—“Heaven be thanked, that he escaped!” interrupted my uncle. “While the Abbot’s soldiers (after their successful ambuscade among the mountains) were conveying me to their lord, Count Ethelbert was employed in collecting his remaining vassals, whom he had left behind to protect his castle: with these he hastened to my succour, and this morning saw my deliverance effected. Oh! my Urania, help me to discharge my debts to this excellent man! none but yourself can do it!—Draw near, Count Ethelbert, and receive the hand of the sole heiress of all those possessions, of which your ancestors formerly were the lords; the hand of one, who boasts a still more precious title, the hand of that beloved-one, whom you have so long adored in secret.—Why advance you not? stretch forth your hand, and clasp that, which Urania has not hesitated to extend towards you.”—

Ethelbert was still silent for a moment: at length he advanced a few steps, his left hand placed on the hilt of his sword, his right upon his bosom.

—“Count Venosta,” said he, “have I demanded of you the hand of the heiress of Sargans?”—

—“I understand; you allude to my intended union with the Countess of Mayenfield.—But fear not, that I need recall my words: when I have restored your paternal possessions, I shall still have enough remaining to confer a rich dowry on my wife.”—

—“I speak not of that: I only ask, have I ever entreated you to make me the lovely Urania’s husband?”—

—“No, and I can well guess the reason of your silence! your fortunes are fallen; your heart is proud; you dreaded a rejection: but surely now there can exist no difference between us. You are my preserver; I offer you in gratitude my dearest treasure, and you love Urania with too much passion to reject her hand.”—

—“Yes, Count Venosta; yes, I love her!—but my pride requires that all the world should know, that I became your nephew through your own free-will; without your having been moved to pity by lovesick entreaties, and without my having been obliged to enter into humiliating explanations.”—

—“My friend! my preserver! why pain me by recollecting at such a time ... but you shall be satisfied!—Now then, all the world may know, that I freely offer my niece’s hand to the Count of Carlsheim, supplicate him to accept it, and wait his answer with impatience.”—

—“And you, lady?” said Ethelbert. —“Urania! pronounce my doom!”—

I was silent; I blushed and cast down my eyes. Oh! this noble pride, which made him hesitate to accept the hand of the richest heiress in Helvetia, lest he should be suspected of having sought it through interested motives, would have gained him my heart, had it not already long been his! my uncle was the interpreter of my looks; I did not contradict him; my lover clasped me in his arms for the first time, and I heard myself called by the title, which was dearest to me in the world.