returned to the memory of her home, of her friends, and of all that was dear in her

native country.

After walking fome time, they fat down at the door of a Cafino, and, while Cavigni was accommodating them with coffee and ice, were joined by Count Morano. He fought Emily with a look of impatient delight, who, remembering all the attention he had fhewn her on the preceding evening, was compelled, as before, to fhrink from his affiduities into a timid referve, except when The converfed with Signora Herminia and the other ladies of her party.

It was near midnight before they withdrew to the opera, where Emily was not fo charmed but that, when fhe remembered the scene she had juft quitted, fhe felt how infinitely inferior all the splendour of art is to the fublimity of nature. Her heart was not now affected, tears of admiration did not start to her eyes, as when he viewed the vast expanfe of ocean, the grandeur of the heavens, and liftened to the rolling

waters,

waters, and to the faint mufic that, at intervals, mingled with their roar. Remembering these, the scene before her faded into infignificance.

Of the evening, which paffed on without any particular incident, fhe wifhed the conclufion, that she might escape from the attentions of the Count; and, as oppofite qualities frequently attract each other in our thoughts, thus Emily, when the looked on Count Morano, remembered Valancourt, and a figh fometimes followed the recollection.

Several weeks paffed in the course of cuftomary vifits, during which nothing remarkable occurred. Emily was amufed by the manners and scenes that furrounded her, fo different from thofe of France, but where Count Morano, too frequently for her comfort, contrived to introduce himfelf. His manner, figure and accomplishments, which were generally admired, Emily would, perhaps, have admired also, had her heart been difengaged from Va

lancourt,

lancourt, and had the Count forborne to perfecute her with officious attentions, during which the obferved fome traits in his character, that prejudiced her against whatever might otherwife be good in it.

Soon after his arrival at Venice, Montoni received a packet from M. Quefnel, in which the latter mentioned the death of his wife's uncle, at his villa on the Brenta ; and that, in confequence of this event, he fhould haften to take poffeffion of that eftate and of other effects bequeathed to him. This uncle was the brother of Madame Quefnel's late mother; Montoni was related to her by the father's fide, and though he could have had neither claim. nor expectation concerning thefe poffeffions, he could fcarcely conceal the envy which M. Quefnel's letter excited.

Emily had obferved with concern, that, fince they left France, Montoni had not even affected kindness towards her aunt, and that, after treating her, at firft, with neglect, he now met her with uniform illhumour

humour and referve. She had never fuppofed, that her aunt's foibles could have efcaped the difcernment of Montoni, or that her mind or figure were of a kind to deferve his attention. Her furprise, therefore, at this match, had been extreme; but fince he had made the choice, fhe did not fufpect that he would fo openly have difcovered his contempt of it. But Montoni, who had been allured by the feeming wealth of Madame Cheron, was now feverely dif appointed by her comparative poverty, and highly exafperated by the deceit she had employed to conceal it, till concealment was no longer neceffary. He had been deceived in an affair, wherein he meant to be the deceiver; out-witted by the superior cunning of a woman, whose understanding he despised, and to whom he had facrificed his pride and his liberty, without faving himself from the ruin, which had impended over his head. Madame Montoni had contrived to have the greatest part of what the really did poffefs, fettled upon herself:

VOL. II.

E

what

what remained, though it was totally inadequate both to her husband's expectations, and to his neceffities, he had converted into money, and brought with him to Venice, that he might a little longer delude fociety, and make a last effort to regain the fortunes he had loft.

The hints which had been thrown out to Valancourt, concerning Montoni's character and condition, were too true; but it was now left to time and occafion, to unfold the circumftances, both of what had, and of what had not been hinted, and to 'time and occafion we commit them.

Madame Montoni was not of a nature to bear injuries with meeknefs, or to refent them with dignity: her exafperated pride displayed itself in all the violence and acrimony of a little, or at least of an illregulated mind. She would not acknowledge, even to herfelf, that she had in any degree provoked contempt by her duplicity, but weakly perfifted in believing, that she alone was to be pitied, and Montoni

alone