Abbot [pp. 687-699]

6.92 J}bbo: or," Tke Hermit of the Fails." [ErTE13ER,
prizes, that he had never been with me in these so-'
cial visits; but as we daily met each other, he was
not long kept in ignorance of my growing passion.
I hesitated not to tell him my feelings-to lay open
my most secret plans. I told him that I had deter mined, whatever difficulties might oppose me, to
present myself as the formal suitor of the daughter
of Gallego-to obtain the old man's consent; and as
I felt assured that Zarzina would not hesitate, to
unite my fortunes with her's forever. Di Como
was for some time diverted with the praises which
he heard me almost daily heaping upon the object of
my admiration, and told me that he at last had de termined to accept my so frequently repeated invita tions, and accompany me to Gallego's palace. Pre vious to this, and also anterior to my making known
my attachment to the Count, I had obtained an ac knowledgment on the part of Zarzina that I was fa vorably received. Every incident had been re tailed to Di Como; and he went with me, as he said,
to pay his compliments to the future wife of his bo som friend. The evening was spent in the family
of Gallego. I saw with satisfaction the pleasure
of Di Como. I saw his admiration of the object of
my choice, and expected when we should leave, to
hear his hearty congratulations for my apparently
happy prospects. He did when we left, bestow upon
her the highest eulogiums; but I thought I observed
at the same time an absence of his usual franknessa shade of disappointment-and that he was sunk
into an unaccustomed absence of mind,-,and that
every object presented by myself for conversation,
seemed to want power to call him from his reverie.
At the time this caused no uneasiness in my breast;
I supposed that his mind was upon business; and
that, from the short diversion it suffered in the
evening, it had returned with renewed impetuosity
to its usual channel. The next time I saw him he
was himself again; his usual openness-and all our
future schemes-his of ambition-mine of lovewere brought upon the tapis, and the query started
whether the statesman or the lover would acquire
the most unalloyed pleasure. He charged me
with too much feeling; I retorted by charginga him
with stoicism. He accused me of having lost
my former patriotism, and devoting myself to
the tender passion. I repelled the accusation;
assuring him that I had not less love of country-and that I was not now less willing to give
tip every thing to redeem it, than ever; but that I
continually saw obstacles rising, which I feared
would stop every revolution in favor of liberty; but
if the occasion were presented, that I would sacrifice
the dearest object to the general good. I insisted
that my love had only served to make me more
patriotic; and that as my hopes daily increased of
having a family of my own, I should be the more
anxious, and especially if God should bless me with
children, to transmit to them a brilliant name and
a country which should claim their pride and adora
tion for the purity and freedom of its gove rnment.
Di Como acquiesced with me in the trut h of my
reasoning; and I was pleased, on havino hi m more
frequently to accompany me in my visits, to think
that he was layin g aside h is fee ling of indifference;
and that, while all his high hopes were vigorous,
he ould find pl easure in social intercoul e rse. Zarzi na-as I had introduced him as my bosom friend received him always wi th mar ke d attention. Some
time after this, I o bserved that Di Co mo was daily
becoming more discontented from some cause;
that, for some reason, I was losing ground in his
confidence. If my attachment was spoken of it was
not received with t he same sportiveness as before,
and at l engt h it was a subject but seld om al luded to
in his presence. I spoke to him of his coo lness;
he assured me that his regards were the same as
ever; and that, if there w as any indifference i n his
manner, it was to be attributed to the blas ti ng o f
his cherished hopes with regard to a change in the
government-his thoughtfulness and sadness might
be c onst rue d into moroseness.
In the meantime I had made known my attach ment t o Count Gallego; but had been continually
put off with in definite and evas ive a nswers. At
last I wa s to ld, for reas ons which could not be given, for t he present my suit must be given
up; and the insinuation was thrown out, that my
visits at the palace would no longer be a cceptable.
I d ete rmined, however, that nothing short of a posi tive refusal to visit should keep me away, and
that as long as Zarzina could be seen, I should n ot
forego the pleasure. I soon foun d th at it was deter -
mined that our interviews should cease; and never
from that time were we permitted to be alone in
each other's company. One day the Count told me
bluntly, that he hoped I would not renew my visits,
and that his daughter had also expressed the same
desire. I told him I could not believe that Zarzina
would express such a desire after the marked at tention I had received from her. I demanded an
interview, that I might hear it from her own lips;
but this was refused. After this Di Como was
still a visiter. HIe frequently expressed his sym pathy for my disappointment; and encouraged me
to hope that the day might come when the prejudi ces of the father would give way. I still supposed
that she was attached to me, and had sent several
letters to her by Di Como. He always assured me
[that though Zarzina was unabated in her attachment
1towards me, yet she could not violate filial obedience
tso much, as to consent to our marriage, or even to
communicate with me, while her father's consent
1was withheld. For weeks I was held in the most
3painful suspense. The fact that she would not, as
f Di Como informed me, send even a verbal message,
w nas unaccountably strange; and for the first time I
suspected him of playing the hypocrite. I devised
1a plan for insuring the delivery of a letter to Zar- ina; but still no answer came. Soon after this I
.gbbot: or, 11 The Hermit of the Falls."
[SF,PTEMBJER,
692
I