Tempest and Sunshine

"He seemed pleased with me and offered me the situation of clerk in his

counting room. I accepted his offer, and also became an inmate of his

dwelling, which was adorned with every conceivable luxury. His family

consisted of himself and his daughter, Inez."

At the mention of Inez, Ashton half started from his chair, but

immediately reseating himself, listened while Mr. Middleton proceeded: "I

will not attempt to describe Inez, for I am too old now to even feel young

again, by picturing to your imagination the beauty of that fair Spaniard.

I will only say that I never saw one, whose style of beauty would begin to

compare with hers, until I beheld my niece, Julia."

"Lord knows, I hope she wan't like Tempest," said Uncle Joshua, at the

same time relieving his mouth of its overflowing contents.

"I do not know whether she were or not," answered Mr. Middleton, "I only

know that Inez seemed too beautiful, too gentle, for one to suspect that

treachery lurked beneath the soft glance of her dark eyes. I know not why

it was, but Castello, from the first seemed to entertain for me a strong

friendship, and at last I fully believe the affection he felt for me was

second only to what he felt for his daughter. But he could not remain with

us, and in eighteen months after I first knew him, he took one of the

fevers common to that sultry climate, and in the course of a few days he

was dead. I wrote to you of his death, but I did not tell you that he had

left a will, in which all his immense wealth was equally divided between

myself and Inez. He did not express his desire that we should marry, but I

understood it so, and thenceforth looked upon Inez as belonging

exclusively to myself."

"You didn't marry her, though, I take it," said Joshua, making a thrust at

an enormous mosquito, which had unceremoniously alighted upon his brawny

foot.

"No," answered William, "I did not marry her, but 'twas not my fault. She

played me false. Six months after her father's death we were to be

married. The evening previous to our wedding arrived. I was perfectly

happy, but Inez seemed low-spirited, and when I inquired the cause she

answered, 'Nothing, except a little nervous excitement.' I readily

believed her; but when the morning came the cause of her low spirits was

explained. The bird had flown, with a young Englishman, Sir Arthur

Effingham, who had been a frequent guest at my house."