THERESA ABRUZZI. 133 



" We thought you had relinquished this fruitless passion/' 

 cried the count, evading the question ; " and the prince of Castel- 

 Monti— " 



"How, Theresa; have you too, forgotten your vow?" 



"A vow, Theresa! what folly is this?" exclaimed the count. 



" Marco," cried the maiden, " I have sworn to you, I swear to 

 you again, in the presence of my only parent, never to wed 

 another. Oh, my father ! you must, you will forgive your poor 

 Theresa, for her sake who is now no more, and in whose blessed 

 name I also vow never to wed even my own, my best-beloved 

 Marco, till your consent shall hallow our union." 



*' You have been unwise in this," cried tlie count. 



" Theresa," exclaimed Marco, " though by this vow you have 

 perhaps blighted my hopes for ever, I honour, I revere, the 

 feeling from which it springs ; and oh, if it be possible, I love 

 thee more dearly than ever. Say not, count, that we must part. 

 Can I, ought I, to relinquish that hope which, come weal or woe, 

 shall shine my beacon, my guiding-star through all ! " 



" I will not be urged," replied the count in great embarrass- 

 ment; " let me know the present state of your fortunes : if there 

 be any chance of a retrieval, I may yet be prevailed on to comply ; 

 but, the honour of my house forbids me to bestow my child on 

 one, whose title is his only possession. In a week we will talk 

 of this again." 



At the expiration of a week, Marco again appeared, but with 

 a gloomy earnestness in his manner, wholly different from his 

 usual frank and unreserved deportment. 



" I find," said he, speaking with great agitation, " that there 

 are certain sums owing to ray late father, which time and perse- 

 verance may yet recover." 



"It is well," said the count; "you talk now like a just and 

 honorable man." Marco started. " I will not deal harshly with 

 you," continued the count: ** you are both young; much is due 

 to the memory of our late regretted countess ; and a year's delay 

 will not be too much. If, therefore, on the festival of St. Michael 

 in the ensuing year you prove to me that you are in poss- 

 ession of funds sufficient to uphold your dignity, Theresa shall 

 be yours. If, on the contrary, your efforts are unsuccessful, you 

 shall on that day renounce your pretensions, and, mark me! 

 release her from the further observance of her rash and foolish 

 vow." 



To he continued. 



