u have
secluded yourself, and indeed I have been so distressed--but I will not
speak of past anxieties now; war restores its hero to our vows; Florian
returns to us--are not you quite happy, uncle?

_De Val._ Happy? I? my good child--do not mock me.

_Ger._ Nay, could I intend--

_De Val._ Well! let it pass; you it seems, my Geraldine, are really
happy; your lips confess much, but your eyes still betray more--niece,
you love my adopted Florian.

_Ger._ Love! fy, uncle--Oh yes, yes, I do certainly love him like a
brother.

_De Val._ Something better.--Suppose I should offer this Florian to you
as a husband

_Ger._ (_looking down demurely._) I never presume to dispute my dear
uncle's commands.

_De Val._ Little equivocator! answer me strictly: do you not wish to
become his wife?

_Ger._ Indeed, I never yet have asked my heart that question.

_De Val._ But if Florian married any other woman, would you not hate the
object of his preference?

_Ger._ (_throwing herself upon his neck._) Ah! uncle, you have my
secret: no, I would not hate my fortunate rival--I would pray for her
happiness, but my heart would break while it breathed that prayer!

_De Val._ My excellent ingenuous child, indulge the virtuous emotions of
your heart without disguise--Florian and Geraldine are destined for each
other.

_Ger._ Generous benefactor! what delightful dazzling visions your words
conjure up to my imagination; the universe will concentrate within the
fairy circle of our hearth; a waking consciousness of bliss will ever
freshly dress our day in flowers, and at nights, fancy will gild our
pillow with the dream that merrily anticipates the future.

_De Val._ Enthusiast! you contemplate the ocean in a calm, nor dream how
frightfully a tempest may reverse the picture.

_Ger._ Ambitious pride may tremble at the storm, but true love, uncle,
never can be wrecked; its constancy is strengthened, not impaired by
trials, and when adversity divorces us from common friendships, the
chosen partners of each other's hearts a second time are married, and
with dearer rites.

_De Val._ (_averting his face with a look of anguish_) Girl!

_Ger._ (_unnoticing his emotion_) Then if they have children, how
surpassing is the bliss, while their own gay prime is mellowly subsiding
into age, to trace the features and the virtues they adored in youth,
renewed before their eyes, and feel themselves the proud and grateful
authors of each other's joy--