Mont

dence of his benefactor; and on inquir ing for him, was answered by the servant, that St. Orvillé was not within, but that his eldest daughter would receive any message he had to deliver. auban, therefore, sent up his name to signora Orvillé; and on being ushered by the domestic into an apartment, he beheld Almeria, who appeared to him as a divinity. The overflowings of a grateful heart deprived him of the power of ut

terance.

The unstudied graces of her deportment, the beauty, the dignity of her form, and the sweet complaisance with which she received Montauban, all conspired to heighten the fascination with which he was already enchained. He would have spoken, but could not; and this painful silence was as distressing to Almeria as to himself. The entrance, however, of signior Orvillé relieved them from their mutual embarrassment.

To relate the gratitude of the one for

a benefit received, or the joy of the other in having it in his power to bestow happiness on a deserving character, would be superfluous. The language of the heart, in the first instance, and the eloquent looks which accompanied it, spoke the obligation which St. Orvillé had conferred with more sincerity than. the parade of words usually adopted on

such occasions.

Leontine, whose heart had received a deep impression in favour of Almeria, at the same time that he acknowledged the munificence of the Venetian, declined accepting it, without St. Orville would tender him the permission to pay his addresses to his incomparable daughter, that she might be a partaker of the splendour which awaited him. This proposal was not rejected, and in the space of three months, signora St. Orvillé became marchioness de Montauban. Leontine then took possession of his father's castle: his mother, at the particu

lar

lar request of Almeria, still continuing to reside with them, in the enjoyment of every felicity.

The first abatement to the happiness of the young marchioness was her husband's determination of entering into the Piedmontese army; and as she resolutely persisted in her intention of accompanying him through the perilous scenes of warfare, Almeria was obliged to separate herself from her son Albert, then about seven years of age, leaving him under the care of his grandmother. In a very few years the marquis rose by his merits to the rank of general; and prosperity and honour seemed to smile with benignant influence on the house of Montauban. The olive branch of peace again waved over his native land, and the hero was returning to his paternal mansion, in the hopes of passing the remainder of his life in tranquillity. Mark the reverse-scarcely had the geC 4 neral

neral concluded on visiting his domains, ere he found himself a prisoner, deprived of his title and his fortune; all being confiscated to the government of Piedmont; and from the violence of the faction, which had so undeservedly risen against him, he was dragged to the loathsome prison of Oristagni, in the island of Sardinia. The hapless fate of Montauban proved a death-stroke to his aged mother, who only survived two days after that distressing event. During his imprisonment, accumulated evils awaited this unfortunate family: the mournful news arrived to Leontine and Almeria of the death of the humane, the generous, and noble-minded Venetian, St. Orvillé. In accompanying his youngest daughter and her husband over to England, on the very morning the vessel hove in sight of Britain, prompted by his humanity to save a female passenger, who had fallen overboard, poor St. Or

villé,

villé, although his endeavours proved successful in rescuing the lady, he fell a sacrifice to his exertions.

To meliorate, however, the grief of the mourners, the brother of Almeria had been actively engaged in their service, in attempting to trace out the writer of the libel; which having, in some degree, succeeded, it was by his advice that she was now in Turin, where every thing appeared to promise a successful issue. Not a day, not an hour, was then lost by Almeria, in the endeavour of releasing her husband from his unjust captivity.