carriage, and opened the door for her. I saw that in a moment the horses would be taken out, and that the enthusiastic young men would themselves draw her home. She spoke, and besought of them, with a trembling voice, not to do so; but only her name in the most exultant shout sounded through the street. Bernardo mounted on the step, as the carriage was set in motion, in order to compose her, and I seized hold of the pole, and felt myself as happy as the rest. The whole thing was too soon over, like a beautiful dream. It was a happiness to me now to stand beside Bernardo; he had actually talked with her - had been quite close to her! "Now what do you say, Antonio?" cried he. "Is not your heart in a commotion? If you do not glow through marrow and bone, you are not worthy to be called a man! Don't you now see how you stood in your own light when I wanted to take you to her; and would it not have been worth while to have learned Hebrew, to have sat on the same bench with such a creature? Yes, Antonio, however incomprehensible it may seem, I have not any doubt but that she is my Jewish maiden! She it was whom, a year ago, I saw with old Hanoch; she it was who presented to me Cyprus wine, and then vanished. I have her again; she is here, and like a glorious phoenix ascended from her nest, that hateful Ghetto! "It is impossible, Bernardo," I replied; "she has also awoke remembrances in me, which make it impossible that she can be a Jewess; most assuredly is she one of the only blessed church. Had you observed her as closely as I have done, you would have seen that hers is not a Jewish form; that those features bear not the Cain's mark of that unhappy, despised nation. Her speech itself, her accent, come not from Jewish lips. O Bernardo, I feel so happy, so inspired by the world of melody which she has infused into my soul! But what did she say? You have actually talked with her, stood close by her carriage; was she right happy, as happy as she has made us all ?" "You are regularly inspired, Antonio!" interrupted he. "Now melts the ice of the Jesuit school! What did she talk about? Yes, she was frightened, and yet she was proud that you wild cubs drew her through the streets. She held her veil tight over her face, and pressed herself into the corner of the carriage; I composed her, and said everything that my heart could have said to the Queen of Beauty and Innocence e; but she would not even take my hand when I would have helped her out!" "But how could you be so bold! She did not know you. I should never have ventured on such audacity." "Yes, you know nothing of the world — nothing of women. She has observed me, and that always is something." I now read him my impromptu to her; he thought it was divine, and declared that it must be printed in the "Diario di Roma." We drank together her health. Every one in the coffee-house talked of her; every one, like us, was inexhaustible in her praise. It was late when I parted from Bernardo ; I hastened home, but sleep was not to be thought of. It was to me a delight to go over the whole opera in my own mind; Annunciata's first appearance; the aria, the duet, the closing scene, which seized so strangely on the souls of all. In my rapture I spoke forth my applause aloud, and called her name. Then in thought I went through my little poem, wrote it down, and thought it pretty; read it a few times to myself; and, if I must be candid, my love to her was almost increased by the poem. Now, many years afterwards, I see it with very different eyes. I then thought it a little masterpiece. She certainly took it up I thought, and now she sits half undressed upon the soft silken sofa, supports her cheek upon her beautiful arm, and reads that which I breathed upon paper: 66 'My soul went with thee, trembling and unshriven, On that proud track where only Dante stays; In music, through the depths and up to heaven, Thy song has led me and thy seraph-gaze! I knew no spiritual world more rich and beautiful than that in Dante's poem, but this now, it seemed to me, revealed itself in a higher vitality, and with much greater clearness than before. Her melting song, her look, the pain and the despair which she had represented, had most completely been given in the spirit of Dante. She must think my poem beautiful! I imagined her thoughts, her desire to know the author, and I almost fancy that, before I went to sleep, I was, with all my imaginings about her, still most occupied with myself and my own little insignificant poem. T -- THE LAST DAYS OF HE next forenoon I saw nothing of Bernardo; in vain I sought for him. Many were the times that I went across the Piazza Colonna, not to contemplate the pillar of Antoninus, but to see, if it were only the sleeve of Annunciata, for she lived there. There were visitors with her, the lucky people! I heard a piano; I listened, but no Annunciata sung; a deep bass voice gave forth some tones; certainly it was the master of the musical chapel, or one of the singers in her company - what an enviable lot! Were one only in the place of him who acted Æneas with her! thus to look into her eyes, drink in her looks of love, travel with her from city to city, gaining admiration and renown! I was quite lost in the thought. Harlequins with shells, pulchinellos and magicians danced around. I had quite forgotten that it was carnival time, and that it was even now the hour when the sports began for to-day. The whole gaudy crowd, the noise and the screams, made an unpleasant impression upon me. Carriages drove past; almost all the drivers were dressed as ladies, but it looked to me horrible; those black whiskers under womens' caps; the vigorous movements, all were painted to me in frightful colors, nay, were detestable, as it seemed to me. I did not feel myself, like as yesterday, given up to mirth. I was about to depart, and now, for the last time, cast a glance at the house in which Annunciata lived, when Bernardo rushed from the door towards me, and, laughing, exclaimed: "Come along, man, and don't stand staring there! I will introduce you to Annunciata; she expects you already. Look you, is not this a piece of friendship in me?" "She!" I stammered, the blood seeming to boil in my ears, "she! don't make any sport of me! Where will you take me?" "To her, of whom you have sung," he replied "to her, about whom you and I and everybody are raving — to the divine Annunciata!" And, so saying, he drew me into the door with him. "But explain to me how you got here yourself— how you can introduce me here." "Presently, presently, you shall know all that," replied he; 66 now call up a cheerful face.” "But my dress," I stammered, and tried hastily to arrange it. "O, you are handsome, my friend! perfectly charming! See now, then, we are at the door." It opened, and I stood before Annunciata. She wore a black silk dress of the richest material, which fell in ample folds around her, whilst its simple, unadorned style, showed the exquisite bust and the sweep of the delicate shoulders to the greatest advantage; the black hair was put back from the noble, lofty forehead, upon which was placed a black ornament, which seemed to me to be an antique stone. At some distance from her, and towards the window, sat an old woman in a dark brown, somewhat worn dress, whose eyes, and the whole form of whose countenance, said, at the first glance, that she was a Jewess. I thought upon Bernardo's assertion that Annunciata and the beauty of Ghetto were the same person; but this was impossible, said I again in my heart, when I looked at Annunciata. A gentleman, also, whom I did not know, was in the room; he rose, and she rose also, and came towards me, half smiling, as Bernardo led me in, and said, jestingly, "My gracious signora, I have here the honor to present the poet, my friend, the excellent Abbé Antonio, a favorite of the Borghese family." Signor will forgive," said she; "but it is in truth no fault of mine that my acquaintance is thrust upon you, however desirable yours may be to me! You have honored me with a |