■t'f<)2. NtAa, a Story. ^ 113 



When the usual carefses were over, he perceived (lie wore 

 ihe bracelet which had for a long time adorned his wife s 

 arm ; — surprised at seeing it in the pofsefsion of another, he 

 alked who had made her that present ? " A femaje magician," 

 ■replied fhe, " who v/ith all her cunning, has not found 

 out_ the way of making herself beloved. I have the great- 

 -€st reason to think that this ornament entails misfortune 

 'on all its wearers ; I begin to feel it ; I did not see you 

 •aU day yesterday, and you receive to-day the marks of my 

 love with an unv»'onted coldnefs." The senator prayed her 

 to be serious, and to own by what means ilie cam« by that 

 bracelet. She contented herself with saying, that ihe re- 

 ceived it from an unknown lady, as a recompence for sonje 

 advice fhe gave her, not thinking proper to tell him how 

 • fhe had acquired it, fearing lest he fhould take umbrage at 

 Jier complaisance to an incognita, in mailing her a wit- 

 nefs of his behaviour while he was at her house. " No- 

 thing," said fhe, " fliall ever make me reject the idea I have 



-conceived of the fatal power I attribute to it j I am even 

 ready to part with it." 



The senator, pretending to believe these Vvere her xesA 

 sentiments, prcfsed her to give him the preference over all 



.those to whom fhe would chuse to give it. " From this 

 moment it is yours," said flie, presenting It to him. He . 



-accepted it, and having but a small sum of money about 

 him, he gave her his note for its value, thinking to trace 



.the bottom of this adventure, by his wife's sincerity. A 



jirctcnded indisposition served Mm as an excuse for reli- 



,xing. He staid only an hour with Nina, and during l-.is 

 visit lie did all he could to liinder her from being certain 

 of her approaching misfortune. He at lengtli quitted hci', 



•Tcsolving to see her as seldom as pofsiule. 



He returned home immediately, and found all the charms 

 of Nina, in his wii"e, who ccnfcfscd to him by what ac- 

 VOL. vii. p -j- 



