6 The bustle which this sudden order of Melissa occasioned in the family, soon brought Maria into her chamber, who with much anxiety inquired the cause of her hasty departure; Melissa, having again fallen into a profound reverie, gave no answer to this inquiry; upon which Maria repeated it, adding, that she hoped her mother was well, and that the letter brought no bad news from home. My mother is well, and the letter brings no bad news from home,' answered Melissa. Then I hope, sister,' says Maria, nothing has happened here to give you any offence.'-Melissa looked her steadily in the face, and after some time relaxed her features into that sort of smile which conscious superiority sometimes deigns to bestow upon importunate insignificance. Maria, in whose composition the inflammable particles did not predominate, answered this smile of insult no otherwise than by a blush of sensibility, and with a faltering voice said- If it is I, who am in the fault, sister, I am heartily sorry for it, and entreat you to believe that nothing can be farther from my intentions than to give you just cause of offence at any time.'-' Lord, child,' replied Melissa, with infinite composure, how vanity has turned thy poor head upside down: I dare say you think it mighty pretty to practise the airs of a great lady, and to be gracious to your inferiors; but have the goodness to stay till I am your inferior; perhaps that may never be the case: perhaps-but I shall say no more upon the subject; it is not your childish triumph in displaying a parcel of baubles that can move me ;-no-you might recollect, methinks, that those diamonds had been mine, if I would have taken them with the encumbrance appertaining to thembut I look higher, be assured, so I wish your ladyship a good morning, for I see my chaise is waiting.' -Having thus said, the accomplished Melissa, with · out staying for an answer, flounced out of the room, took a hasty leave of her aunt below stairs, and throwing herself into her chaise, drove from the door without farther ceremony. NUMBER XXIV. THE amiable Melissa having performed the duties of a sister in the manner above related, eagerly flew to enjoy the delights of a friend, and upon her return home, immediately betook herself to her beloved Parthenissa. It so happened that she found that young lady tête-à-tête with Count Ranceval; Melissa, upon discovering a stranger with her friend, started back, blushed, and hastily exclaimed-Bless me! Parthenissa, I thought you had been alone.' She was now retiring, when Parthenissa by gentle compulsion obliged her to return. The conversation soon grew interesting, in the course of which many fine things were said by the count, of which nothing was original but the application, for they were mostly to be found in the prompter's library. Whilst Melissa was amusing her friend with an account of what had passed at her aunts, the count sate for some time silent with his eyes fixed upon her, and drawing up a deep sigh that seemed to throw a delicate frame into great convulsion, exclaimed-' My God!'- -Upon this explosion of the soul, Melissa, though in the midst of a narrative, in which she had not neglected doing justice to her own sweetness of temper and sisterly affection, stopped short, and casting a look of infinite sensibility on the sighing count, eagerly asked if he was well.-The count, instead of answering her question, turned himself to Parthenissa, and in the most moving tone of voice said You told me she was fair True she is fair; oh! how divinely fair! But still the lovely maid improves her charms Here Cato's soul stood in his way, and stopped the farther progress of his speech. Whilst this was passing, his valet entered the room and delivered a packet into his hands, bowing very devoutly, and saying,- My lord count, a courier is arrived from Strasbourg, who brings you letters from his excellency your father.'-The count snatched them from his hand with ecstasy, and ordered a liberal reward to the courier on the spot. Melissa now rose from her seat, and would have retired, but he implored her to stay, if it were only to gratify her benevolence in an occasion of felicitating him, should he be so happy as to find his honoured parent in good health. He now opened the letter, throwing the envelope carelessly on the table; Parthenissa took it up, and examining the seal, bade Melissa take notice of the coat of arms, which indeed was most splendidly engraven with trophies, mantle, and every proper badge of high nobility: whilst Count Ranceval was reading, he threw aside some enclosed papers, one of which fell upon the floor; Parthenissa stooped and took it up; the count, whose attention had been drawn off by the letter he was perusing, was exceedingly shocked in point of politeness, when that young lady presented it to him, and with many apologies for his inattention, begged she would accept the paper she had had the trouble of taking up, declaring, in the most peremptory manner, that he could never forgive himself upon any other terms. Parthenissa opened the paper, and looking at it, exclaimed-' Heavens! Count Ranceval, what do you mean? It is a bill for a thousand pounds.'-I am sorry for it, Madam,' said the generous count, I wish it had been one of the others to have been more worthy your acceptance; but I hope you will make no difficulty of receiving such a trifle at my hands; there is but one good thing in the world which I abound in, and that is the only one you have not; therefore I must insist upon your accepting what I can so easily spare, and can never more worthily employ.'-The count now rose from his seat, and in the most graceful manner imaginable forced the paper into Parthenissa's hands, holding them both fast closed within his own: a struggle now ensued between the generosity of one party and the modesty of the other, which was so obstinately maintained on each side, that it was impossible to foresee which would prevail, when the count, recollecting himself on the sudden, struck upon a new expedient for overcoming this amiable young lady's delicacy, by delivering the paper to Melissa, and beseeching her to stand his advocate on the occasion.-' From you, divine Melissa,' says the generous foreigner, she will not refuse this trifle in dispute between us: to whom should I refer my cause but to that angelic being to whom I have surrendered my heart, and at whose feet I dedicate my life, fortune, happiness, and all things valuable in this world, with a devotion that no suppliant ever felt before?'-As he was uttering these words, he threw himself on his knees, snatched the hand of Melissa, pressed it eagerly to his lips, and smothered it with ardent kisses; then applying his handkerchief to his eyes, dropped his head upon Melissa's knee, and in a trembling voice cried out- Speak, loveliest of thy sex, pronounce my fate, determine me for life or death; for by the power that made 6 me, I will not survive the sentence of despair.''Oh generous youth! oh noble count!' replied the amiable Melissa, ' you confound me; you distress me: what must I reply?'- Bless me with hope; encourage me to live; or let me fall at once,' said the enamoured youth:-Melissa paused; the tears started in her eyes; her heart was softened, and her tongue refused to utter the fatal sentence of death; she was silent. In this awful moment of suspense, the lovely Parthenissa, whose gentle heart overflowed with gratitude to her benefactor, dropped on her knee also, and clasping Melissa round the waist, with tears beseeched her for the love of Heaven to save a noble youth, who doted on her to distraction.Think of his virtues, think of his affections,' said the beauteous pleader; Can that soft heart, so full of pity, suffer him to die? Does not such generosity deserve to live? Am I not bound to speak in his behalf? Where can Melissa find a man so worthy of her choice? Shall the insipid Maria start into nobility, and move into a superior sphere, whilst her accomplished sister lives in humble solitude beneath her? No, no, the world demands Melissa. Shall Maria glitter in the circles of the great, shall she blaze with diamonds, whilst my lovely friend-? But why do I talk this language to Melissa, whose soul looks down upon these vanities with just contempt? There are nobler motives, there are worthier reasons, that plead the cause of love on this occasion. Rise, Count Ranceval, this moment rise, receive a blessing to your arms, embrace your happiness, she yields! she's yours! I see that she consents.'Obedient to the word, the enraptured lover rose, and throwing his arms round the unresisting fair one, clasped her to his heart, and whilst he held her thus in close embrace, exclaimed- Oh paradise of sweets! Oh soul of bliss! Oh heavenly, charming |