A Sicilian Romance

Emilia was at length released from the confinement she had so unjustly

suffered. She had now the use of her old apartments, where, solitary

and dejected, her hours moved heavily along, embittered by incessant

anxiety for Julia, by regret for the lost society of madame. The

marchioness, whose pleasures suffered a temporary suspense during the

present confusion at the castle, exercised the ill-humoured caprice,

which disappointment and lassitude inspired, upon her remaining

subject. Emilia was condemned to suffer, and to endure without the

privilege of complaining. In reviewing the events of the last few

weeks, she saw those most dear to her banished, or imprisoned by the

secret influence of a woman, every feature of whose character was

exactly opposite to that of the amiable mother she had been appointed

to succeed.

The search after Julia still continued, and was still unsuccessful.

The astonishment of the marquis increased with his disappointments;

for where could Julia, ignorant of the country, and destitute of

friends, have possibly found an asylum? He swore with a terrible oath

to revenge on her head, whenever she should be found, the trouble and

vexation she now caused him. But he agreed with the duke to relinquish

for a while the search; till Julia, gaining confidence from the

observation of this circumstance, might gradually suppose herself

secure from molestation, and thus be induced to emerge from

concealment.