United States or Pitcairn Islands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Now, at that instant, as Philip Vaudemont bent over the exceeding sweetness of that young face, a sudden thrill shot through his heart, and he, too, became silent, and lost in thought. Was it possible that there could creep into his breast a wilder affection for this creature than that of tenderness and pity? He was startled as the idea crossed him.
"And I have outstayed all your guests," said De Vaudemont, glancing round the emptied room. "It is the best compliment you could pay me. Another night we can enliven our tete-a-tete with ecarte; though at your age, and with your appearance, I am surprised, Monsieur de Vaudemont, that you are fond of play: I should have thought that it was not in a pack of cards that you looked for hearts.
Ah! you look as if you thought I should never be wise enough for that!" Vaudemont, not listening to her, uttered a deep sigh. Fanny approached him timidly. "Do not sigh, brother, I can't bear to hear you sigh. You are changed. Have you, too, not been happy?" "Happy, Fanny! yes, lately very happy too happy!"
And with an air of supreme and half-compassionate contempt, Lord Lilburne turned away and stirred the fire. Captain Smith muttered and fumbled a moment with his gloves, then shrugged his shoulders and sneaked out. That night Lord Lilburne again received his friends, and amongst his guests came Vaudemont.
And whether it was the art of De Vaudemont, or from an interest that Lord Lilburne took in studying what was to him a new character, or whether that, both men excelling peculiarly in all masculine accomplishments, their conversation was of a nature that was more attractive to themselves than to others; it so happened that they were still talking while the daylight already peered through the window- curtains.
Vaudemont was at the head of a further force of 2000 cavalry and 8000 foot, paid for by Spain and the Pope; 24,000 additional soldiers, riders and infantry together, had been gathered by Maximilian of Bavaria at the expense of the League. Even if the reports were exaggerated, the Advocate thought it better to be too credulous than as apathetic as the rest of the Protestants.
Leaving that place, and finding that his troops were giving way, he ascended the cathedral steeple to see what was passing in different parts of the town, and to discover why the troops of Thomas de Vaudemont did not arrive. He had scarcely reached the top of the steeple, when he saw his detachments on the banks of the Po, and the bridge broken, thus rendering their assistance useless.
See!" and she opened the window and pointed to the church-tower rising dark against the evening sky. "This is better than all!" said Vaudemont; and he looked out from the window in a silent reverie, which Fanny did not disturb. And now he was settled! From a career so wild, agitated, and various, the adventurer paused in that humble resting-nook. But quiet is not repose obscurity is not content.
Ah! you look as if you thought I should never be wise enough for that!" Vaudemont, not listening to her, uttered a deep sigh. Fanny approached him timidly. "Do not sigh, brother, I can't bear to hear you sigh. You are changed. Have you, too, not been happy?" "Happy, Fanny! yes, lately very happy too happy!"
She took from her bosom some lines that Sidney had addressed to her, and, as she read and re-read, her spirit became calmed to its wonted and faithful melancholy. Vaudemont was forgotten, and the name of Sidney yet murmured on her lips, when sleep came to renew the image of the absent one, and paint in dreams the fairy land of a happy Future! "Ring on, ye bells most pleasant is your chime!"
Word Of The Day