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 THE 
 
 HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 BY 
 
 MISS ANNA MARIA PORTER. 
 
 IN THREE VOLS. 
 
 " What so sweet 
 So b(»aii*iful on earth, and Ah' so rare. 
 As kindred love, and family reposed" Youn;' 
 
 VOL. L 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by C. Slower, 32, Paternoster Row, 
 
 FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME, PAlER-KOSTER ROW. 
 
 1807.
 
 S'Sl5 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Since the Revolution in Germany has 
 displaced the House of Austria from 
 its ancient supremacy ; and caused 
 such changes in the states of Princes, 
 that we hardly can trace the names of 
 countries which were once familiar to 
 most men, and particularly dear to 
 soldiers ; it seems necessary to pre- 
 mise that this Romance was begun, 
 and had proceeded as far as the mid- 
 
 * In consequence of the Author's sudden 
 indisposition, the preface is written by a friend. 
 
 a2
 
 11 PREFACE. 
 
 die of the third volume, long before 
 the disastrous events took place which 
 overturned the Germanic empire. 
 
 The Author of The Hungarian 
 Brothers, when she selected the trium- 
 phant field of the Archduke Charles, 
 as the theatre for the actions of her 
 hero, had no presage how its glories 
 would be extinguished by the over- 
 whelming infamy of General Mack. 
 Her scene was Vienna, in honour ; 
 Vienna, filled with laurelled veterans, 
 and young warriors panting for the 
 field.— All is now changed : Vienna 
 and her boast are no more : Germany 
 has passed under the yoke of the 
 usurper ; — and the country of Charles 
 of Leopolstat and his virtuous Com- 
 mander, is like a tale of other times, 
 — a story, of w^hat once was Carthage, 
 once was Rome.
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 After a cessation of eighteen 
 months, occasioned by circumstances 
 much at variance with the prosecu- 
 tion of a work of fancy, this Romance 
 w^as completed in the month of Ja- 
 nuary 1807. The Author in re-pe- 
 rusing it, regarded several of its 
 features with an apprehensive eye. — 
 The difference between Foreign man- 
 ners and those of England, might in 
 these pages, at first sight, be mistaken 
 for a dereliction from nature ; and the 
 strong painting of some of the cha- 
 racters, be deemed as inappropriate 
 and preposterous. 
 
 In the first place, all who have 
 travelled over the Continent, will 
 recollect the animated salutations, 
 which pass between relations and 
 friends of either sex. AV'hether such 
 (to us, extraordinary) expressions of 
 tenderness, arise from a peculiar sen-
 
 IV PREFACE. 
 
 sibility, or is only compliance with 
 custom, cannot easily be determined ; 
 but so it is : — and while two English- 
 men meet and shake hands, two Fo- 
 reigners embrace with the fondness 
 of brothers. — These shades of na- 
 tional character being attended to in 
 these pages, neither the affectionate 
 endearments of the Counts of Leo- 
 polstat, the romantic w^hims of the 
 Barons of Ingersdorf, nor the over- 
 bearing haughtiness of the Prince 
 Nuremberg, are in the least out of 
 place. 
 
 The character of this Prince is the 
 second cause of anxiety to the Au- 
 thor ; for there is a probabihty that 
 some readers may not believe the 
 Uiiion of so much pride, with so 
 much meanness ; may not give credit 
 to such harsh and ill-mannered vio- 
 lence being in the conduct of a man
 
 PREFACE. V 
 
 of his illustrious birth and breeding. 
 There is, to the middle orders of 
 society, something almost impossible, 
 in the idea of a Prince being vulgar, 
 even in a rage. But when we con- 
 sider that ungoverned passion has no 
 reason to remind it, either of the 
 decencies of politeness, or even of 
 humanity, v/e cannot wonder at hear- 
 ing the same malignant spirit utter 
 its foul language as roundly from the 
 lips of a Prince as from a peasant. — 
 We may judge of one rank by ano- 
 ther ; and what we find in Earls and 
 Dukes, we need not be surprise! to 
 discover some trace of, amongst Prin- 
 ces. There are manv worthv and 
 noble families in England, who, if 
 they w^ere to set a notary behind the 
 arras, mio^ht shew minutes from the 
 mouth of his Lordship or his Grace, 
 very different from those which fell
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 from the tongue of Sir Charles Gran- 
 dison. How many trembling wives, 
 w^ith coronets round their brows, 
 will silently assent to this ? — How 
 many daughters, will shudderingly 
 whisper — '^ It is true !" 
 
