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young officer could divine my thoughts. I be- blaspheme at its enjoyments; speaking alone of lieved, I almost hoped, that he would understand its illusions, without perceiving that, in this inmy secret agitation; but alas! most probably he terchange of sorrows, which their two hearts, did not. There are so many things that can still young, were exhaling, there was a gentle only be expressed by words. sympathy which strongly resembled the enjoyments whose existence they denied!

It was during the evening; one of those beautiful evenings in autumn, when all nature is quiet and reposed. Not a breath of air murmured through the trees, tinged by the last rays of a setting sun. It was impossible not to give one's self up to a gentle revery in presence of such a lovely prospect; for all, save man, who was awake to think, seemed lulled into sleep upon the bosom of nature! It was one of those moments when the soul is softened, when we become better, and feel that we could weep, yet without regret !

At length, one evening a few months after, on the edge of a forest, while we were walking in the midst of an uncultivated heath, a few paces from our mutual friends, Maurice said to me :—

"Is it not the most positive happiness in this world, to make another happy? Is there not, in the joy that we give, an unbounded sweetness? To devote ourselves to one who, without us, would have known nothing of life but its tears. Is this not a happiness preferable to the most brilliant destiny? To infuse new life into a dying soul; better than God, perhaps, who gave it life. Is not this a bright dream ?"

I looked at him anxiously-a tear glistening in my eyes.

I raised my eyes; from the end of the alley, I perceived Ursule. A parting ray of sun-light was shining on the window, and was reflected on her head, giving her black hair an unaccustomed lustre. A gleam of joy rose in her eyes as she saw me; and she smiled with that sad smile which I loved so much! Her black dress, with long falling folds, entirely precluded the least glimpse of her figure, except as shown by her belt. Her I hastened precipitately towards the poor girl's person was very slender and flexible, but not wanting in grace. A few violets, her favorite flower,

were fastened in her corsage.

There was something in Ursule's paleness, in her black dress, in the sombre-colored flowers, with the last ray of a setting sun upon them all, that harmonized with the beauty of nature on this lovely autumn evening and the gentle revery we were indulging in.

"There is Ursule !" said I to Maurice d'Erval, calling his attention to the low window in the small house. He looked at her, and then walked with his eyes intently fixed upon her. His look disconcerted the poor girl, who was as timid as a maiden of fifteen; and when we arrived in front of her, her complexion was enlivened by a high color. Maurice d'Urval stopped, exchanged a few words with us, and left. But from that day he often returned to the town by the narrow alley in which Ursule lived. Opportunities chanced to bid her "good day!" Indeed, he once called to see her with me.

"Yes!" said he, "ask Ursule if she will marry me !"

An exclamation of joy was my response, and

dwelling.

When I reached Ursule, she was seated. as usual, at work, but half asleep. Solitude, the absence of the faintest noise, a want of the slightest interest in things around her, had really lulled her soul to sleep. This was one of the first blessings Providence had bestowed upon her. It relieved her sufferings! There are some who would have pity, even for this immobility of existence. which had not had its part of life and youth. She smiled on seeing me. To smile was the greatest effort her poor paralyzed soul indulged in. I was not fearful of giving a violent shock to an organization which had endured so much, by affecting it with a sudden commotion of happiness; I wished to discover whether its life was absent only, or whether it was definitively extinct!

I seated myself on a chair before her. I took both of her hands in my own, and, fixing my eyes upon hers

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Ursule," said I to her, "Maurice d'Erval has desired me to ask you if you will be his wife!"

There are some minds so unaccustomed to hope, The poor girl looked as if she had been struck that they no longer know how to understand the by a thunderbolt! In an instant tears were good that happens to them. Enveloped in the streaming from her eyes; her glance gleamed sadness and the dejection of everything round her, through this misty veil, the circulation of her blood, as in an impenetrable veil which concealed from so long arrested, gushed precipitately through her her the world without, Ursule saw nothing, inter- veins, and spread a roseate tinge throughout her preted nothing, was agitated by nothing! She person, covering her cheeks with a most brilliant remained under Maurice's regards as she had been color; her breast scarcely affording room for its under mine, downcast and resigned. As to Maurice, oppressed respiration, heaved with emotion; her I could not clearly make out what was passing in heart beat violently, and her hands closed convulhis heart. He was not in love; at least I be- sively in my own. Ursule's soul had been slumlieved so; but the pity with which Ursule had in- bering only; it was now awake. Like the voice spired him, seemed to partake of affection. The of the Lord, which said to the poor dead damsomewhat exalted and musing mind which this sel:"Arise, and walk!" so love said to Uryoung man possessed, loved the atmosphere of sad- sule :-"Awaken!" ness which prevailed around Ursule.

