'My brother had a favorite dog, which, before he set off, he presented

to Louisa, and committing it to her care, begged she would be kind to

it, and sometimes remember its master. He checked his rising emotion,

but as he turned from her, I perceived the tear that wetted his cheek.

He departed, and with him the spirit of our happiness seemed to

evaporate. The scenes which his presence had formerly enlivened, were

now forlorn and melancholy, yet we loved to wander in what were once

his favorite haunts. Louisa forbore to mention my brother even to me,

but frequently, when she thought herself unobserved, she would steal

to her harpsichord, and repeat the strain which she had played on the

evening before his departure.

'We had the pleasure to hear from time to time that he was well: and

though his own modesty threw a veil over his conduct, we could collect

from other accounts that he had behaved with great bravery. At length

the time of his return approached, and the enlivened spirits of Louisa

declared the influence he retained in her heart. He returned, bearing

public testimony of his valour in the honors which had been conferred

upon him. He was received with universal joy; the count welcomed him

with the pride and fondness of a father, and the villa became again

the seat of happiness. His person and manners were much improved; the

elegant beauty of the youth was now exchanged for the graceful dignity

of manhood, and some knowledge of the world was added to that of the

sciences. The joy which illumined his countenance when he met Louisa,

spoke at once his admiration and his love; and the blush which her

observation of it brought upon her cheek, would have discovered, even

to an uninterested spectator, that this joy was mutual.

'Orlando brought with him a young Frenchman, a brother officer, who

had rescued him from imminent danger in battle, and whom he introduced

to the count as his preserver. The count received him with gratitude

and distinction, and he was for a considerable time an inmate at the

villa. His manners were singularly pleasing, and his understanding was

cultivated and refined. He soon discovered a partiality for me, and he

was indeed too pleasing to be seen with indifference. Gratitude for

the valuable life he had preserved, was perhaps the groundwork of an

esteem which soon increased into the most affectionate love. Our

attachment grew stronger as our acquaintance increased; and at length

the chevalier de Menon asked me of the count, who consulted my heart,

and finding it favorable to the connection, proceeded to make the

necessary enquiries concerning the family of the stranger. He obtained

a satisfactory and pleasing account of it. The chevalier was the

second son of a French gentleman of large estates in France, who had

been some years deceased. He had left several sons; the family-estate,

of course, devolved to the eldest, but to the two younger he

had bequeathed considerable property. Our marriage was solemnized in a

private manner at the villa, in the presence of the count, Louisa, and

my brother.




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