THERESA ABRUZZI. 131 



the almost deified Marquis Petroni. What am I now ? a sup- 

 pliant, an outcast ! " 



" You are too warm." 



" It may be so ; yet have I not cause ? What reservation was 

 there ? none — by yon bright heaven I swear it ! To me, rich or 

 poor, was Theresa affianced, and at your hands, ih the face of 

 heaven, I now claim her." 



A dead pause succeeded, which the countess was the first to 

 break. 



"Is this true, Abruzzi?" 



" I have been absolved from my oath/' the count slowly mur- 

 mured; "the holy father .'' 



" Name it not," cried the countess passionately; "there is no 

 power, save His in whose presence we now stand, that could 

 absolve a free-will vow : and, oh, Abruzzi ! " continued his noble 

 partner, more calmly, but with not less fervour, " can you desire 

 it ? If calamity hath overwhelmed the fortunes of Petroni, 

 Petroni himself is still unsullied, and the house of Abruzzi, by 

 adopting him as its own, will gain a treasure far greater than he 

 has lost : — our wealth is ample.'' 



"And shall I bestow it on a beggar?" 



"Oh shame, shame!" exclaimed the countess: "hear not 

 Marco, our degredation ; hear not the wretched man, who for 

 the vile dross of earth would barter even heaven. Theresa, listen 

 to a mother — " 



" Say rather to a father," interrupted the count, " since a 

 mother so far forgets her duty. Theresa, my curse, a father's 

 deadly curse, be on you — no knees to me." 



" Forbear, Abruzzi ! " cried the countess wildly, ^* for the love 

 of heaven, forbear! Behold me, thy wife, the daughter of. a 

 princely house ; behold thy weeping child, and him whom thy 

 unhallowed words have stricken to the soul ; heboid us at thy 

 feet, and breathe thy horrid imprecations if thou canst." 



"If I can?" cried the infuriated count. "May, then, the 

 curse of heaven ." 



" No, no, Abruzzi, it will but recoil on your own head. Oh, 

 for the sake of her whom thy passion will destroy," for Theresa 

 now lay fainting at his feet, " for his sake whose noble forbearance 

 in this hour of trial might shame thy unholy wrath — how ? speak 

 you not? are all my adjurations vain? Nay, go not, Abruzzi; 

 if we part thus, we part for ever." 



" Then be it so ! " exclaimed the count. 



