In the edifying conversation of these devout Friars the family spent much of their time, and gained from their religious, as well as moral discourses, many solid advantages; Peace was soon established among them, and comfort and joy, the reward of virtuous endurance, came in her train. The Signora, whose affectionate attention to Laurette, though she had been deprived through artifice of the power of assisting her, was remembered with gratitude, and detained not as a domestic, but a friend: and as soon as suitable arrangements were made, agreeable to the will of the deceased, the Marchesa, whose delicacy would not permit this truly-accomplished woman to consider herself as a dependant, presented her with a very considerable sum as a reward for her services to the Marchese, which she desired her to receive not as a bounty but a debt, gently intimating that the Marchese would have been aware of the justice of this measure, had his mind been sufficiently collected to have considered it properly. This piece of generosity was accepted as it merited, with unbounded gratitude; and in such society as she now enjoyed, the Signora felt that heaven had made her ample amends for all the former discomforts of her lot.
Nor was Dorothee, the faithful servant of the Marchese, who had been so injustly discarded, nor Margeritte, nor Lisette forgotten; these had all taken refuge in obscure villages, which they gladly quitted to be again received into the service of their long-lost and much-lamented Lady. Blessed with an ample fortune, the Marchesa could now indulge with impunity the diffusive generosity of her nature; and it was with no common degree of delight that she beheld the same virtuous principles which she had early instilled into the minds of her pupils, now blossoming in maturity, bestowing upon their possessors those indescribable sensations of happiness, which exalted benevolence can alone experience.
After more than a month spent in the castle since the death of its former inhabitant, it was deemed requisite for Enrico to be presented at Court, that he might take possession of the Italian estates annexed to the title those in Germany being the sole property of Laurette, now Contessa della Caro, in right of her mother, the daughter of a Bavarian Noble, an heiress of immense fortune. The Conte della Croisse offered to attend him on this expedition, which, in the present situation of affairs, could not be dispensed with, and as soon as necessary anangements were made, leaving the ladies at the castle till their return, they quitted this ancient mansion, and commenced their journey towards Italy.
Father Andrea, who, in the person of Laurette, recalled the image of her beloved mother, frequuently gazed upon her with tears; and so much acute anguish did her memory cost him, that it was long before he could trust himself again with the subject, or reply to Laurette's anxious request to hear something of his story.
"We will waive it at present, my child," was his customary answer. "Perhaps a short time may enable me to be more explicit."—This was sufficient to repress the inquiries of our heroine, though not to stifle her curiosity, who felt an ardent desire of being acquainted with the destinies of her unknown parents. As Enrico wished her to remain in ignorance of the murder of her father, he did not fail to signify this to the Monk previous to his departure, who strictly promised never to disclose it, since distress, unattended by any advantage, would inevitably be the result of such a declaration. But though averse to gratifying her desires immediately as to any particular events that had befallen him, Father Andrea would oftentimes accompany Laurette through the long galleries in the castle, which were ornamented with the portraits of her family, and inform her for whom they were designed. The painting in the oriel so strikirigly resembled the miniature that she wore in her bosom, he passed by in silence, but did not forget to explain the next which was allegorical, and but for the apparent difference in the age, strongly characterized the equestrian statue erected in the inner court. This magnificent column, he informed her, was placed there in honour of himself by his daughter, the late Contessa della Caro, who having never heard from him since he had been engaged in a battle, which had proved fatal to many, supposed him to have been dead; and by means of an original portrait left at the castle, which was drawn in the early part of his life, to gratify her filial affection had ordered it to be copied agreeable to her own design, giving it, instead of the wrinkles of age, the blooming graces of youth. From this intelligence it was easy for Laurette to account for the attitude of the figure which was the next in succession, since it was evident, from the position of the picture, that it was designed to represent the affectionate Contessa weeping over the tomb of her lamented Father.
"How elegantly is sorrow expressed!" thought Laurette, not allowing herself to introduce so delicate a subject. "What languor—what softness is in these eyes—how beautiful is the tear that trembles beneath the lid!"
