She wept to the memory of times past, and there was a romantic sadness
in her feelings, luxurious and indefinable. Madame behaved to Julia
with the tenderest attention, and endeavoured to withdraw her thoughts
from their mournful subject by promoting that taste for literature and
music, which was so suitable to the powers of her mind.
But an object seriously interesting now obtained that regard, which
those of mere amusement failed to attract. Her favorite nun, for whom
her love and esteem daily increased, seemed declining under the
pressure of a secret grief. Julia was deeply affected with her
situation, and though she was not empowered to administer consolation
to her sorrows, she endeavoured to mitigate the sufferings of illness.
She nursed her with unremitting care, and seemed to seize with avidity
the temporary opportunity of escaping from herself. The nun appeared
perfectly reconciled to her fate, and exhibited during her illness so
much sweetness, patience, and resignation as affected all around her
with pity and love.
Her angelic mildness, and steady fortitude
characterized the beatification of a saint, rather than the death of a
mortal. Julia watched every turn of her disorder with the utmost
solicitude, and her care was at length rewarded by the amendment of
Cornelia. Her health gradually improved, and she attributed this
circumstance to the assiduity and tenderness of her young friend, to
whom her heart now expanded in warm and unreserved affection. At
length Julia ventured to solicit what she had so long and so earnestly
wished for, and Cornelia unfolded the history of her sorrows.
'Of the life which your care has prolonged,' said she, 'it is but just
that you should know the events; though those events are neither new,
or striking, and possess little power of interesting persons
unconnected with them. To me they have, however, been unexpectedly
dreadful in effect, and my heart assures me, that to you they will not
be indifferent.
'I am the unfortunate descendant of an ancient and illustrious Italian
family. In early childhood I was deprived of a mother's care, but the
tenderness of my surviving parent made her loss, as to my welfare,
almost unfelt. Suffer me here to do justice to the character of my
noble father. He united in an eminent degree the mild virtues of
social life, with the firm unbending qualities of the noble Romans,
his ancestors, from whom he was proud to trace his descent. Their
merit, indeed, continually dwelt on his tongue, and their actions he
was always endeavouring to imitate, as far as was consistent with the
character of his times, and with the limited sphere in which he moved.
The recollection of his virtue elevates my mind, and fills my heart
with a noble pride, which even the cold walls of a monastery have not
been able to subdue. 'My father's fortune was unsuitable to his rank.