A Conspiracy of the Carbonari

o the anteroom and listened in breathl

zed down into the street. Yes, she saw him enter a ca

ng seemed transformed. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkled, and

ve! He will come! I shall see him a

an whom she expected. With a cry of joy he opened his arms, and she threw herself

lcome! Oh, how delightful it

nore! Raise your head, my sweet love; let me see

g at him with a happy smile. "I s

ok into it, Leonore. But come, my queen, sit down and let me

lken cushions. Then, reclining at her feet, he laid his clasped

aroness de Simonie, really love the poor adventurer, who has nothing, is no

e," she said, smiling, stroking his blac

love you precisely because you are the poor adventurer you call yourself. Thank heaven that you are no sensible, prudent, deliberate gentleman, who longs for

"Believe me, it is so! I love nothing save you, and,

ling. "And whom did yo

ark, angry flush swept over his handsome, express

d?" she repeated, smiling. "

tions, but as my father commanded me, I laid my hand upon the Bible and vowed eternal, inextinguishable hatred of the Prussians. And the boy's vow has been kept by the man. I have struggled ceaselessly against these ambitious land-greedy, avaricious Prussians; fought with my tongu

e asked, gazing lovingly at hi

d behold it wholly without disguise; that you should know it not only loves, but hates. Leonore, all my love is yours, all my hate Napoleon's. I came to Vienna by the behest of my hate, and for the first time, I found here what I had never known-love. Hitherto my heart had belonged to my native land, now it is yours, Leonore. The poor adventurer, who, under manifold forms, in manifold disguises, under many names, had wandered thr

thus, you do not love m

joy. Yet I ask myself what will be the goal and end of this love? I ask myself wh

she cried, putting her arms around his neck

e land! I have sworn to consecrate it to my country, and I must keep my oath. I dare not give myself up

t? On whom do you wis

false hopes, with lying promises; who promised us liberty and in

d her hand upon his lips. "Do not utter such words; do not venture even to

al Leonore fear? Does she fear in her own hou

"For you say that not only love,

ou beautiful, glorious woman, I will give you a proof of my infinite love and confidence. Y

e, dismiss hatred from your heart, and yield it to love! Renounce vengeance and allow yourself happiness! You say that you love me-give me a proof of it, a divine, beautiful proof! Let us fly, my beloved one, fly from this world of falsehood, treachery, hate, and anger, to conceal ourselves in a quiet corner of the earth, where no one knows us, where the noise of the world does not penetrate, where we shall learn nothing more of its dissensions and wars, where only love and peace will dwell with us; where, clasped in each other's embrace, we can rest on Nature's bosom and receive from her healing for all our wounds, comfort for all our losses. Oh, let us

, radiant with enthusiasm. "You, the petted queen of society, the spoiled, delicate daughter of lux

as the glittering snake-skin with which we have concealed our real natures, and escape into the solitude as free, happy children of God. If such a life of peace and rest does not satisfy you; if you wish to labor and create, be useful to mankind, we can find the opportunity. We will buy a tract of land in America, gather around us people to cultivate it, create a little state whose prince you will be, which you will render free and happy and content. Say that you will, my loved one; tell me that you will make my golden dreams of the future a reality-oh, tell me so and you wi

ot rise from his knees to fall upon her breast; he only bowed his head lower

ls and efforts of my whole past life, and turned from what I have hitherto regarded as the most sacred purpose of my existence. You yourself, Leonore, cannot wish it, for then how could you trust my fidelity, my love, if, for your sake, I could be untrue to my native land, my sacred duty. No, Leonore, my heart is yours, but my brain and life belong to my country. I came to Vienna to serve it. The great patriots of Poland sent me here. 'Go to Austria, they said, and serve there the sacred cause of freedom and human dignity.' And I went, and am here to serve it. Many are in the league with me, struggling with me toward the same goal. No one knows the others, but in the decisive hour we shall all work

whole frame trembled with emotion. "Oh," she groaned sorrowfully, "you will never repea

rage of my soul must be summoned, and perhaps I might be cowardly and weak if I should see you, gaze into your beloved face, and think of the possibility that I was beholding it for the last time; that death might clasp me in his arms ere I again pressed you to my heart. So I will bid you farewell, my dearest, farewell f

rinted a long, ardent kiss upon her lips. "Farew

of an eternity of separation, as you bid me farewell, or my arms will hold you to draw you by force from the dangers that threaten you; m

and invoke heaven's vengeance upon you! But why conjure up such terrible pictures! I know that my Leonore would be incapable of treachery,

them. But one question more, dearest. I shall give an entertainment to-morrow. Count Andreossy, Colonels Mariage and Schweitzer, Captain de Guesniard, and the two Counts von Poldring wi

And now, dearest, let me go. This last kiss on your eyes-do not open them until I have left you; for your eyes exert a magic power, and if they are gazing at me I shall not h

at quietly with closed lids and clasped hands until the door had cl

re in these plans; for he is not coming to the entertainment to-morrow, and therefore does not belong to those who have their secret appointment with me. Oh, God be praised f