Could the fair orphan have known, whilst she was internally bestowing praises upon the portrait, the near resemblance that it bore to herself; had she been conscious that her form was still more attractive than that on which she gazed, and that her features, if not more exact and regular, were of a more bewitching kind; that her eyes were not less brilliant, and the whole of her figure not less lovely, she might have accused herself of vanity as she lavished these deserved encomiums upon the insensible object of her admiration. But she was the only person who remained ignorant of her external perfections, though, had she known their extent, this conviction would not have detracted from her worth, since she valued not too highly these accidental advantages, either to be elated by the possession of them, or depressed by the revense.
Laurette, having received her education in the castle of Elfinbach, and spent, under the guidance of the present Marchesa, some of the happiest hours of her life in this gloomy mansion, retained for it an affection which she believed it impossible for her to experience for any other residence, however evident its superiority in point of beauty and accommodation. The shades, the groves, and the mountains, had been familiar to her from childhood, and a thousand tender memorials were connected with them all. Nor was the Marchesa de Montferrat less attached to this dreary abode, though a considerable part of it had fallen into ruins since she had quitted it last; and but for its amazing extent, they would have found it difficult to have discovered a sufficient number of rooms for the accommodation of their household.
The rampart-wall had fallen entirely into fragments, and the northern side of the structure was crumbling fast into dust; yet the greatest part of the building, though not uninjured, was able to resist the inclemencies of the weather; and the rooms which they usually occupied, though they might have been presented to the curious as models of antiquity, when animated by the blazing fire and the social board, wore an appearance of more than modern comfort.
CHAPTER XI
Beauty alone is but of little worth;
But when the soul and body of a riece
Both shine alike, then they obtain a price.
And are a fit reward for gallant actions.
-YOUNG
When Enrico and the Conte had been absent some weeks, their return was daily expected; and as it was determined that the family should then remove to the mansion on the Saltzburg estate, till the castle of Elfinbach was made fit for their residence, Laurette besought the Monk, whose spirits were less oppressed than before, to perform his long-neglected promise before she quitted the seat of her ancestors.
"What relates merely to myself," replied the Father, "may be less interesting than you imagine. A life which has chiefly been spent amid the bustle of Courts and the clang of arms, though it may be marked with some affecting incidents, does not usually form a pleasing narrative: I shall therefore pass the greater part of it over in silence. I have before informed you that your mother was a native of Germany, and that my name was Ferdinand Baron Neuburg.
"It was in the reign Rodolph, the son of Maximilian the Second, that I first entered into the service of my country, which at that time suffered not only from internal commotion, but was involved in wars with the Hungarians, and disturbed with the difference between this Monarch and Mathias his
brother, to whom he finally ceded Hungary and Austria.
"Under the patronage of Rodolph, who regarded me with the most flattering attention, I became skilled in every military art, and received many enviable proofs of his attachment; but scarcely was I enlisted among the number of his favourites before an unfortunate affair deprived me of this flattering distinction. In the Empress's train was a young orphan beauty, whose name was Augusta, of a noble but reduced family, who had received her education under the sanction of her Imperial Mistress, and was introduced at Court much earlier than damsels of rank usually are. Any attempt to portray the extreme loveliness of this fair young creature, would convey but an imperfect idea of her charms, as it was not so much the graces of symmetry, or the bloom of complexion, though in these she excelled in an eminent degree, as it was a certain delicacy of sentiment and ingenuousness of mind, discovering themselves in every movement and action which diffused such universal enchantement.
"To see frequently the lovely Augusta, without feeling the influence of her charms, would have justly exposed me to the imputation of stoicism, particularly when I perceived that she bestowed upon me a decided attention whenever I presumed to address her, not less grateful to my affection than my vanity. As she was always about the person of the Empress, who distinguished her with peculiar marks of her favour, seldom a day passed at Court which was not rendered interesting by the object of my admiration and I observed, with no common share of delight, when compelled, under the banners of the Duke of Bavaria, to lead a detachment of the Imperial armies into Hungary, that there was a transporting melancholy in her deportment, which seemed to intimate that she suffered the keenest apprehensions for my safety.
