he endeavoured to struggle with his grief, and he called in the aid of reason and religion to enable him to bear the destruction of his earthly happiness: but though he submitted without a murmur to the divine will, yet he could not subdue the keenness of feelings that preyed upon his life, and gradually undermined a constitution naturally good.

The death of his mother had been sensibly felt by Fernando, and with the most pious solicitude did he endeavour to soothe the sorrows of his remaining parent; but the barbed arrow had sunk too deep for the hand of filial piety to extract it, and in less than a year the Count D'Rosonio breathed his last, in the arms of his son.

The splendid inheritance which this event bestowed upon Fernando was no consolation to his feeling heart for the loss of a beloved parent; and but for the attentions of Montalva, and his second mother (as he used to call the Signora

Montalva), the grief of D'Rosonio might have been attended with the most fatal

consequences.

They indeed lavished upon him every consolation that friendship could bestow; both had deeply regretted the death of the count and his lady, and both were as fondly attached to him as to their own son; frequently did they in secret wish that Stephano possessed his virtues; but little tendency to good appeared in the disposition of young Montalva, and a circumstance that occurred about this time, convinced the signora that his heart was worse than she had supposed.

The behaviour of Stephano, notwithstanding his father's remonstrances, and his mother's intreaties, had always been severe and haughty to their domestics; in particular, a venerable old man, whose whole life had been spent in the family of Montalva, had frequently been much hurt at the unfeeling insolence of the young signor, when all at once a change

took place in his manner, that delighted and astonished old Pedro. He became gracious, and condescending to excess. Strongly attached to the family of Mon. talva, the old man hoped to end his days in it, and he exulted in the thought that young Montalva, whom spite of all his faults, he loved with the fondest affection, was at last likely to correct the defects of his temper and to resemble his amiable father.

But the change which had gained him such credit in the eyes of Pedro, was occasioned by the most unworthy motives; the old man had a young and lovely granddaughter, on whose opening beauties Montalva had cast the eye of licentious desire, and it was solely from a wish to insinuate himself into the favour of Lauretta, that he changed his manners to her grandfather.

He found indeed no difficulty in gaining the affections of the pretty and simple Lauretta, who utterly unconsci ous of the ruin which she was about to

bring upon herself, felt highly gratified at the notice of the young signor; and more from natural weakness of intellect than any passion for Montalva, or any decided depravity of character, she readily surrendered her honour to his licentious wishes.

Naturally of the most inconstant disposition, Montalva was soon satiated with the person of Lauretta, pretty and attractive as it was; and he became sensible of his imprudence, in engaging in an intrigue, that if known would ruin him with his father. Guilty pleasures are dearly bought, and the young libertine, though proof to remorse, was sufficiently tormented by anxiety, as to the consequences of his fault. While matters were in this situation, Lauretta had on offer of marriage from a domestic of the count's, but full of the idea that Stephano's love and constancy would be eternal, slre rejected it with scorn. Feminine vanity induced her to acquaint Montalva with her new conquest,

and he, seeing in an instant the advantages that he would derive from a marriage that would rid him of all his fears for the future, insisted upon her acceptance of Lodovic's hand. For some

time she obstinately refused compliance, but terrified by the threats of Stephano she at length consented, and the Signora Montalva, who had always been partial to the girl, presented her with her wedding cloaths, and a small portion. Lodovic was a favourite servant of D'Rosonio's, and his munificent spirit led him to provide handsomely for the young couple. Lodovic doated upon his bride, and had Montalva possessed the smallest degree of honour or humanity, Lauretta might have ended her days in happy obscurity, but convinced that all danger of discovery was over, Stephano's inclination for her person revived, and the weak and guilty woman was but too easily persuaded to a renewal of their connection.

But at the moment that they sup