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child, who grew a lovely, healthy crea ture; but at last he visited the cottage, and never shall I forget how he looked when I presented to him the Lady Isabel; he turned his face from the child, and burst into tears; but speedily recovering himself, he took the infant in his arms. Poor innocent (said he), may Heaven bless thee; thou art unconscious what thou hast cost me'. He gazed on the babe for some time with earnestness, and from his melancholy looks, I thought that he was tracing in its little features a resemblance to its mother. He desired me to leave him; and when he called me, I could perceive that he had been weeping.

." I will see your little charge soon again, my good Marcella' (said he to me, when he was about to depart), and. so indeed he did; and in a short time. he said that he intended to have us home to the castle. Well, signor, the very night that he had said so, my sis ter, who lived at a considerable distance

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from ine, came to see and pass some time with me; she brought with her a little nursling, a lovely, baby, ho had (she said) been intrusted to her care by its father, who did not, she believed, trouble himself about what became of it. 6 But I love 'the little thing (cried Villetta), as much as if it were my own; and thanks to the Holy Mother, it is as fine a thriving child as any in the whole country.' I took the infant in my arms; it was a girl, and very beautiful. While I was caressing her, I heard my little Isabel moan, I flew to the cradle, but the dear baby had expired. At first I could not believe that she was dead, though her features were quite distorted; but I was soon convinced of it. I knew not what to do, for I feared the count would attri bute her death to my neglect, and Heaven knows, signor (continued she), that that was not the case. While I was weeping over the lifeless infant, my sister proposed to me to substitute

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her nursling in its place; for a long time I refused, but at last, the dread of the count's displeasure, and the knowledge that I injured no one, (for my sister said that she was sure the father of the child would be glad to hear that it was dead, which she meant to tell him), prevailed upon me to consent; and as the children were both so young, and the colour of their eyes alike, as well as some resemblance in their other features, the deception was never dis covered; and the count was as fond of the little Valeria as if she had been

his own. And now, signor (continued Marcella), I have told you all, and I hope that you will not punish me.”

As her account appeared to Alberto too simple and unstudied to be false in any particular, he readily promised that she should not be punished. He had now obtained all the information he wanted, but he would not yet return to Valeria; I must give her gentle spirit time to recover from the horrors

that have oppressed it (thought he); and in my mother I shall, during my absence, have a warm and zealous friend. He was indeed right, the signora was most tenderly attentive to Valeria, who, in her soft soothings, and the natural kindness of the lady abbess began again to taste of peace: but happiness pure and unmixed is destined never to be the lot of humanity, and the heart of Valeria was yet, at times, torn by the remembrance of her father's crimes.

Signora Sforza had a female servant about her person, who had lived with her for years, and who was uncommonly attached to her; one day she sent this woman to her cabinet, where the portrait, whose resemblance to Valeria she had once noticed, was deposited. The case that contained it happerred to be open; an exclamation of surprise from her servant occasioned the signora to enquire into the cause, and she learned that her woman knew

the signor for whom the portrait was

taken.

"Poor Signora Bianca (continued she), it had been well both for her and the Signor Montalva if——.”

"Was that portrait taken for Signor Montalva ?" (interrupted the Signora Sforza).

"It was, indeed, lady (replied the woman). I was then in the service of Signora Bianca; but, perhaps, you know her story ?"

The signora replied in the negative, and she related to her Signora Lupinetti's story.

"When, my lady (pursued she), found herself treated with disdain by Count D'Rosonio, I thought that the violence of her rage would have destroyed her love for him; but I was mistaken; she grew melancholy, and instead of conquering her passion, it daily increased. The Signor Montalva became odious to her. That portrait had been given her at her own desire;

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