418 FRAGMENT OF A JOURNAL. 



ness that I had been spared the feelings of a murderer. I became 

 calm. I had hopes, strong hopes, Ihat'Etienne would recover, par- 

 ticularly as he evinced no signs of great pain. His mind was now 

 at rest. He was sure I had not wished his death. He felt grateful that 

 my heart at least was not perverted. I made a vow never again to 

 expose myself to endure such fearful agony of mind as I had gone 

 through within the last twenty-four hours. He insisted upon my 

 taking some rest. The surgeon came to visit him, and to apply a 

 new bandage to his wound. I entreated permission to remain dur- 

 ing the operation. It was granted. He supported the whole with the 

 most unshaken firmness, and I left him in good spirits and quite re- 

 conciled to me. 



After some weeks, he recovered, slowly indeed, but entirely, and 

 our friendship was only strengthened by the late event. 



Etienne was young : he had scarce reached his twenty-seventh 

 year. His affections had long been engaged to a female of distinc- 

 tion, who was in every point worthy of him. I.eontine de Valery, 

 daughter of a French Count, who had fallen a martyr to party spirit, 

 was not more remarkable for her beauty than for the upright frank- 

 ness of her character. Adversity had been her teacher ever since 

 her father's death, which had happened while she was yet a child. 

 She had been reared in that cruel but instructive school. But she 

 was not subdued by misfortunes ; they only served to strengthen 

 her heart and to form her mind, and she was always thankful that 

 she had acquired so much experience as her trials had afforded 

 her. 



But Etienne de St. Foix was not the only one whose heart had 

 been touched by Leontine's charms. Henri de Bertou,the son of one 

 of those officers who distinguished themselves under Napoleon, had 

 not been insensible to her atti-actions. He was proud, hard hearted, 

 unbending ; but he had acquired a great facility of concealing his 

 real character. He was versed in every art of politeness, and was 

 considered one of the most accomplished cavafiers in Paris. He 

 had fallen deeply in love with Mademoiselle de Valery, and was on 

 the eve of declaring his feelings. But he well knew no affection 

 answered his. He was well aware that another possessed the heart 

 he would have given his life to have called his own for one moment. 

 He was ignorant who this rival was, and all his energies were upon 

 the alert to discover him. Meanwhile Etienne made his offer. He 

 was immediately accepted, and his nuptials with Leontine were ce- 

 lebrated with heartfelt joy by all. He had determined to travel, 

 and the first place they were to visit was Spain. I accompanied my 

 friend. Nothing more retained me in Paris ; on the contrary, the 

 very name of that town was odious to me after what had happened 

 there. We accordingly started together, and arrived at Madrid a week 

 or two afterwards. I shall not dwell upon the incidents of our jour- 

 ney. Suffice it to say that, after visiting the greater part of Spain 

 and Portugal, Etienne proposed to return through Madrid and pro- 

 ceed onwards to Rome and Naples. We therefore look a tour 

 through Switzerland and arrived at Rome after a charming journey 

 across the Alps. I had completely regained my spirits, and St Foix 



