gradisca, the interesting Lorenzo, and

4

above all, Zanotti, with the late midnight conference, in which he had borne so guilty a part, all rushed upon her recollection, and overwhelmed her with perplexity and dismay. Wearied with thought, she now left her apartment, to try the effect of change of scene on her harassed spirits, determiuing, however, the instant she heard of Albenza's arrival, to return to the confinement of her own room, and at any rate avoid a meeting with him, that day. As she passed the chamber of the Marchesa, she faultered; day-light had dissipated those awful sensations, which ever attend a view of mortality in the gloom of night, and she clung round the door, as if by enclosing, it had acquired the spirit of her she de-. plored; she tried the lock, it was fast. as the servant had told her, and the key gone; sorrowfully, therefore, she descended

VOL. II.

C

descended to the saloon, and was approaching the viranda, when a book, open on the table, caught her attention; the author's name was not prefixed, but it treated learnedly, though erroneously, of the passions; and where that of revenge was analysed, various manuscript notes were written with a pencil on the margin; these she read with admiration, for they were so forcibly, so clearly expressed, that the commentator seemed to have said more in ten lines, than the writer in a whole. volume.

"WHOEVER has exemplified these opinions," thought Viola, must have felt them; pity it is, that one so ardent should be so mistaken."--As she moved from the table, a slight rustling behind, caused her to look round, and Zanotti stood before her;