 To draw nature as accurately as 
 her acquaintance with it would allow, 
 was the intention of the Author; 
 and to produce from the circumstan- 
 ces of the story some useful moral, 
 was her aim. — She has placed her 
 heroes in various situations, because 
 the destinies of man are various. — 
 His temptations are shifting every 
 hour : — and to warn youth from those 
 quicksands, which gem the ocean of 
 life like the Happy Isles of the poets, 
 now appearing in all the bloom of 
 spring, now vanishing into vapour, 
 and now sinking with the anchored 
 vessel into the bosom of the deep ; —
 
 PREFACE. VII 
 
 to set up beacons wliere danger lies ; 
 — to shew youth the destructive ten- 
 dency of uncontroled passions, and 
 the safety and loveliness of the affec- 
 tions which belong wholly to the 
 heart ; to present all this in one view, 
 a development has been attempted 
 to be made in these pages, of the 
 usual causes which seduce and pre- 
 cipitate men into error ; and much 
 has been said to prove the happy 
 effects of those generous sensibilities 
 which, put a bridle on the passions, 
 while they enlarge and entender the 
 heart. 
 
 March, I807.
 
 THE 
 
 fiUNGAPvTAN BROTHERS. 
 
 CHAP. L 
 
 In a steep recess of the Carpathian 
 mountains, at the foqjt^of which glides the 
 waters of the Tareza, stands the castle of 
 Leopolsuit. Its deserted towei-s were 
 formerly but dimly seen by the traveller, 
 through woods of pine and larch th'at 
 were suffered to grow rankly around; and 
 if he approached the edifice, its mournful 
 solitariness at once excited his surprise 
 and his curiosity. His eye vainly sought 
 for martial groupes peopling the mossy 
 ramparts, and harmonising with the scene^- 
 
 VOL. I, B
 
 2 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 and his ear fruitlessly waited to catch the 
 sound of arms, and of watch-words, the 
 steps of sentinels, the clang of cymbals, and 
 all the terrific accompaniments of spirit- 
 stirring war. Massy, magnificent, and en- 
 tire, reflection could not account for this 
 abandonment of Leopolstat; but eveiy 
 peasant in Hungary could solve the mys- 
 tery. 
 
 The family of Leopolstat were fallen 
 into decay : the virtues of some of its in- 
 dividuals, and the vices of others, had dis- 
 sipated its once rich revenues, leaving to 
 the remaining heirs, only that respect 
 which the good, delight in bestowing upon 
 such as suffer undeservedly. Udislaus, the 
 last count, wasted the advantages of emi- 
 nent talents and a commanding exterior, 
 in a life of profligacy. He married a 
 beautiful orphan of no rank, at an age 
 when neither his character nor her's were 
 formed; and shortly afterwards, growing 
 to hate her for the very virtue which 
 forced him to surrender his liberty, ceased 
 1
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 3 
 
 to treat her even with common consider- 
 ation. He spent his riotous hours in Vi- 
 enna; she, her blameless ones in Hun* 
 gary ; and while he revelled away his soul 
 and his fortune at the gaming-table, or 
 drowned recollection of both in the em- 
 braces of courtezans ; she walked on the 
 moon-lighted battlements with her little 
 son, extracting from the silvered scene be- 
 low, and tlie s.plendid light above, lessons 
 pf knowledge and piety. 
 
 Af(er five years total estrangement, the 
 I ount returned to Hungary, • in conse- 
 quence of a disorder, for which the air of 
 his native place was recommended. The 
 countess having sincerely loved him, felt 
 all her tenderness revive, as she fixed her 
 tearful eyes upon the decaying ruins of 
 his once admirable figure; sickness had 
 silenced awhile licentious passions; and 
 something like the father and the husband 
 rising; in his breast as he beheld his wife 
 and child, gave a thoughtfulness to his 
 appearance, w^hich indicated remorse. 
 « 2
 
 4 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 Flattering herself with the hope of re- 
 claiming and attaching him, she sought 
 every method devised by duteous affec- 
 tion, to soothe his wayward spirits, and 
 restore his health. Such sweetness with 
 such beauty, could not pass quite un- 
 heeded by the man to whom they had 
 once been inordinately dear ; they rekin- 
 dled a short-lived passion, which soon ter- 
 minated in indifference; and his heart 
 hardening, as the fear of death receded, 
 he set out for Germany, leaving his cre- 
 dulous wife to mourn over that fond de- 
 lusion, which had left her nothing but the 
 prospect of giving birth to another cliild^ 
 destined to neglect and ruin. 
 
