error of which the
female dependents immediately attached to her own person might happen to
be guilty.

Toward her father she often manifested a strange ebullition of
anger--bordering even on inveterate spite, when he offended her: and
yet, singular though it were, the count was devotedly attached to his
daughter. He frequently declared that, afflicted as she was, he was
proud of her: for he was wont to behold in her flashing eyes--her
curling lip--and her haughty air, the reflection of his own proud--his
own inexorable spirit.

The youth of nineteen to whom we have alluded was Nisida's brother; and
much as the father appeared to dote upon the daughter, was the son
proportionately disliked by that stern and despotic man.

Perhaps this want of affection--or rather this complete aversion--on the
part of the Count of Riverola toward the young Francisco, owed its
origin to the total discrepancy of character existing between the father
and son. Francisco was as amiable, generous-hearted, frank and agreeable
as his sire was austere, stern, reserved and tyrannical. The youth was
also unlike his father in personal appearance, his hair being of a rich
brown, his eyes of a soft blue, and the general expression of his
countenance indicating the fairest and most endearing qualities which
can possibly characterize human nature.

We must, however, observe, before we pursue our narrative, that Nisida
imitated not her father in her conduct toward Francisco; for she loved
him--she loved him with the most ardent affection--such an affection as
a sister seldom manifests toward a brother. It was rather the attachment
of a mother for her child; inasmuch as Nisida studied all his
comforts--watched over him, as it were, with the tenderest
solicitude--was happy when he was present, melancholy when he was
absent, and seemed to be constantly racking her imagination to devise
new means to afford him pleasure.

To treat Francisco with the least neglect was to arouse the wrath of a
fury in the breast of Nisida; and every unkind look which the count
inflicted upon his son was sure, if perceived by his daughter, to evoke
the terrible lightnings of her brilliant eyes.

Such were the three persons whom we have thus minutely described to our
readers.

The count had been ill for some weeks at the time when this chapter
opens; but on the night which marks that commencement, Dr. Duras had
deemed it his duty to warn the nobleman that he had not man