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Untitled Article
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Untitled Article
dwelt upon it . She was too innocent , to dream of sorrow ; but the sadness which she oftentimes saw clouding Lucio ' s brow , calling up her sympathy , drew from him the declaration , and imparted to her that knowledge which at once chilled her with the sense of reality . It was about a month before he did come , that a courier from Fiume * arrived at the mansion with a packet from the Count Jeldaz to Count
Oschiaro , announcing his intention to be there on a stated day ; another also , containing a few words , and a present of rich jewels for Melaza , which she received in pale and trembling silence ; and after standing for a few minutes gazing at the packet ,, from which she seemed to shrink , holding it forward as if she wished the messenger to take it from her again , she hastily quitted the room and its occupants , the Count and the messenger , without speaking or looking . off
the packet . Her guardian smiled at this , attributing it to the perturbation of maiden bashfulness ; and speedily dispatched the messenger with promises of honouring welcome , &c . Lucio was made aware of the visit of the courier only as he saw him spurring on the road to Li sign an , where the bark lay in waiting to bear him back to Fiume . Aa Melaza , he found , had quitted the chateau , he sought her through the gardens , and on arriving at the precipice , found her lying motionless and cold
on the ground , her head resting on the stone seat , on the ledge overhanging the Font . The blood had trickled on the seat from her brow , which had struck the stone as she fell . There she lay , with the crushed up packet suspended from her pale fingers , which were entangled in the silken strings which enwrapped it . 4 Melaza , Melaza !' he groaned as he raised her , and then drew her tovvafds the stream ,
and there sprinkled her forehead and face with the cold drops , which recalled her breathing ; and the first impression of returning sense was a bitter smile which broke into a bubbling sigh . From that moment she fast withered ; and Lucio * s melancholy gave way to deeper sadness ; and long , long intervals of silence . Morning , noon , and evening they walked together to that spot , to stand gazing , as they bent over it , on their images reflected in the translucent and
liquid mirror beneath them ; and scarcely any other word was interchanged , save those ever repeated names , ' Melaza ! ' Lucio !' Reader , were you ever immersed in an unconquerable grief , while the sounds of mirth and the joyousness of festivity rang in your ears ? Did you ever hear your irrepressible sighs echoed by a shout of laughter ? you will know that your grief receives no anodyne from
such sounds . With what howling mockery must they have rung on the ears of Melaza , who , at early morning ' s dawn heard the bustle of preparation , the joyful anticipations and cheerful welcomings of gathering hundreds , as she lay in her chamber , and felt herself the victim about to be immolated in the cause for which all this busy , mirth-teeming uproar and sparkling pleasure was elicited ! But she arose , and passively received the aid of her attendants , as they
ornamented her for the sacrifice , and mingled the labour with their glee , chirping their hopes and wishes the while . She descended among the patrician guests , many of whom had already arrived to honour the day . The first glare of the gaiety and splendour stunned her faculties , and she stood gazing in the silence of stupefaction , as the voices of congratulation dropped on her unheeding and unlistenjng ears . No . 8 T . 2 Y
Untitled Article
Autobiography of Pel . Verjuice . 683
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1833, page 633, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2622/page/49/
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