He came

Ursule had suddenly loved; perhaps she might there, near her, to talk of the evils of life, to have felt it before this moment; but it was un

known to herself and to others. Now the veil present; and by its all-powerful prism, metawas torn asunder, and she saw herself in love!

At the end of a few seconds, she passed her hand over her forehead and said, in a low tone of voice, "No, it is impossible !"

I only repeated the same phrase, "Maurice d'Erval asks if you will be his wife," so to accustom Ursule to this association of words, which, like notes in harmony, formed for the poor girl a melody till then unknown.

"His wife!" she repeated with ecstasy, "his wife!" and precipitating herself toward her mother's chair, "My mother, do you hear?" said she, "He asks me to be his wife !"

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morphosed the aspect of all things. The small house still remained sad and gloomy, as it had been for the last twenty years. But one thought, creeping into the innermost depth of a woman's heart, had made it a palace. Oh, dreams of hope! Why do you always vanish, like the purpled clouds that glide over the face of heaven, passing, passing away? Who has never known you is a thousand times poorer than he who has you to regret!

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Thus for Ursule the time passed happily away. But one day arrived, when Maurice, entering the small parlor, said to his affianced— 'My daughter,” replied the blind, old woman, Love, let us hasten our marriage! My regfeeling to take Ursule's hand, " my beloved daugh-iment is about to change its quarters. We must ter, God ought sooner or later to reward your vir- be married, so that you may leave with me." tues !"

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My God!" exclaimed Ursule, "what is all this has happened me to-day?" His wife!" "My beloved daughter!"

"Shall we go far, Maurice?"

"Are you alarmed, then, my dear Ursule, at the idea of seeing a new country, or some other corner of the world? There are many much

She threw herself upon her knees; her hands handsomer places than this!" clasped, her face inundated with tears.

"It is not for myself, Maurice, but for my

At this moment steps were heard in the narrow parents. They are very old to undertake a long passage.

"It is he " exclaimed Ursule. "Oh, my God!" she added, pressing her hands upon her heart, "this, then, is life!"

I went out by a private door, leaving Ursule, beautiful in her tears, in emotion, in happiness, to receive Maurice d'Erval alone.

From this day Ursule was completely metamorphosed. She was relieved; she became animated; she was rejuvenated under the gentle influence of happiness. She even regained more beauty than she ever had possessed. There existed within her an indescribable radiation, which gave her countenance an undefinable expression of joyful coloring. Her happiness partook somewhat of her early nature. It was collected, silent, calm, mysteriously exalted. Thus Maurice, who had found and loved a woman seated in obscurity, pale and weary of living, had now no change to desire in the picture that had pleased him since Ursule was happy.

Long evenings were passed away beside each other, in the small parlor on the ground floor, with no other light than a few beams from the moon, which fell through the opened window. They talked a little, and gazed on each other often, as they dreamed away the hours.

Ursule loved with frankness and simplicity. She would say to Maurice, "I am happy; I love, I thank you."

voyage!"

Maurice remained immovable before Ursule; although the thick veil which happiness had spread before Maurice's eyes had prevented him from reflecting, yet he well knew that Ursule, to partake of his wandering career, would have to separate herself from her parents. He had foreseen her grief; but confident in the love with which he had inspired her, he had believed that this devoted love would have power to mitigate any distress the separation might occasion. It had become, at last, necessary to enlighten Ursule as to the future ; and, sad at the inevitable sorrow which he was about to cause his betrothed, Maurice took her hand, made her be seated in her accustomed place, and said to her, gently

"My love, it is impossible for your father and mother to follow us in our wanderings! Until now, Ursule, we have loved and wept together; we have made of life a dream, without resorting to any question which might bear a relation with its actual details. The moment for speaking of the future has arrived. My love, I have no fortune; I possess my sword, alone. Moreover, being at the commencement of my career, my allowances amount to only a few hundred francs, which will impose upon both of us many privations. I have relied on your courage! You alone can accompany me. The presence of your parents in our establishment would bring with it calamities that could not be borne. We would not even have enough bread !"

"To leave my father and mother!" cried Ursule.

Their love sought neither the sunshine, nor the open air, nor space. The small gray house was its only witness. Ursule was always working, and remained near her parents. But if her person immovably occupied the same place as for"Leave them with the little they possess, in merly, her soul had flown away, was free, resus- this small house; confide them to some careful citated, radiant; the walls of this narrow dwell-person, and accompany your husband!”

