some keepsake. One evening
the old gentleman called, and was shown into the drawing-room, where my
mother received him. The rest of us were in the dining-room below. On my
mentioning Captain Stuart's name to Signora Lucretia, she exclaimed,
"Let us go, my children, and thank this good man for his kind present to
our Virginia."

It was dark, but the hall-lamp had not been lit, so I took a wax taper
from the writing-table and, lighting it, proceeded to escort them up the
staircase. Some spirit of mischief prompted me by a sudden movement to
let the light be blown out. In an instant the hand of Eugenio met mine,
and thus hand in hand, swinging to and fro, we came to the drawing-room
door, and a flood of light bursting upon us discovered to Signora
Lucretia my face flushed with suppressed laughter, and Eugenio's eyes no
longer timid, but sparkling with joy. From this time he would spend
whole nights in writing verses, which he would show to his mother. She,
noting the classical allusions, and having a great respect for literary
talents, did not repress his efforts, but on the contrary appeared
desirous that he should show his verses to my mother and to me. Mingled
with expressions of grief and despair at the inconstancy of fortune and
the decrees of fate were allegorical fancies in which I could perceive
that I held a place, but I never allowed him to think that I noticed
this; and indeed after the escapade of the staircase I became more
distant than before.

However, one day when Celestino was feeling more weak and tired than
usual, and I was propping him up on the sofa, I observed with some
trepidation that Eugenio, who had been reading at the window, changed
his seat to one near the head of the sofa. His mother and mine were busy
sewing at a window in the next room, from whence they could see us
through the folding doors. His eyes were full of tears, and, suddenly
bending over his brother and rearranging a cushion, he seized my hand
and covered it with silent kisses. In a moment I had disengaged my hand,
full of fear for the result to Eugenio should Signora Lucretia's
attention be directed toward us. The same evening, on returning from a
visit, I learned that my mother and Signora Mortera had gone out under
the escort of Oswald to attend vespers at a church some distance off. We
young people passed the evening alone together. The crimson curtains
were closely drawn, and the cosy room was lighted by a blazing fire.
Recl