The Headsman; Or, The Abbaye des Vignerons

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Flanders, Holland, parts of Germany, and much of France; while hills, spurs of mountains, and more especially the summits of conical rocks, were sought in Switzerland, Italy, and wherever else these natural means of protection could readily found. Other circumstances, such as climate wealth, the habits of a people, and the nature of the feudal rights, also served greatly to modify the appearance and extent of the building. The ancient hold in Switzerland was originally little more than a square solid tower, perched upon a rock, wi

ceased and art commenced; but it had been transferred, a century before the occurrences; related in our tale, to a more modern portion of the buildings that formed the south-eastern angle of the whole construction. The room was spacious, square, simple, for such is the fashion of the country, and lighted by windows that looked on one side towards Valais, and on the other over the whole of the irregular, but lovely declivity,

ny and the soft expression of the mild blue eye accorded so well with the gentle play of a sweet mouth, that the soul of their owner seemed ready at all times to appear through these ingenuous tell-tales of her thoughts. Still, maidenly reserve sate in constant watch over all, and it was when the spectator thought himself most in communion with her spirit, that he most felt its pure and correcting influence. Perhaps a cast of high intelligence, of a natural power to discriminate, which much surpassed the limited means accorded to females of that age, contributed their share to hold those near her in respect, and serv

to forget is the least likely to succeed. Adelheid was sustained only by her sense of duty and the desire not to disappoint her father's wishes, to which habit and custom had given nearly the force of law with maidens of her condition, though her reason and judgment no less than her affections were both strongly enlisted on the other side. Indeed, with the single exception of the general unfitness of a union between two of unequal stations, there was nothing to discredit her choice, if that may be termed choice which, after all, was more the result of spontaneous feeling and secret sympathy than of any other cause, unless it were a certain equivocal reserve, and a manifest uneasiness, whenever allusion was made to the early history and to the family of the soldier. This sensitiveness on the part of Sigismund had been observed and commented on by others as well as by herself, and it had been openly ascribed to the mortification of one who had been thrown, by chance, into an intimate association that was much superior to what he was entitled to maintain by birth; a weakness but too common, and which few have strength of mind to resist or sufficient pride to overco

iles stole easily to those lips which had long been growing pallid with anxiety. She leaned forward from the balcony, and never before had the air of her native mountains seemed so balmy and healing. At that moment the subject of her thoughts appeared on the verdant declivity, among the luxuriant nut-trees

a constant restraint on her inclinations, though the simple usages of Switzerland permitted greater familiarity of intercourse than was elsewhere accorded to maidens of rank, that Sigismund at first stood rooted to the ground, for he c

inutes must decide her fate. The necessity of making a wide circuit in order to enter the court still afforded a little tim

n expression of radiant happiness in her countenance as he had not seen reigning in those sweet lineaments for many painful, months. The first feeling was that of pl

e on the lake!" he said, studying her face unti

to-day and better able to endure fatigue, than at any time since we came through the gates of Willading. This balmy air, to me, seems Ital

. Bernard!" he exclaimed i

rity of the maiden's disposition, and her earnest desire to set his heart at ease, nature, or habit, or educati

scarcely surpass, and a friendly roof. The experience of the last twenty-four hours gives little encouragement for attempting the

this advantage, however, under a mistaken opinion that Blonay is the well-sheltered Pisa. When the winter shall arrive, thou wilt see that these mo

this. Thou wilt proceed to Milan, no doubt

o me on account of important family-concerns,--impose an additional obligation to be punctual, that I may not seem forgetful of fav

nd of the young man himself, for when he ceased to speak his countenance fell, and he even appeared to be fast forgetting the presence of his fair companion. The latter turned sensitively from a subject w

om the window, though all the fair objects of the view floated unheeded before her eyes: "but, un

Blonay is perhaps entitled to the palm, for possessing the fairest site. Regard yon treacherous lake, Adelheid! Can we

igismund, bu

without whose coolness and skill we m

while my father and his friend were abandoned to the frightful

ness in the tones of Adelheid to which he was unaccustomed, a

elf-command should be again lost by the seductions of such a commu

o the spot, "thou must not quit me yet--I have much to say--much that tou

ted, and sat motionless as if carved in stone, his faculties absorbed in the single sense of hearing. Adelheid saw that the crisis was arrived, and that retreat, without an appearance of levity that her character and pride equal

r de Willading would have long since been childless; and but for thee his daughter would now be an orphan. The

ad my secret wrested from me already, and it is vain attempting to deny it, if I would. Thou knowest I love thee; and, in spite of myself, my heart cherishes the weakness. I rather rejoice, than dread, to say that it will cherish i

my smile m

ignoble, nameless origin, cannot even intimate his wis

calculated either the heart of Adelheid de

to believe, that her words would give pleasure, and, with the jealous watchfulness of true love, she would not willingly let a single expression of happiness escape her. But, instead of the brightening eye, and the sudden expression of joy that she expected, the young man appeared overwhelmed with feelings of a very opposi

nowest not what thou sayest!--One l

ar to thee that the consent of my father is accompanied on my part by a wi

e more clear, as one regards a much-prized object that is hopelessly

u never canst be mine--No, no--honor forbids it; in thee it would be madness, in me dishonor--

ead

ent that has enabled me to gain this advantage. What would all of thy blood, all of the republic say, Adelheid, were the noblest born, the best endowed, the fairest, gentlest, best maiden of the canton,

aught but holy truth. My father has well weighed all these objections, and he has generously decided to forget them. As for me, placed in the scale against thy merits, they have never weighed at all. If th

But what does it all avail?

e that would render it improper

nce. I am sufficiently humbled--sufficien

--when my father not only consent

ner or later. Yes, this is, at the least, due to thy noble fr

ed from her own face, in which the beauty of expression now reigned undisputed distress; but it was the expression of the mingled sentiments of wonder, dread, tenderness, and alarm. H

thine own; on this head, I am proud rather than humble, for the invidious distinctions of usage have too often provoked comparisons, and I have been in situations to know that the mere accidents of descent bestow neither personal excellence, superior courage, nor higher intellect. Though human inventions may serve to depress the less fortunate, God has given fixed limits to the means of men. He that would be greater than his kind, and illustrious by unnatural expedients, must debase others to attain his end.

nearly choked. "The word is fearful, coming from on

udgment of God. Dost thou not believe, Adelheid, that there are certain races which are deemed accursed, to answer some great and unse

on the part of a Power that is wise witho

ith his own attributes, and not according to our limited means, is not to be estimated by the narrow rules that we apply to men. No, we must not measure the ordinances of God by laws that are plausible in ou

Sigismund, and, least of all, with a bro

oned, and thought, and pondered--ay, until my brain has grown heated, and the power to reason itself has nearly tottered. Ever since that ac

thou lovest me, Sigismund, sp

show how deeply he felt the weight of the blow he

nto eternity! We had them, there, of all degrees of vice, as of nearly all degrees of cultivation, from the subtle iniquity of the wily Neapolitan juggler to thine own pure soul. There would have died in the Winkelried the noble of high degree, the reverend priest, the soldier in the pride of his strength, and

ommon, awakes so little of human sympathy; and one too, who, by dealing himself in the

elheid, spare me--thou