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ing contained it no longer; she had winged her To leave my father and mother!" repeated flight. Thus the sweet magic of hope not only Ursule. "But you do not know, then, that what embellished the future, but it also pervaded the they possess is insufficient for their existence?

That to pay the rent of this miserable dwelling, I
work unknown to them? That for twenty years
they have been attended alone by me?"
"My poor Ursule," replied Maurice, "you
must submit to what is inevitable! You have con-
cealed from them the loss of what little fortune they
possessed. Let them be informed of it now, since
it has become necessary. Make their wants con-
form to the little that still remains to them; for,
alas! my love, we have nothing to give them!"
"To go away without taking them with us!
It is impossible! I tell you I have to work

for them!"

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tears.

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I abridge my recital. Ursule saw Maurice again; she saw me again. But all our prayers, our supplications, were useless; she would never leave her parents. They require my support," said she. In vain, being selfish in her place, I spoke to her of Maurice's love, of his kindness to

her.

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of her age, of the impossibility of finding another In vain, in a sort of cruelty, I reminded her listening to me; moistening, with her tears, the chance to change her destiny.She wept while

work which she did not wish to discontinue.

Then, her head fallen on her bosom, she repeated, them!" She exacted of us that her mother should in a faint voice, "They will die, I must work for never be informed of what had passed. Those for whom she sacrificed herself were always ignorant of it. A pious fraud deceived them, as to the causes of the rupture of their daughter's marriage!

-Ursule again took her place at the window; recommenced embroidering; worked without relaxation, immovable, pale, broken-hearted!

Maurice remained some time longer beside her. rational and circumspect minds that assigns limits Alas! Maurice d'Erval possessed one of those He said a thousand gentle words of tenderness to even to devotion; that is incapable of compreher; he explained to her a hundred times their position; brought to her mind the conviction that hending a sublime infatuation. His heart, like his mind, admitted impossibilities. If his marher dreams upon this subject were impossible; entered into the details of her parents' future mode riage to Ursule had taken place without any obof existence; and then left her, after lavishing her latest breath, in the boundless affection of her stacle, perhaps she might have believed, even to upon her a thousand affectionate epithets. She had permitted him to talk on without reply. Left alone, Ursule remained for hours, her head leaning upon her hand. Alas! The long-coming happiness shone but an instant upon her life, and vanished away! Sweet dreams, the friends of all young hearts, absent from hers so long, reappeared only to depart again! Forgetfulness, silence, darkness, again resumed possession of an existence which happiness had disputed with them but for an instant! The night so passed away! What passed in the poor girl's heart? God alone knows. She has never spoken of it to one on

earth!

At the first glimmering of daylight, she started up; closed the window, which had remained open since the evening before; and, pale and trembling with cold and emotion, she took some paper, a pen,

and wrote:

husband. There are affections which require an
easy path. But a barrier to be overcome present-
ed itself, like a fatal ordeal, and held up in the
He saw the limits of it!
light to Maurice's eyes, the love which he felt.

Maurice supplicated, wept for a long time, and at last became offended, discouraged, and left.

It happened, one day, whilst Ursule was seated near the window, she heard the sounds of martial music, as they swept along, and a heavy and measured tread resounded on her ear. It was the farewell flourish of trumpets came reëchoing like regiment departing, preceded by its band. The a sad adieu, and then died away along the narrow alley where Ursule dwelt. Trembling, she

listened.

The music, at first brilliant and near

her, soon became less distinct, and faded away! Then, from afar, it only reached her ears, a vague, uncertain murmur; then, from time to time, an Adieu, Maurice! I remain with my father and isolated strain came wafted along on the wind; mother. To abandon them, in their old age, would and at last a dull silence succeeded these martial be to leave them to die. They no longer have any-strains, which space engulfed. The last hope in thing but me in the world! My sister, when dying, Ursule's life seemed to attach itself to these faint confided them to me, and said, "We will meet notes, which reached her from afar;-with again, Ursule!" I shall never see her again, if I them it fled-departed—died away!do not perform my duty.

I have loved you well! I will love you always! My life will only be a remembrance of you. You have been good, generous! but, alas! we are too

-The poor

girl had permitted her embroidery to fall into her lap, and her face was hidden in her hands. Through her fingers a few tears were coursing. In

this attitude she remained as long as the heavy | ual wearing away of life. Ursule watched, prayed tread and music of the regiment could be heard; beside her mother's bed; received her last sigh then she again took up her work. She re- and her last blessing. sumed it for life!

