32 Miranda d'Aragon ; [July, 



child ! I could never have become his wife, and perhaps it is well that 

 such delusive hopes should end." 



Mira now cast her thoughts sorrowfully backward ; the image of her 

 benefactor, which had hitherto held a place in her grateful heart, like 

 that of a father in the affections of his family, now appeared strange 

 to her, his features repulsive. While Henrico contemplated her, the 

 sweet thought again took possession of his soul, that this girl had no 

 earlier illusion to forget. The old woman indulged herself in invectives 

 against JMiranda ; she said " he had observed a deep silence in all his 

 affairs, and though he had in his life-time provided them with every 

 luxury and comfort, he had now left them solely helpless in the world." 



Mira begged her to be silent, saying he was a worthy man, and that 

 his memory would always be dear to her. " You may be in the right," 

 said the old woman, " you owe him your education, but you must not 

 forget that he stole you from your mother !" 



" No !" cried Mira, " I was confided to his care, and often has he 

 assured me he has vainly employed every means to obtain intelligence 

 of my parent.'' 



" He has deceived you !" said the old woman. " I know that he has 

 taken care to remain untraced, and purchased this cottage to conceal 

 himself from the world till you became his wife !" 



" Oh ! my poor mother !" said Mira, sorrowfully. " Where will you 

 not have sought your child?" Henrico no longer doubted that he had 

 seen in the gipsy, Mira's mother, and related what he knew of her, but 

 without touching on IMiranda's former history. Mira was delighted, 

 for she now hoped she should behold her mother again, and related her 

 own life. Her native country, she thought, was most probably Spain. 

 She remembered having been brought up in a great city, and to have 

 gone often with her mother to a convent, where she was always most 

 affectionately received by one of the nuns. The convent was still 

 so fresh in her memory, that she was convinced she should know it again. 

 When she was about six years of age, her mother began to travel with 

 her ; it was then she first saw her in the dress of a gipsy, she was also 

 then dressed in a similar manner. After a restless wandering of many 

 years, they had remained longer than usual at a small town in France. 

 Here, in the house in which they last lodged, Miranda lay ill of his 

 wound ; and as he appeared lonely and forsaken, her mother had, pos- 

 sibly out of pity, undertaken to nurse him, in which occupation she had 

 assisted : and when her mother, from some inexplicable cause secretly 

 forsook her, she clung to him as her only protector." 



As Mira finished the relation, the increasing shadows of the mountain 

 reminded Henrico that he must depart. He promised to quit the 

 service the first opportunity ; to live only for her ; and took his leave 

 with the assurance of oeing beloved. 



St. Lorent returned to the army, and begged his dismissal ; it was 

 given to him with regret. He immediately flew from the tumults of 

 wai% to the solitary valley, the abode of Mira. 



At the time of his return, the old woman, the companion of Mira, 

 laid on her death-bed. What delight thrilled through the girl's brain, 

 when she beheld her lover so unexpectedly soon before her, saying he 

 was come to make her his for ever ! 



The first pleasures of meeting over, the lovers resolved to celebrate 



