THE HOUSES OF OSMA AND ALMERIA; OR, CONVENT OF ST. ILDEFONSO. A TALE. 4 BY REGINA MARIA ROCHE, AUTHOR OF THE CHILDREN OF THE ABBEY, DISCARDED He saw her fair face before him, in the midst of her wandering locks. He OSSIAN. PHILADELPHIA, PUBLISHED BY BRADFORD AND INSKEEP; INSKEEP AND BRAD- Smith & M'Kenzie, Printers. HOUSES OF OSMA AND ALMERIA. CHAP. I. He came from his own high hall and seized my hand in grief, VESPERS over, the church of St. Ildefonso was quickly evacuated; and to the deep chanting of the monks, the solemn strains awakening raptures high, the pealing organ's animating sound lifting the soul to heaven, and through all the long-drawn aisles and fretted vaults, swelling the note of praise, a deathlike stillness had succeeded, rendered still more impressive by the sounds which had immediately preceded it, when a fair form, "fairer than the spirit... hills, when it moves in a sunbeam at noor noiseless steps, descended from an orato It was Elvina, the heiress of Osma, hig chief, the loveliest daughter that ever h of snow. She cast an eager glance ? out beholding the object she sor 181 90m SR Poly ta Found Him There, in consequence of knowing Shafer of medicating at this hour in are to the hanging Rodolph, The hat, she now soughtcoming to importune her hrsframly endeavoured to enussing the father to remonTeubert, she trusted she should for which he could not germany, in consequence of content, owing to en him and the Abbot, Jahe apply to him on the The his advancement in med occasion the destruction But she was here again disappointed. In hopes, however, the father might yet come, she resolved on remaining here a little while; but had scarcely done so, when she was driven from the spot by the approaching voice of the duke, in conversation with the Abbot; and by whom she was aware she could not be discovered here, without inquiries being excited that must lead to the consequences she wished to prevent. A door in an obscure part of the cloisters afforded her the means of retreating. On passing through it, she found herself in a lonely aisle, in which she had not before been, the cloisters having hitherto been the utmost limit to which she had advanced, lit at the further end by one magnificent window of stained glass, and leading immediately to that wing which, owing to the great extent of the building, it had not been deemed requisite to repair, on the reconquest of the province in which it was situated, from the Saracens. She proceeded through a succession of mouldering arches and dilapidated aisles, till she found herself in another range of cloisters, surmounted by several lofty but decayed parts of the edifice, on which the evening sun seemed to suspend his beams, as if loth to withdraw them from the hallowed ruins; and where, losing all apprehension of being followed, she paused, for the purpose of remaining till she should think it probable the duke had quitted the church. The enclosure formed by the cloisters was over run with high grass and trees; but now, unagitateby a breath of air, all was dread silence here and undisturbed. As her emotion subsided, the hour, the scene, gradually began to inspire the fair Elvina with that reverential awe, that divine melancholy, which sooths the agitated passions into peace, an heart, and disposes it to holy medita the |