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"In thy turn, Marthe," said Ursule, our The evening of the day of their last separation, mother is now with you. Conduct her toward of the day when the grand sacrifice was complet-God!" ed, Ursule, after bestowing upon her parents the attentions with which each day was ended, seated herself at the foot of her mother's bed, and bent over towards her, fixing upon her a gaze, which the blind mother could not see was humid with tears. Gently taking her hand, the poor abandoned affianced one murmured, in a voice choked with emotion :

She then came to kneel beside the old man, who remained alone. She made him put on his dress of mourning, without his seeming to perceive it; but the second day after the blind woman's death, when they removed the old arm-chair in which she had remained seated for so many years beside her old husband, the old man turned toward the vacant place, and cried-" My wife !" 'My mother! you love me, do you not? My Ursule spoke to him, and endeavored to divert presence is a comfort to you? My attentions are him. He replied: "My wife!" and two tears sweet to you, mother? You would suffer, would trickled down the old man's cheeks. In the evenyou not, should I leave you?" ing they carried him his usual nourishment; but The blind woman turned her head towards the he turned away his head, and with sad voice, wall and said: his eyes fixed upon the vacant place, he said "Oh Lord, Ursule, I am so tired; let me go again : "My wife!" to sleep!"

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This one word of tenderness, which she had wished to obtain as the only recompense for her painful devotion, was not pronounced. The blind old woman went to sleep, pushing away from her the hand which her daughter had extended. But, between the two green serge curtains of the alcove, was a wooden image of Christ, embrowned by time. The hands which no friend on earth would press, Ursule extended toward her God, and, kneeling beside her blind parent's bed, she was long engaged in prayer.

Ursule, in despair, essayed everything that grief or affection could suggest.- -The idiotic old man remained, leaning forward toward the place to which the blind woman's chair had been moved; and, refusing all nutriment, with clasped hands, he regarded Ursule, repeating, like a child begging to obtain something it desired: "My wife!"

A month after, he died.

In his last moments, when the priest, who had been summoned to his bedside, endeavored to divert his thoughts to God, his Creator, the moment came when he believed he had reïllumined the old man's dying mind, for he joined his hands together and raised his eyes to heaven; but for the last time he again cried : My wife!" as if he had seen her hovering above his head.

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Since then, Ursule became more pale, more silent, more immovable than ever. These newly occasioned tears washed away the last traces of her youth and beauty. In a few days she had grown old. She could please no one now; but if she had possessed the power, Ursule had no de- As they were bearing away from the small gray sire to please! "All is told !" was a phrase she house the coffin of her father, Ursule murmured : had already pronounced; this time she was sadly" My God, I deserved to have them left living a correct- -for her all was told!

Maurice d'Erval was spoken of no more. Ursule had pleased him, as a graceful picture whose melancholy expression had touched his soul.Leaving it, the colors of the picture faded, then became effaced.- -He forgot!

Oh, my God! how many things are forgotten in this life! Why has not Heaven, who permits some hearts to grow cold from seeing the object of its love too often, at least accorded to those whom fate separates, the power of weeping forever? My God! the life which thou givest is often full of sorrow!

A year after these events, Ursule's mother became sick. Her disease was of that kind for which there exists no remedy. It was the easy, grad

[CHARACTER OF BERKELEY.]

little longer!"

And Ursule remained alone forever.
All this transpired many years ago.

I was compelled to leave the little town of ; to leave Ursule. I have travelled. A thousand events have succeeded each other in my life, without effacing from my memory the poor girl's history. But Ursule, like those hearts which, when broken, refuse all consolation, became tired of writing to me. After many vain efforts to carry her abroad to weep with me, I lost all trace of her.

What has become of her? Is she yet alive? is she dead? Alas! the poor girl never had even that good fortune! I believe that she may still be living!

in East Kent, with a well known eccentric Bishop THE editor of Mrs. Carter's Letters to Mrs. Mon- of the sister island. The Bishop drank a bottle of tagu speaks of Dr. Berkeley, in a note, (vol. 2, p. Madeira with his dinner, and swore like a gentle52,) as an amiable man, simple, virtuous and prim-man; the Prebend talked divinity, and drank nothitive. He once dined at the house of a gentleman ing but water."

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From the Examiner, 1 Sept.

RUSSIA AND AUSTRIA.