"My absence from Vienna was not long; the rebel armies were soon routed, and I returned once more to lay my laurels at the feet of my Master.
"You are brave, Ferdinand," cried Rodolph, rising graciously to receive me, "and I would fain think of something to bestow as a reward for your valour, something adequate to your worth I know you are not mercenary, and either I mistake, or you are not ambitious, yet you would not disdain to receive a recompence from your Sovereign. I would raise you to the rank of General, did not your extreme youth stand in the way of your advancement; but this is a difficulty which time will remove, and an honour that may be conferred at some future period. If in the meantime I can serve you in any other respect, you have only to mention your request; and if it is within the bounds of possibility, it shall be granted."
"Deprived of the power of utterance by this unexpected generosity, I could not for some moments express the warmth of my gratitude. Rodolph perceived my emotions, and finding I had something to ask, conjured me not longer to deprive him of the power of obliging me, but to name my request.
"It was not immediately that I could form a reply; when I did, I touched upon the subject nearest to my heart, and asked, as the reward of my services, the hand of Augusta. Scarcely had I pronounced her name before I observed art expression of uneasiness and displeasure in his countenance which alarmed and perplexed me; and as I continued to expatiate on the ardent affection I had long conceived for this beautiful maid, he eyed me with a disordered air; and after assuring me that this was a recompence not in his power to bestow without the permission of the Empress, who would unwillingly part with her, and that these were affairs in which he always considered it prudent to remain neuter, he left me to all the chagrin and mortification that grief and disappointment could inflict.
"As soon as I was awakened from my astonishment to a sense of my hopeless situation, I naturally imagined that Rodolph was himself the lover of Augusta; and this surmise was soon afterwards confirmed.
"It was in commemoration of a victory formerly gained by the Emperor, Charles the Fifth, over the French King, Francis the First, that a society of German Nobility assembled to partake of a sumptuous banquet, given by the Duke of Bavaria in honour of this interesting event. Being included among the number of patriots, I endeavoured, as much as possible, to conceal the mortification I had lately experienced under an aspect of assumed gaiety. The conversation, though it was chiefly on the cabinet and the field, was lively and unconstrained; unbounded hilarity universally prevailed, and, after many attempts to obtain a temporary animation, r finally succeeded, though my heart was still occupied by one favourite object-the image of Augusta. As soon as the dinner was concluded, the wines sparkled on the board, and the exhilarating draught went round. The name of Rodolph was given—his praises echoed through the room. The flames of my loyalty had been somewhat extinguished, yet I accorded with the rest; I acknowledged him brave, noble, and warlike; I would have added disinterested, but my heart contradicted the assertion.
"The Empress was then given; her virtues were applauded, and encomiums, that would have enhanced the reputation of the immaculate Portia, were bestowed, or rather lavished, upon her. Then followed the Princes of the Blood, excepting only Mathias, whose disaffection to his Sovereign justly excluded him from this honorary attention; and then the Nobles in general, particularly those who had distinguished themselves in the Senate or the Camp.
"We have hitherto confined our attention to the brave and the virtuous," cried a young soldier, who was seated at the right-hand of the Duke, because accidentally related to him. "Shall not beauty come in for its share? has it not hitherto been offered as the reward of military glory, and shall we not exalt its praise? Let us then," resumed he, filling high the sparkling goblet, "drink to the matchless Augusta, the brightest gem of the Crown—the rose of Vienna!"
"I raised the cup to my lips, but scarcely could I keep it from falling; her name penetrated my soul, and brought with it a thousand uneasy sensations. The mirth of the assembly now became boisterous; the name of Augusta was frequently repeated, and it was easy to discover that sire was universally considered as the favourite of the Emperor. My distress now became too deep for concealment, and without offering any apology for my conduct, I quitted the company abruptly, that I might converse with my own soul in secret, and reconcile myself, if possible, to my disappointment.
