On stopping, Osmond happening to be nearer to Miss Raymond than to any other of the party, he approached for the purpose of helping her to alight, but was again prevented rendering her any assistance, by her father, as he had before done, rushing between them.

All his angry feelings revived by this conduct. The moment he had handed Mrs. Raymond into this delightful retreat, he was retiring, when she prevented him, by catching his arm, and inviting him to take a seat beside her on a bank of verdant turf they found within it. Numerous flocks, with their attendant shepherds, were scattered over the plain; and to these Mactalla and the French boy now repaired, to procure milk and fruit, while Felisco was employed in unpacking a basket of provisions he had taken care to bring with him from the castle.

Whilst thus busied, Mr. Raymond enquired, with an appearance of great anxiety, whether there was no village or habitation near, at which they could procure a carriage for the remainder of the journey, or at least a few additional attendants?

·

'No,' Felisco replied; ' Venosa was the nearest place at which they could procure either, the present tract being solely inhabited by shepherds, too much occupied by their flocks to be prevailed on to quit them, though sufficiently generous, he knew from experience, to lend their assistance to any one immediately at hand.'

Mr. Raymond then asked, how soon he thought they might reach Venosa? To which he answered, by nightfall, provided the horses were sufficiently refreshed to permit of their renewing their journey at sunset.

Mactalla and his companion presently returned with the refreshments they had gone for, which laying by the viands Felisco had already produced, they retired with him to a little distance from the arbour.

Mrs. Raymond now repeated her acknowledgments to Osmond for the generosity of his recent conduct; and by the obliging attentions she paid him, seemed anxious to manifest her gratitude.

Osmond, now at leisure to view her attentively, beheld in her countenance traces of the most perfect beau

ty; but, like the Marchesa Morati, though unpossessed of these, she would still have been attractive, so prepos sessing were her manners, so dignified her air and deportment.

Convinced, from the assurances of Felisco, that they were in perfect safety in their present situation, she entered into a cheerful conversation with Osmond, indicative at once of a liberal and accomplished mind, but in which neither her husband nor daughter participated; both sat behind her, and at some distance; and to the astonishment of Osmond, as he could not suppose he was under any apprehension of unpleasant consequences ensuing from his now being seen, the former still continued muffled up in such a manner, that not a feature was

visible.

That his silence was premeditated, he made no doubt; but that the fair Cordelia's proceeded from aught but her dread of him, he could not imagine, owing to a glance or two, which, spite of the interposition of her father, he caught.

At the request of Mrs. Raymond, he gave not only a succinct account of the manner in which he had fallen into the hands of the banditti, but of the circumstances to which his visiting Naples were owing. On his concluding.... Your narrative may with truth,' said she, 'be styled one of the most disastrous chances....one too which has the singular effect of at once softening and strengthening the mind, since, while it affects the feelings, it inspires fortitude, by proving that there is no danger, no difficulty almost, which resolution and patience.

may not overcome.'

She then in her turn, informed him, that at the skirts of the wood in which he and his attendants had taken refuge from the storm, they had been surprised by the banditti, she could not help thinking owing to the treachery of their servants, as, though armed and numerous, they made not an effort to defend them, nor had one of them been seized by the troop.

At length Osmond arose and withdrew, in order to afford Mrs. Raymond and her fair daughter an opportunity of enjoying a little repose.

Lost in thought, he strolled further into the wood, without reflecting on the necessity there was for his endeavouring to obtain some himself. His dislike to Mr.

Raymond strengthened, he almost believed, beyond the possibility of being subdued, owing to the unaltered coldness, or rather fastidiousness of his manner, and which he was again tempted to ascribe solely to an ungracious temper, too callous to feel gratitude, and too proud to acknowledge an obligation. But with the indignation and resentment he felt against him for his conduct was mingled something like pity; for of how many exquisite enjoyments must his yielding to such a temper debar him, he thought....domestic pleasure, the consolations of friendship, the silent satisfaction resulting from the consciousness of being esteemed....yes, the man who harboured such a one could not fail (he inwardly exclaimed) of being an enemy to his own happiness.

