12 THE TWIN-BROTHERS OP MEZZORANIA, 



*' knoweft my innocence, o almighty Sun !" — She 

 was unable to utter more, but fell motionlefs on the 

 earth. Her beautiful cheeks were cohered with the 

 veil of death. The father, frantic with agony, held 

 her in his arms, and preffed her to his heart. My dear, 

 my only daughter, live, or I mufh die with thee ; I 

 know that thou art innocent. — Her mother and the 

 fervants were fetched to her relief, and with much 

 difficulty reftored her to herfelf. 



She lifted up her eyes, raifed a deep ligh, clofed 

 them again, and faid: "Unhappy Berilla, thou art 

 €( now difhonoured ! Thou wert the comfort of thy 

 44 parents, who loved thee in their hearts ; and, as the 

 * c reward of their tendernefs, thou art become the 

 * c caufe of their diflrefs !" On uttering thefe words, 

 fhe burfl into a flood of tears. Her father, himfelf 

 pppreffed with forrow, ftrove to calm her tortured 

 mind by every endearing expreffion, and by giving 

 her repeated affurances that he was convince4 of her 

 innocence. f 6 O my father, faid fhe, am I ftill worthy 

 * 6 of thee ?"— " That thou art, he replied, thy forrow 

 " indicates, which at once is thy juftihxation, and the 

 4f triumph of thy fenlibility. Compofe thy fpirit, 

 cc added he with ilghs,— I know thy innocence." The 

 two brothers ftpod fpee chiefs at this mournful fcene i 

 they alternately caft on each other looks of dif-* 

 trufl, of anger, and then of compaffion. 



In the mean time, the amiable maiden completely- 

 revived ; at leaf! fo far as to fc>e able to reply to fome 

 queftions that were made her. She declared, that the 

 flrft, who led her to the altar, was the perfon that 

 made impreffion on her heart ; that fhe, prefently after, 



as 