"In vain did I endeavour to combat my affection, or to convince myself that she merited the oblique aspersions that had been thrown upon her character; her modesty, her unexampled beauty, the dignity of her demeanour, the retiring delicacy of her manners—all pleaded eloquently her cause, and seemed to reproach me for having even listened to a conversation tending to deprive them of their influence.
"A few days after this event I was summoned into the presence of the Emperor, who received me with an affected satisfaction, which displeased me, because I easily discovered that it was not genuine. After having accosted me with his accustomed familiarity, he praised my former exploits, and concluded with making known his intention of sending me on another expedition into the precincts of Hungary. The coldness with which I received this proposal, for I was a stranger to the arts of dissimulation, offended him; but he cautiously avoided a verbal confession of his displeasure, still endeavouring to conceal it under an appearance of cordiality. He saw he had injured himself in my esteem, and considered that from the intestine divisions of his country, for many had secretly espoused the cause of Mathias, it would be a politic measure to regain it. Easily penetrating his design, I shrunk from the meanness of it with contempt; yet the strength of my local attachment determined me to defend my country, though I now no longer regarded with partiality the man who was reputed its father.
"Having acceded to his desires, I once more quitted Austria, but not till I had first accomplished an interview with my Augusta, by means of a confidential dependant. This was with difficulty effected, as native modesty for some time prevented her from according with my desires; but affection finally triumphed, and in accents which are indelibly impressed upon my memory, she acknowledged herself concerned in my welfare. Still, however, I was dissatisfied and restless; what I had heard at the banquet, with what had fallen under my immediate observation, gave room for conjecture; yet scarcely could I summ
on resolution enough to make it known. To hint my suspicions, to throw a shade upon her conduct which, if spotless, must so tenderly wound a heart incapable of depravity, would, I considered, be raising an insurmountable bar to my hopes. Yet to remain in a state of suspense, to endure the idea that her affections were devoted to another, to feel the possibility of doubting whether they were my own, was a reflection that brought with it the most acute anguish; and at length I resolved to free myself from these inquietudes by a disclosure of my half indulged surmises.
"The result of this conference placed her worth and honour beyond a doubt, and occasioned me to depart with a full determination of returning as soon as possible to Vienna, and of renewing my suit. Released from these visionary distresses, I commenced my military tour. Success crowned our endeavours—the enemy retreated as far as Buda—the General of the Hungarian forces, after a severe and sudden attack, laid down his arms—victory seemed on all sides to decide for us—and, every way fortunate, we returned to the metropolis loaded with spoils and honours.
"Surely," cried I, "Rodolph will no longer refuse to bestow upon me the lovely Augusta. If my former deeds in arms have not entitled me to so rich a reward after this change in his favour, he will no longer slight my services but will confer upon me this mestimable maid, the only return I shall require, or deign to receive."
"Full of these warm, these sanguine hopes, whose only tendency is to mislead the judgment, I arrived at Vienna, and took the first opportunity of throwing myself before the throne of Rodolph, whose arms were open to receive me. But before I had time fully to acquaint him with the extent of my good fortune, or to repeat my request, I perceived a fixed expression of melancholy in his countenance, so nearly connected with despair, that my heart glowed with every sentiment of compassion. He observed it, and endeavoured to force a smile upon his features, as he congratulated me on the success of my undertaking; but it was a smile that had more in it of internal sadness than of tranquillity. Finding that he listened to me with a divided attention, and being unwilling to probe the wound he seemed recently to have received, I left him with an intention of seizing a more favourable moment of winning him to my interest. Scarcely had I removed from his presence before Count Wallestein, a courtier in the train of the Empress, crossed my path. I inquired of him the cause of this universal silence which seemed to reign throughout the Court; and was informed, to my unspeakable grief and astonishment, that my Augusta was no more; that she had been attacked with a severe disorder soon after I left Austria, which in a few days proved fatal! The anguish I endured at this moment can be scarcely conceived; the Count saw it, and offered something which he meant for consolation, at the same time convincing me by his manner, rather than his words, that he had been acquainted with the attachment subsisting between me and Augusta.
The Complete Northanger Horrid Novel Collection (9 Books of Gothic Romance and Horror) Page 373