Ormond; Or, The Secret Witness. Volume 3 (of 3) — John Shaqi
Ormond; Or, The Secret Witness. Volume 3 (of 3)Brown, Charles Brockden
History
Ormond; Or, The Secret Witness. Volume 3 (of 3)
Brown, Charles Brockden
Gothic fiction; Philadelphia (Pa.) -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
"The fondness she had lavished upon me was now, in some degree,
transferred to a new object; but I still received the treatment due to a
beloved daughter. She was solicitous as ever to promote my
gratification, and a diminution of kindness would not have been
suspected by those who had not witnessed the excesses of her former
passion. Her marriage with the Spaniard removed the obstacle to union
with Wentworth. This man, however, had set himself beyond the reach of
my inquiries. Had there been the shadow of a clue afforded me, I should
certainly have sought him to the ends of the world.
"I continued to reside with my friend, and accompanied her and her
husband to Spain. Antonio de Leyva was a man of probity. His mind was
enlightened by knowledge and his actions dictated by humanity. Though
but little older than myself, and young enough to be the son of his
spouse, his deportment to me was a model of rectitude and delicacy. I
spent a year in Spain, partly in the mountains of Castile and partly at
Segovia. New manners and a new language occupied my attention for a
time; but these, losing their novelty, lost their power to please. I
betook myself to books, to beguile the tediousness and diversify the
tenor of my life.
"This would not have long availed; but I was relieved from new
repinings, by the appointment of Antonio de Leyva to a diplomatic office
at Vienna. Thither we accordingly repaired. A coincidence of
circumstances had led me wide from the path of ambition and study
usually allotted to my sex and age. From the computation of eclipses, I
now betook myself to the study of man. My proficiency, when I allowed it
to be seen, attracted great attention. Instead of adulation and
gallantry, I was engaged in watching the conduct of states and revolving
the theories of politicians.
"Superficial observers were either incredulous with regard to my
character, or connected a stupid wonder with their belief. My
attainments and habits they did not see to be perfectly consonant with
the principles of human nature. They unavoidably flowed from the illicit
attachment of Bartoli, and the erring magnanimity of Wentworth. Aversion
to the priest was the grand inciter of my former studies; the love of
Wentworth, whom I hoped once more to meet, made me labour to exclude the
importunities of others, and to qualify myself for securing his
affections.
"Since our parting in Italy, Wentworth had traversed Syria and Egypt,
and arrived some months after me at Vienna. He was on the point of
leaving the city, when accident informed me of his being there. An
interview was effected, and, our former sentiments respecting each other
having undergone no change, we were united. Madame de Leyva reluctantly
concurred with our wishes, and, at parting, forced upon me a
considerable sum of money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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