CHAP. IV. He saw her charming, but he saw not half THOMSON. YET for retaining these prejudices, none, perhaps, had greater cause than the marquis Almeria, in consequence of the conduct of the duke of Osma, while yet a very young man: the duke, in pursuing the pleasures of the chace, amidst the mountains of Biscay, met with an accident, which obliged his attendants to convey him to the nearest habitation they could find; this happened to be the castle of the marquis, a circumstance that would undoubtedly have prevented his entering it, but that at the moment of arriving at it, the pain of his bruises had reduced him to a state of insensibility. Nothing could exceed the kindness he experienced; his heart, however, remained unaffected by it, and in secret he reproached his attendants for having brought him thither politeness, however, obliged him to conceal his dissatisfaction at the circumstance; and, in pursuance of its dictates, he did not refuse remaining some little time after his recovery beneath the roof of the marquis. This period introduced to his knowledge a young kinswoman of the marchioness's, the Lady Octavia de Larma, heiress to a considerable estate, to which several particular privileges and honours were annexed. In default of issue, the Marchioness Almeria was her next heir; and about an estate of this description, he could not persuade himself the marquis was indifferent. This idea, strengthened by the disinclination she showed to company, owing to grief for the recent death of her father, but which he ascribed to the artifices of the marquis, first made him conceive the project of endeavouring to gain her hand, though, but for it, she, probably, was one of the last women he would have thought of selecting for his bride, not because she wanted personal attractions, but on account of her connexion with a family he detested, to which, like Hannibal to the Romans, he had almost been sworn to maintain eternal hatred. Formed to please, whenever it was his wish to do so, he soon succeeded in gaining her affections; but no sooner were their nuptials solemnized, than he hurried her from the castle of the marquis; nor from that moment permitted the least degree of intimacy between their families, conduct which so highly irritated and severely wounded her feelings, as by degrees to lead to the greatest unhappiness. She did not survive the birth of her daughter; and at her death, the duke evinced feelings which, in consequence of his previous conduct, drew upon him the imputation of hypocrisy; when, however, it was seen that he had no idea of making another choice, greater credit was given to him for sincerity. The marquis had hoped this connexion would have brought about a reconciliation between their houses; and his regret at the disappointment of this hope was heightened by the passion his son had conceived for the beauteous Elvina. At a tournament at the castle of her father, he first beheld the lovely maid, and from her hand received the prize adjudged to his matchless valour and skill, but without revealing himself; he could not, without a humiliating sensation, acknowledge having entered the forbidden walls of Osma. The fame of her charms was his sole inducement for entering them; and, his curiosity gratified, he "withdrew with the same privacy he had entered, and without its being once surmised who the conqueror of the day was. But in a very different state of mind to that in which he had entered, he withdrew-love, with all its train of disquietudes, had taken possession of his soul. The charms of Elvina surpassed the idea he had formed of them; his sighing heart acknowledged her the most beautiful of created beings; and, in acknowledging her so, became her captive: but, alas! hope, the lover's staff, was denied him; and, when too late, he almost repented having exposed himself to the influence of charms so calculated to inspire a passion not likely to be rewarded. After many internal struggles, he opened his heart to his father, conjuring him to make immediate proposals to the duke of Osma for the hand of his lovely daughter. The marquis heard him with regret, not because he disapproved his passion, but because he feared it would be hopeless. "But so much have I your happiness at heart, my dear son," replied this indulgent father, "so ardently do I wish to do every thing that has a tendency to promote it, that, provided you satisfy me your addresses would not be unacceptable to the young lady herself, I shall make every effort, consistent with pride and dignity, to try and prevail on the duke to sanction them; but, except you do this, I cannot interfere on the subject, since it would mortify me much, after combating with his prejudices, to find my time and pains thrown away, by your being refused by her." Don Ferdinand could not oppose the determination of his father; but how was he to obtain him the assurance he required, denied as he was all access to his mistress? While vainly revolving different plans for gaining admission to her, hostilities broke out between the respective courts of Spain and Portugal: and he, with the rest of the troops proceeding to the frontiers, found, when he least expected it, means of accomplishing this wish. He had made the tour of the different courts of Europe; at the French one he contracted an intimacy, which soon ripened into friendship, with Sir Eustace St. Valery. On his being taken prisoner by the duke, he immediately offered to ransom him; his offer, however, was haughtily rejected: through the kindness, however, of the squire, to whose care he was committed, he was allowed to see him, a kindness excited by a sense of gratitude, Sir Eustace having saved his life, by interposing between him and a Gascon soldier, who, taking advantage of his having stumbled on the field, was on the point of stabbing him. To the sympathizing bosom of his friend, Sir Eustace scrupled not to mention the injury he feared he should sustain, in consequence of the unprincipled disposition of his brother, by not being allowed to take immediate possession of the property which had lately devolved to him. Don Ferdinand, after musing some time on the subject, proposed his endeavouring to prevail on the squire to let him repair to Gascony for the purpose, and accept him as a hostage for his return. St. Valery followed his advice, though with little hopes of succeeding. Contrary to his expectations, however, he obtained, though not without some difficulty, the desired boon; the squire wishing to ma nifest the sense he entertained of the obligation he had conferred on him, and, reflecting, besides, from having such a hostage as don Ferdinand in his hands, and the improbability there was of the duke's desiring to see him, that he ran but little risk in complying with his request. Accordingly, at the last stage, they exchanged clothes; and while sir Eustace journeyed to France, don Ferdinand took the place he would have occupied in one of the deserted towers of the castle. But, warm as was his friendship for sir Eustace, it must be acknowledged it was not his sole inducement for becoming his hostage, at the very moment the idea suggested itself to him-he had in view the opportunity which such a measure might afford him, of gaining access to his lovely mistress. His hopes were not disappointed: he had not been many days a prisoner, when he discovered a secret door, which gave him free egress from the tower; he had previously made himself acquainted with the part of the building in which the apartments occupied by lady Elvina were situated, and adopted the method already mentioned for introducing himself to her notice. At the first interview, the repugnance he felt to any thing like deceit or dissimulation, would have occasioned his revealing himself; but that he feared, if unhappily imbued with the prejudices of her father, he might, by immediately disclosing himself, be prevented from any further opportunity of cultivating her regard. He therefore, in consequence of this apprehension, resolved on trying to create an interest for himself in her bosom, ere he revealed himself, trusting, if successful in obtaining her regard, the voice of prejudice would vainly plead against him. |