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299 her father. A small wallet contained her clothes and mine, with a trifle of money that Theresa had saved. For my part, I would take nothing with me; so true it is that many of the virtues of youth are the offspring of fancy; I was robbing a father of his daughter, and I scrupled at the same time to carry off the value of a pin from his house.

"We travelled all night; at day-break we found ourselves on the frontiers of Bohemia, and pretty nearly out of the reach of any who might be in pursuit of us. The place we first stopped in was a valley, beside one of those rivulets that lovers are so fond of meeting with. Theresa alighted, sat down beside me on the grafs, and we both made a frugal but delicious meal.

When done, we turned

our thoughts to the next step we were to take.

"After a long conversation, and reckoning twenty times over our money, and estimating the little horse at its highest value, we found that the whole of our fortune did not amount to twenty ducats. Twenty ducats are soon gone! We resolved, however, to make the best of our way to some great town, that we might be lefs exposed, in case they were in search of us, and there get married as soon as possible. After these very wise reflections we took the road that leads to Egra.

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"The church received us on our arrival; and we were: married. The priest had the half of our little treasure for his kindness; but never was money given with so much good-will. We thought our troubles were now all at an end, and that we had nothing more to fear; and indeed we bought eight days' worth of happiness.

"This space being elapsed, we sold our little horse; and at the end of the first month we had absolutely nothing. What must we have done? What must have become of us? I knew no art but that of the husbandman;

350 and the inhabitants of great cities look down with contempt on the art that feeds them. Theresa was as unable as myself to follow any other business. She was miserable; The trembled to look forward; we mutually concealed from each other our sufferings-a torture a thousand times more horrid than the sufferings themselves. At length, having no other resource, I enlisted into a regument of horse, garrisoned at Egra. My bounty-money I gave to Theresa, who received it with a flood of tears.

"My pay kept us from starving; and the little works of Theresa, for indigence stimulated her invention, helped to keep a cover over our heads. About this time, a child coming to the world, linked our affections closer.

"It was you, my dear Gertrude; Theresa and myself looked upon you as the pledge of our constant love, and the hope of our old age. Every child that heaven has given us we have said the same thing, and we have never been mistaken. You were sent to nurse, for my wife could not suckle you, and she was inconsolable on the occasion. She pafsed the live-long day working at your cradle; while I, by my attention to my duty, was endeavouring to gain the esteem and friendship of my officers.

"Frederick, our captain, was only twenty years of age. He was distinguishable among the whole corps by his affability and his figure. He took a liking to me. I told him my adventures. He saw Theresa, and was interested in our fate. He daily promised he would speak to Aimar for us; and as my absolute dependence was on him, I had his word that I should have my liberty as soon as he had made my father-in-law my friend. Frederick had already written to our village, but had got no answer.

"Time was running over our heads. My young captain seemed as eager as ever; but Theresa grew every day more and more dejected. When I inquired into the

reason, fhe spoke of her father, and turned the conversation off. Little did I imagine that Frederick was the cause of her grief.

"This young man, with all the heat incident to youth, observed Theresa's lovelinefs as well myself. His virtue was weaker than his pafsion. He knew our misfortunes; he knew how much we depended on him; and was bold enough to give Theresa to understand what reward he expected for his patronage. My wife witnefsed her indignation; but knowing my character to be both violent and jealous, the with-held the fatal secret from me; while I, too credulous, was daily lavish in the praises of my captain's generosity and friend:hi ̧.

"One day coming off guard, and returning home to my wife, who fhould appear before my astonished eyes, but Aimar! "At last I have found thee," exclaimed he,. "infamous ravisher! Restore my daughter to me! Give me back that comfort thou hast robbed me of, thou treacherous friend!" I fell at his knees: I endured the first storm of his wrath. My tears began to soften him; he consented to listen to me. I did not undertake my own justification. "The deed is done;" said I, "Theresa is mine; he is my wife -My life is in your hands, punith me ;-forgive your child,-your only daughter.

not difhonour her husband,-do not let her fall a victim to grief;-forget me that you may more effectually remember her." With that, instead of conducting him to Theresa, I led him to the house where you were at nurse, my girl. "Come," added I, "come and view one more, you must extend your pity to."

"You were in your cradle, Gertrude; you were fast asleep; your countenance, a lovely mixture of alabaster and vermilion, was the picture of innocence and health, Aimar gazed upon you. The big tear stood in his eye.

I took you up in my arms; I presented you to him. "This too is your child," said I to him. You then awoke, and, as if inspired by heaven, instead of complaining, you smiled full upon him ; and extending your little arms towards the old man, you got hold of his white locks, which you twined among your fingers, and drew his venerable face towards you. Aimar smothered you with kisses; and caught me to his breast. "Come," said he," my son, fhew me my daughter," extending one hand to me, and holding you on his arm with the other. You may judge with what joy I brought him to our house.

"On the road, I was afraid least the sudden sight of her father might be too much for her; meaning to prevent any ill consequences, I left Aimar with you on his arm; I ran home, opened the door, and saw Theresa struggling with Frederick, exerting all her power to save herself from his base embraces. As soon as my eyes saw him, my sword was in his body. He fell; the blood gushed; he pierced the air with a cry of anguish; the house was full in a minute. The guards came; my sword was still reeking; they seized me, and the unfortunate Aimar just arrived to see his son-in-law loaded with irons.

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I embraced him; I recommended to him my wife, and my helpless babe, whom I likewise embraced, and then followed my comrades, who saw me lodged deep in a dungeon.

"I remained there, in the most cruel state, two days and three nights. I knew nothing of what was going forward; I was ignorant of Theresa's fate. I saw nobody but an unrelenting jailor, who answered to all my questions, that I need not trouble myself about any thing; for that in a very few hours, he was sure sentence of death would be pronounced on me.

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"The third day the prison gates were flung open. was desired to walk out; a detachment were waiting for me; I was encircled by them, and led to the barracks green. From afar I perceived the regiment drawn up, and the horrid machine that was to put an end to a wretched life. The idea that my misery was now completed, restored the force I had lost. A convulsive motion gave precipitancy to my steps; my tongue of itself muttered Theresa's name ; while I walked on my eyes were wildly in search of her; I bled with anguish, that I could not see her; at last I arrived.

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My sentence was read; I was given into the hands of the executioner; and was preparing for the mortal blow, when sudden and loud fhrieks kept back his falling arm. I once more stared round, and saw a figure, half naked, pale, and bloody, endeavouring to make way through the guards that surrounded me; it was Frederick. "Friends!" exclaimed he, "I am the guilty man; I deserve death; pardon the innocent. I wished to seduce his wife ; he punished me; he did what was just; you must be savages if you attempt his life." The colonel of the regi ment flew to Frederick in order to calm him. He pointed out the law that doomed to death whoever raised his hand against his officer. "I was not his officer," cried Frederick, "for I had given him his liberty the evening before under my hand. He is no more in your power." The astonished officers afsembled together. Frederick and humanity were my advocates; I was brought back to prison; Frederick wrote to the minister,-accused himself,asked my pardon,—and obtained it.

"Aimar, Theresa, and myself, went and threw ourselves at the feet of our deliverer. He confirmed the presents he had made me of my liberty, which he wished to heighten by others that we would not receive. We returned to

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