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OR,

WEEKLY

THE

VISITOR.

FOR THE USE AND AMUSEMENT OF BOTH SEXES.

VOL. XII.]

Saturday, January 5.....1811.

ALBERT AND EMMA.

(An Interesting Tale.)
Continued.

When she arrived in the great hail, she met with a female of a respectable appearance, and of an advanced age. She eagerly enquired after her father, and earnestly requested to be permitted to see him.The housekeeper answered Emma, with the appearance of much sensibility, that Bernárd was so perfectly recovered,by

a cordial which she had administered, that he had returned to his daily occupation, ignorant that his illness could have reached his daughter's

ear.

'Thank heaven!' exclaimed the innocent Emma, 'O madam, accept my humble gratitude for your goodness towards him, but suffer me to see my dear father; I will watch by his side during the labours of the day, or attend him to our cottage, if he will permit me to lead him thither.'

[NO. 11.

'Be no longer anxious my lovely child,' replied the matron, 'your father will be here at the hour when the turret bell shall call the family to dinner; he promised to meet my lord's steward, to receive some orders from the baron.' The unsuspecting Emma thanked her kind informer, and was departing, but pressed condescendingly to continue there till the return of Bernard, and in the interval, to take a, survey of the apartments in the castle, in some of which alterations were making, she contented to wait her father's return. While her obliging guide was leading her into a large saloon, she turned round to seek for Agnes, whom till that instant, she imagined to have been still near her side. expressed some anxiety at her absence, to the housekeeper, who observed, that her friend had remained in the first hail, and immediately sent a woman, then descending a staircase, to escort her to them.Emma, in the mean time, pur

She

1

sued the steps of her conductress, who having passed several apartments, opened a door that led to a library, and which she had no sooner entered, and directed the attention of Emma to a fine potrait of the - late marchioness de Clairville, that hung over the chimney, than she disappeared. Emma, for some moments, was lost in contemplating the angelic countenance of a woman, whose sad fate she had heard so frequently and so tenderly deplored, when she was suddenly roused from these melancholy reflections, by the opening of a glass door, which led to a colonnade filled with exotic plants. If she felt embarrassed by the appearance of the baron who entered thence into the library, what were her sensations, when, on making an immediate attempt to quit it herself, she found the door of the apartment locked, and beheld the baron de Morenzi at her feet, in an attitude of respectful tenderness.

The confusion and surprise of Emma, at the humble posture of the baron, could only be heightened by his address. She had instantly retreated a few paces from the door which she had vainly attempted to open, and supported herself

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case. Be not alarmed,charming Emma,' said the baron, in || a voice of assumed softness,

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you see before you a man, who, till he beheld your incomparable beauty, never completely lost his liberty. Regard me no longer as the master of your father,, but as the slave and lover of his daughter, and who only waits her commands to shew by his obedience the truth and generosity of his sentiments. During this speech, Emma's gentle frame was agitated by a variety of inexpressible emotions. Amazement, fear, and indignation prevented her interrupting the baron; but when, on his rising and advancing to her at the close of his speech, he attempted to take her hand. My lord, said she shrinking from his touch,

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you must permit me to assure you, that I have no wish but to return to my father; in his cottage all my ideas of happiness are centered. Con. descend to open this door, or to admit my departure through that colonade; my intrusion here was entirely owing to madame de Chalons, who proposed to shew me the castle." How much indebted am I then to her,' replied the baron, 'for this interview, which gives

me an opportunity to unfold. the sentiments of a heart devoted to you alone. No longer shall such beauty, formed to shine in palaces, be concealed in a cottage. Accept my affections, and command my for

tune.

Indignant blushes dyed the cheeks of Emma, at a proposal, which she could not misconceive, and all the pride of wounded delicacy rushing into her bosom, suspended for a moment its natural timidity, and animated her to pronounce these words': That fortune, my lords, from which you assume the privilege thus to insult the daughter-of a peasant, can neither dazzle my vanity, nor tempt my ambition; my humble birth inspires in me no pride, but that of virtue, and the posession of no dignity, but that of conscious innosence. Allow me to retire,my lord ; my father doubtless wonders at my absence.' 'Your father, forward beauty, waits my pleasure in the castle,' returned the baron, with a look of anger, 'your compliance or rejection of my generous of, my generous of fers will decide his future fate. Recollect, Emma, the extent of my power; dread my resentment, or deserve my gratitude; they each shall be un

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bounded. If you reward my passion, your father will reside in this castle, freed from the toils of servitude, the witness and partaker of those benefits which my love shall heap upon you; receive this casket of jewels, as a trifling earnest of a liberality, which shall know no limits.' While the baron displayed the sparkling treasu sure to the eyes of the uambitious Emma, she pushed them from her with disdain. "Once more my lord,' said she, 'let me assure you, that I have a heart impenetrable to vanity, or to any graudeur, to which the power of wealth could raise me; But,' cried the baron, interrupting, her softening the natural ferocity of his features and gazing tenderly on her, 'is your heart impenetrable to love and cannot it be moved. yield a generous return to sentiments so sincere? Let me owe to mutual affection, that which you deny to ambition: and accept the honours which shall be offered you, as a tribute due from my gratitude, rather than as bribes to assure your compliance. never,' replied Emma; 'my heart will ever continue as untouched by love, as by your proffered gifts; it is proof against every sentiment, that

to

• Never,

escape; hastening through the
hall, istead of turning toward
the offices by which she had
entered it, she took advantage
of the great door, that stood
open, and desceding a flight
of steps with a celerity urged
by her fears of detention, she

would injure my honour and
debase my virtue! I under-
stand you, presumptuous girl,'
returned the baron, 'you would
raise your daring hopes to
share by legal ties my name
and rank. 'No,' exclaimed
Emma, < could you stoop so
low as to demand my hand in flew across the court, darted

my

through the iron gates, and
gained the end of the front av-
enue in a few moments. She
then stopped, for want of breath
and sunk, almost spent, under
the shade of a lofty elm; rec-
ollecting, however, that she
was not beyond the reach of
pursuit, should the enraged ba-
ron change his mind, and at

an honourable alliance,
heart would reject the offer,
and my tongue disclaim an
union, which no intreaties
could induce, no authority
compel me to accept! After
this honest confession, my lord,
you will suffer me to quit your
presence. The enraged baron
was now raised to a pitch of
resentment which banished attempt to recall her, shé arose,

the moment every passion but that of anger. Mortified pride stung him to the quick; and viewing her with a look of contempt, 'Tis well,' said he, 'your audacity has dispelled the charm of beauty; unworthy of a prepossession, which covers me with disgrace, you may return to that obscurity and indigence, which befit the meanness of your birth, and the groveling sentiments of your soul.' Uttering these words he took a key from his pocket, and throwing it on the ground left her at liberty; she instantly seized the opportunity to unfasten the deor, and to

and casting an
and casting an apprehensive
look toward the castle, she per-
ceived her father advancing
toward her with slow steps;
assured by his presence, she
hesitated not to wait his ap-
proach; and he had no soon-
er reached the spot, where she
stood trembling to receive him,
than they clasped each other
in a silent embrace; but Em-
ma urged by the dread of a
moment's delay, entreated her
father to suspend all interro-
gations till they should have
regained their cottage, which
they had no sooner reached,
than they each gave vent to
the agitations, which mutually
oppressed them.

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