At last, completely overpowered by fatigue, he threw himself at the root of an old tree, which dipt its trembling and far-extended boughs into a brook that babbled by, and gradually sunk into a transient slumber, lulled by the soft rustling of the foliage, and the ceaseless hum of swarming insects, not undelightful

To him who muses through the woods at noon;
Or drowsy shepherd, as he lies reclin'd,
With half-shut eyes, beneath the floating shade
Of willows grey, close crowding o'er the brook.'

From this he awoke refreshed, and retracing his way to the bower, stopt within some yards of it, in consequence of seeing Miss Raymond seated near the brow of the hill, beneath the shade of some tall and clustering trees; her back towards him, and she appeared buried in thought.

What would he not have given at the moment to have been able to have looked into her heart, as Ariel was into that of Belinda's?

A fear of appearing intrusive....that modesty which is generally reckoned the companion of genuine love, and certainly always of sensibility....withheld him from approaching her but though he was able to resist the imG

VOL. II.

pulse which would have led him to her side, he was not able to prevail on himself to quit a spot where, without incurring the imputation of impertinence, he could indulge himself in gazing on her...but the pleasure he derived from this was not unalloyed, as he silently observed her, and involuntarily reflected on the happiness the man must enjoy, who should call such a treasure his. He also reflected, his thoughts recurring to the apparent sternness of her father, on the probability there was of her not experiencing herself the felicity she was so capable of be stowing, and deserving of possessing....he sighed at the idea....sighed to think she might be forced into the arms of age and ugliness....doomed to become the partner of some sordid wretch, intent only on his own gratification.

An accidental movement of her head discovering him to her, interrupted his reflections; he directly ap proached her, and, with a glow upon his cheek, not less bright at the moment than that which suffused hers, expressed his apprehension of having startled her, as, upon seeing him, she had hastily risen.

No,' she replied, only surprised her, as she did not expect to see him at the moment. Then added, that unable to rest, owing to the impression recent incidents had made upon her mind, she had quitted the shady covert in which he had left her, in order to indulge herself with the contemplation of the surrounding scenery.... In which, I fancy,' continued she, you were quite absorbed at the moment I discovered you.'

'I was indeed,' said Osmond, raising involuntarily his eyes to hers, absorbed at that moment in the contemplation of one of the loveliest objects in creation.'

Indeed!' she replied, with a deeper blush, and a lurk ing smile, which implied her better understanding the import of his words than she appeared willing to let him imagine; where there are so many, as in the present instance, I should think it rather a difficult matter to select a particular one.'

By no means,' said Osmond; the one I allude to is so superlatively lovely, that I think it next to impossible any one could hesitate in giving it a decided preference.' Well, perhaps so,' she returned, with carelessness,

6

but a carelessness which Osmond could not help thinking more feigned than felt.

The conversation now turned upon the enchanting prospects stretched around them, which brought to his mind, Osmond said, the delightful shades of Acerenza. Ah! delightful shades indeed,' echoed Miss Raymond, with a sigh.

Yes, by me they will ever be regarded as such,' said Osmond; since it was amongst them I first beheld........' He paused, suddenly recollected himself, and looked confused.

Miss Raymond appeared not less so; and from this circumstance Osmond was convinced she perfectly comprehended what he had been on the point of saying.

After a moment of evidently painful embarrassment on both sides, she motioned to return to the recess, but was prevented by the unexpected approach of her mo

ther.

My dear girl,' she exclaimed, in hurried accents, 'you have caused me inexpressible terror, by quitting my side.'

Miss Raymond expressed the greatest regret for having done so, since the occasion of alarm to her; accounting to her as she had previously done to Osmond, for having quitted their shady covert.

·

'I cannot wonder indeed,' replied Mrs. Raymond, ' at the impression made upon your imagination by recent scenes. I trust now,' smiling a little archly, you have had quite enough of the terrific..... You must know Mr. Munro,' turning and addressing herself to him, 'this young lady took it into her head, owing to the perusal of romances, to wish to find herself the inhabitant of some dilapidated mansion, where she would be likely to lose herself in old corridors, marble halls, and subteraneous passages....in short, have the sublime sensation of terror every instant awakened in her mind; and no one will deny, I believe, that this wish has been accomplish

ed.'

Yes, but my dear mother,' returned Miss Raymond, blushing and half-smiling, to have rendered our adven