Constantine: or, The Rejected Throne, Concluded [pp. 721-725]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
trait was packed, and substituted this in its place. By P
this device I expected to change the inclination of your c
highness for the original, and that such would have been n
your disgust, that your proposals would have been in- a
stantly withdrawn. My inexperience did not anticipate d
any dangerous consequences, and filled me with hopes
of thus easily realizing my fondest wishes. In this t
expectation I was disappointed; and it was not until 1
ruminating on various impracticable projects, that dri- a
ven to despair, I adopted the strange and perilous one
which has so happily succeeded-happily, believe me,
my lord, for all parties-for, my dear and excellent
cousin is far worthier than I could ever be of the high t
destiny that awaits your bride."
"Yet this high destiny had no temptation for you?"
"Love is a stronger passion than ambition," replied
Amelia.
"True, most true," said Constantine, casting an expressive and significant glance at the Countess. "But
the original portrait?"
"Is now concealed in my cabinet at home. It is destined for the man my heart has chosen; if a cruel fate
forbids our union, it shall perish, as I shall perish!"
"Love triLumphs!" exclaimed Constantine, looking
fiom one to the other of the lovely women between
whom he sat, thinking of the conquest it had gained
over himself. "Yes, love is stronger than ambition; but
friendship is mightier still, since Alexiuts could sacrifice
love to its sacred dictates. Happy moment! one of the
happiest of my life, that thus restores to me a trtue
friend-that thus affords an unprecedented example of
perfect love and perfect friendship."
The glad tidings were immediately despatched to
Count Alexius, who was not only restored to past favor
and past rank, but to an increased degree of both.
Why attempt to describe the re-union of Amelia with
her heroic lover? yes, heroic-for, true heroism is not to
conquer in the field of battle, but in the conflict of passions; self-conquest is the greatest victory man can
achieve.
The trials through which they had passed, not only
compensated, but seemed to enhance their present felicity: language is inadequate to convey an idea of the
transports of joy and tenderness that fill the youthful
hearts of fond and faithful lovers. But once in the life
of any individual can such emotions be felt with equal
strength and purity; these first blossoms of sensibility
are as lovely, but alas, as evanescent as the bloom of
spring; as easily destroyed by indifference, as that by
the nipping frost. Amelia and Alexius had struggled
with destiny-had triumphed over almost insuperable
difficulties; and like mariners, long tempest-tossed,
doubly enjoyed the security they had attained; but
were not so engrossed by their own happiness, as not
warmly to participate in that of Constantine and Sophia. The Grand Duke, impatient of delay, even in
the most trivial affairs, would not yield to any on this
occasion; and his indulgent mother, eager to complete
so pure and rational a scheme of happiness, threw no
impediment in the way of the immediate accomplishment of his wishes. It may easily be imagined none
were raised by the good Elector. The ceremony ofbetrothment was celebrated with the magnificence usual
on such occasions-and a few weeks afterwards, the
marriage of the Grand Duke and the Countess Sophia
'zinski was solemnized. On the same day the Priness Amelia gave her hand to Count Alexius, and
never perhaps were brighter faces assembled round an
altar in a royal chapel, than those exhibited on this
lay.
The Grand Duke soon left St. Petersburgh, and reurned to his government in Poland, and thus restored
his bride to her native country, to which she felt a warm
and patriotic attachment.
The Princess Amelia, with the husband of her choice,
and the proud and happy Elector, went to Germany,
where the young couple were to pass some months
previous to making a visit to Moscow, where the noble
family of Count Alexius resided, with whom Amelia
was to remain, while the Count should be absent on
military duty, to which the state of his country imperiously called him.
CHAPTER XIV.
There is your crown;
And, he who wears the crown immortally,
Long guard it yours.
If I affect it more
Than as your honor, and as your renown,
Let me no more from this obedience rise.
Henry IV.
Constantine, on his return to Poland, fixed his resi dence at Warsaw, where he continued during the
remainder of Alexander's reign, to enjoy the domestic
happiness he had purchased by the sacrifice of his birth right. In marrying a man of his character, the Countess Sophia could not have hoped to be exempt from
severe trials, both of her temper and affections. One
cause of dissatisfaction was soon developed by the pe culiar circumstances of her beloved country.
The spirit of liberty, though suppressed, was not
extinguished. The latent flame was continually be traying itself, and while the patriotism of the Countess
would have impelled her to fan every spark, the duty
of the Grand Duke as imperiously required him to
smother the smouldering fire. Interests and feelings in
such direct opposition, often produced painful and
troubled scenes, and might have led to consequences
alike fatal to public tranquillity and domestic peace, had
not the patriotic zeal of the Countess been regulated by
prudence, and a high sense of her duty as a wife. The
conflicting views and feelings, though a cause of dis tress, and sometimes of discord, never destroyed the
ascendancy her virtues and talents had obtained for
her, over the heretofore indomitable disposition of the
Grand Duke; for, not even his mother had ever gained
so controlling and benign an influence. If, therefore, not
perfectly happy, she never complained, knowing that
she only shared the common destiny, which has made
life a scene of mixed joy and sorrow; and while she
; keenly felt the pains, she as vividly enjoyed the plea sures that fell to her lot. The inconstancy and caprice
of Constantine's affections, was the keenest of those
pains; still, whilst she preserved his confidence, esteem
and respect, she could support, not only in silence and
patience, but even with a cheerful tranquillity, his infiI delities, his moroseness of temper, and even his pa roxisms of passion, from which others fled in terror; and
in moments of the most furious ainger, her imperturbable
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