d with jealous and unceasing vigilance by an ambitious father,
whose sole object is the aggrandisement of his sons; and to the
accomplishment of this purpose he will not hesitate to sacrifice an
only and affectionate daughter. Destined to become the unwilling
bride of heartless opulence, or to the living sepulture of a convent,
and formed, by an affectionate mother, for every social and domestic
relation, there have been moments when I wished it had pleased Heaven
to cast my lot in free and humble mediocrity. My affections were then
unappropriated----'

"She paused in blushing and beautiful embarrassment, but soon
resumed:--'It would be affectation to deny that they are no longer so.
I must have been more than woman to have remarked, without some
responsive feeling, the obvious regard----' Here she paused anew, the
rose of sweet confusion dyed her cheek more deeply than before, and
after a momentary struggle, she continued, with averted looks: 'The
heroic cast and expression of your features, and the unembarrassed
ease and elegance of your deportment, bore the genuine stamp of
nobility by descent and education. The instinctive discrimination
peculiar to woman is often more accurate in its conclusions than the
boasted experience of man. Appearances taught me to suspect, that your
homely garb and professional pursuit were a delusion; and I heard with
more pleasure than surprise that my conjecture was well-founded.'

"Such, my Angelo! was the ingenuous and flattering avowal of the
transcendent Laura Foscari, the pride of Venice, and paragon of her
sex. No words can portray the boundless gratitude and affection with
which she inspired me; nor will I attempt to describe the enchanting
grace and varied intelligence of her conversation during the brief and
delightful hour I remained with her. Too soon the breezes which
announce the dawn shook the windows of the saloon; a luminous streak
bordered the eastern sky; and Laura, starting suddenly from her chair,
bade me begone.

"Thus terminated my first interview with this high-minded and
incomparable woman. To-morrow, should no obstacle intervene, I will
resume my narrative, and, at the same time, impart to you some
particulars of my family and early life."

We then returned to the villa, and separated for the night.

CHAPTER III.

If the opening of Colonna's confession had excited surprise and
emotion, the incidents detailed in his interesting narrative were a
fertile s