requesting, that if (as she wished him to do,) he soon became united to an amiable woman, he would then engage her protection for her deserted Protegée. It may be readily concluded the last words of the Marchesa had more than their due weight on the mind of her son in obtaining this letter, he felt he had almost gained her sanction to their union; for with that facility, with which youth ever finds a justification for its conduct, he quickly inferred, that when his mother solicited his care for Viola, and at the same time had expressed a wish for him to marry, that the same idea had given rise to her sentiments, as now breathed hope and promise to his heart. CHAP. CHAP. II. "Thrice the winds of night waved round; OSSIAN. In the evening, Laurentine, true to her appointment, entered the dressingroom of Viola, accompanied by the Monk Jerome: "I think, Signiora, I had better not fetch a light," said the waiting-maid, respectfully placing a chair for the good priest; "Father Jerome says, that he does not wish to be seen, for fear of creating any suspicion; and he thinks also, Signiora, that I had better remain here, for in case any one comes, you would not know so well D 3 well where to conceal him; but to be sure, that's as you please." Viola smiled, and blushed; she smiled at Laurentine's effort to qualify her own curiosity, and she blushed at the thought of appearing to act with secrecy in an affair where it scarcely seemed requisite. Jerome observed her confusion, and said, in accents where humility and benevolence were blended, and mildly placing his aged hand on her shoulder, "I regret, my child, that in a case where the motives are of the purest and most innocent nature, we should oftentimes be obliged to assume an appearance of duplicity, a vice always repugnant to good minds, and one we ought to tremble at the very semblance of." "HOLY Father," said Viola, whose heart dilated as she caught the sounds of of peace and benignity, "but that I think my curiosity is in a degree justifiable, believe me I would not have subjected either of us to so unpleasant a task." DURING the life of the Marchesa, this worthy man had occasionally officiated as her confessor, as from her dislike to Zanotti, she had never permitted him the exercise of his function in regard to herself; the visits of Jerome, however, had been but seldom; for the tyranny of the Marchese had long debarred his wife from the society of those she preferred; and the yigilant jealousy of Zanotti had kept a strict watch over the good priest, and prevented his gaining frequent access to the Marchesa; he thought she possessed a secret; that secret he had long sought to develope, and become master of; and for this purpose, he had recourse to all the denunciations of religion, and all the superstitions of the Catholic faith; but in vain :-the Marchesa suspected too much to trust him. It is more than probable, had Jerome been permitted to attend her in her last moments, she would have made a full and free confession, and acknowledged the secret of Viola's birth; that, however, as is already known, was not allowed, as the Marchese, who wished to prevent any communications reaching his son, had strictly enjoined Zanotti to prevent it. "ALAS!" continued Viola, "since last we met, Father, what a loss have we all sustained! You, who knew the virtues of the saint I deplore, alone can feel how much I ought to lament her loss; would to God you had been permitted |