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THE SPORT OF FORTUNE. 523 



jftrange ; or as if counting the wrinkles lie had made on 

 it himfelf. With eager refcarch he ftrove to recollect 

 the beloved features of the youth in the fhriveled vifage 

 of age ; but what he fought for was no more to be 

 found. They forced themfelves into a kind of cold 

 familiarity — fhame and fear had feparated their hearts 

 for ever and ever. A light that mult ever recall his 

 duel precipitancy to his mind could give no compla-» 

 cency to the prince ; and Aloyfius could no longer be 

 familiar with the author of his woes. Yet fedate and 

 confoling was his view of the pari, as a man gladly 

 looks back on the end of a frightful voyage. 



It was not long ere Aloylius was feen again in full. 

 pofTeffion of all his former dignities — and the prince 

 reprefTed his inward averlion to give him a fplendid 

 compenfation for what was pall. But could he give 

 him back the fatisfaction he had before in thefe dis- 

 tinctions ; could he revive the heart he had deadened 

 for ever to the enjoyment of life ? Could he give him 

 back the years of hope ? or think of conferring on him 

 a happinefs when old, that fhould but remotely make 

 amends for the robbery he had committed on him when 

 in the prime of life ? 



For nineteen years, however, he enjoyed this bright 

 evening of his days. Neither age nor adverlity had 

 been able to abate the fire of his paffions, nor entirely 

 fubdue the hilarity of his fpirit* Still, in his feven- 

 tieth year he was grafping at the Ihadow of a comfort, 

 that in his twentieth he actually porTefYed. At length 

 he died — commander of the fortrefs where the ftate 

 prifoners were kept. It maybe expecled that he exer- 

 cifed towards them a humanity, the value of which he 



had 