The aggressive power of Russia is to be found not in her own resources, but in the weakness and RETRIBUTION always follows crime, but seldom disunion of neighboring nations. It has therefore so rapidly with nations as with individuals. Hard- always been her aim to foment all dissensions, ly, however, does the end so long aimed at by the particularly those which arise from differences of continental despots and furthered by their accomlanguage or religion, in those quarters to which plices in this country-the suppression of all civil her designs extend, whether north or south, self-government and the substitution of a military whether upon the Baltic or upon the Danube : despotism-seem to be finally attained, when those and by such means to establish, first an underhand very accomplices begin to tremble at the natural influence, and then a protectorate, till time is and inevitable consequences. The Times of Tues-ready to ripen ulterior plans. The scheme by day contains a series of instructive admissions which the czar would have set himself up as prowhich render but little comment necessary from tector of Denmark and virtual ruler of the Baltic, has been signally frustrated by the tact and skill of Lord Palmerston. But, for the furtherance of Russian designs upon the Danubian countries, a combination of circumstances has occurred hardly to be paralleled in any age or country. Who could have supposed the house of Hapsburg so madly suicidal as to invite the intervention of the very power from whose designs it had most to fear? Who could have thought it possible that Turkey or Prussia would have looked tamely on. while the security of their own territories depended upon the success of the Hungarians? Above all, who could have thought it possible

us.

The first is, that the absolutist system of governing, by means of a bureaucratic centralization and by the suppression of all local self-government, has been weighed and found wanting; and that the bayonet is at present the sole support of the existing authorities of central Europe.

The armies (says the Times) everywhere stood firm, and they alone represented any organized power, based on known principles. In their ranks at least was to be found regular authority, practical strength, and a definite purpose.

The next important admission is, that whilst that in England, this country of freedom, a large the natural weight of England

has been frittered away and alienated from all the established principles of her policy, that of Russia has risen to a degree of power and eminence which we cannot view without apprehension for the liberties and the independence of Europe.

portion of the daily press should have been systematically engaged in misrepresenting the truc nature of the contest; in blinding the moneyed interests to the inevitable danger that awaited peace and commerce, in case of the defeat of the Hungarians; and in thus forming a factitious opinion, which, being sedulously circulated throughout the continent, has had no inconsiderable effect in strengthening the hands of the supporters of arbitrary power?

The latter part of this sentence is unfortunately too true; but while we perfectly understand the insinuation conveyed in the former part, we as strongly repudiate it. It would doubtless have been according to the established principles of The only means of preventing the interference English policy, as English policy is viewed of Russia in Hungary sooner or later, under one by Lord Aberdeen and the Times, to have sent pretext or another, would have been the adoption of a British fleet to overawe Venice and Lom- an honest and straightforward policy by the house bardy, and thus to have allowed Radetzky's of Hapsburg. That the "divide et impera" system army to take the field against the Hungarians; when, supposing the united Austrian armies able to have crushed Hungarian independence, (a supposition we greatly doubt the truth of,) the necessity of calling in Russian troops to aid in the crusade against constitutional freedom might possibly have been avoided. But admitting that such a result could have been obtained by such means, is there an Englishman worthy of the name who will not feel with us that it is far better for his country to submit to any loss of moral or material influence, to any direct or indirect commercial disadvantages, than to have been guilty of such a piece of baseness? Whatever England may have lost, she has at least preserved her honor.

It is, however, undeniable that the "natural weight of Russia has risen to a degree of power and eminence which cannot be viewed without apprehension for the liberties and the independence of Europe;"-and that this has not been even in a still greater degree the case, is solely owing to the exertions of Lord Palmerston.

of that house must necessarily tend to such a result, was foretold as long ago as 1791 by Charles Jesernitzky in the Hungarian Diet. The blow has fallen; the Hungarians have been defeated; but among their enemies at Vienna and in London, no pæans of triumph are heard. At Vienna the financial embarrassment does not decrease. The three millions to be paid by Sardinia is a sum that does not very much exceed the average annual deficit of the Austrian finances during the years of profound peace since 1815. Hungary is drained and exhausted; and the Hereditary States are suffering from a cessation of trade. Another national bankruptcy must inevitably ensue; but whether this can be staved off for a while by wringing the last farthing from the impoverished tax-payers, and by consuming the capital of the country, it is impossible to say at present.

Now it is, then, that the bitter truth must come in a palpable shape before the young emperor, that he is no longer an independent monarch, but a vassal. "Paskiewitch could boast that Hungary lay

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