254 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



Though changed so much in circumstances, 

 she did not appear dejected she had not sunk 

 into despair^ and though her countenance, as he 

 told my aunt, no longer expressed gaiety, yet 

 even in her tears she had the smile of hope and 

 cheerfulness. He had always esteemed her, and 

 was now so charmed by her various merits, and 

 so anxious to assist and protect her, that he per- 

 suaded her to accept his hand. He wrote to his 

 father, who is a clergyman in Wales ; he obtained 

 his consent, and for a few years lived happily 

 with Madeleine in her cottage, enjoying those 

 pleasures that follow laborious industry, and 

 taking part in all the tender cares she be- 

 stowed on her poor father. His half-pay added 

 to their comforts, but still he was obliged to 

 work to labour sometimes for the pleasure of 

 making Madeleine's father comfortable at the 

 close of his life, and he was rewarded by the 

 success of their exertions. 



But the severity of the climate in winter and 

 his laborious life were too much for his constitu- 

 tion, which had never recovered the effect of his 

 wounds. He felt that his strength was declining; 

 and the poor old father having died, last spring, 

 Bertram became anxious to return to his own 

 country. They had no longer any tie to Savoy, 

 and Madeleine willingly acquiesced in his wishes 

 and sold her little property ; yet it gave her many 

 a pang to part for ever with the place where she 