 While her youngest son was yet in arms, 
 the countess heard the afflicting intelli- 
 gence of her husband's flight with a mar- 
 ried woman, and received at the same 
 time a proof of his complete depravity, 
 by finding herself and children reduced 
 almost to poverty. Udislaus had alienated 
 and mortgaged nearly the whole of his
 
 THE. HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 5 
 
 paternal inheritance, had left, in short, 
 nothing but the ancient castle, and a small 
 belt of ground encircling it, barely capa- 
 ble of producing annually, one thousand 
 rix-dollars. To inhabit the castle upon 
 such an income was impossible; the coun- 
 tess, therefore, quitted it, and took refuge 
 in a lodge which had formerly been the 
 abode of Leopolstat's chief huntsman. 
 
 There, forgotten by that world, (which 
 indeed knew her only by name) in the 
 very may-day of life, did she devote every 
 thought to her children ; and there, under 
 the observing eye of maternal solicitude, 
 did their infant hearts gradually unfold 
 from innocence into principle. The prior 
 of a neighbouring convent supplied the 
 place of a tutor to these deserted boys : 
 he found in the youngest, genius and do- 
 cility ; in the eldest, the application of a 
 comprehensive, vigorous intellect; and 
 won to love, as much as at first he pitied 
 them, this excellent man soon enriched
 
 6 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 their minds with the mingled treasures of 
 history and philosophy. 
 
 Accustomed to the hardiest sports* chas- 
 ing the chamois and the boar, amongst 
 trackless woods^ and over tremeitdous 
 heights; sometimes gn foot, joining the 
 perilous toils of the gold-hunters, and 
 leaping from cliff to clilT with the agility 
 of a young antelope ; sometimes mounted 
 on a horse fleeter than wind, and borne 
 alono: through sudden storms of thundei' 
 or of snow; with a dauntles^s heart, and a 
 complexion glow^ing like the heath- 
 flowers that sprung up under his steps. 
 Charles grew enamoured of danger, and 
 became habituated to fatigue. At sixteen 
 he panted for militar}' renown, and at six- 
 teen, liis anxious mother procured for 
 
 him the patronage of Prince de E , 
 
 through whose friendship he obtained a 
 commission in the Austrian service. 
 
 Only four years had elapsed after his 
 departure from Hungary, when he was
 
 THE ill'NGAPvIAN BROTHERS. 7 
 
 recalled to receive the last sigh of his 
 mother. Without energy to contend 
 against disappointed affection ; and with an 
 apprehensive tenderness for her children, 
 which continually presented the most me- 
 lancholy presages, the bitterest regrets, 
 this too-susceptible ^soman sunk under 
 the weight of unshared sorrow, and fell 
 a victim at once to maternal and connubial 
 love. In her dying moments she adjured 
 Charles, by his hopes here and hereafter, 
 to watch over the recti ude and prosperity 
 of his brother; she joined their trembling 
 hands as they knelt before her death-bed^ 
 and listened to the tone of holy awe and 
 subdued anguish, in v.hich Charles swore 
 to obey her. 
 
 After having paid the last duties to the 
 remains of his ^^mother, the young count 
 entrusted Demetrius to the care of their 
 mutual benefactor the prior, purposing to 
 take on himself the charge of his future 
 conduct, whenever Demetrius should ar-
 
 8 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 rive at an age fitted to encounter the 
 world. 
 
 As his mournful gaze hung on the sweet 
 boy, retiring from the parlour of the con- 
 vent, he drew a profound sigh^ pressed his 
 hand for a moment upon his forehead, and 
 then said, 
 
 " I have perhaps, already wearied yoii> 
 good father, with instructions about my 
 brother ; but you must pardon the weak- 
 ness of an overcharged, overflowing heart, 
 as full of fondness as of grief 
 
 He stopped awhile, and resumed in a 
 firmer tone — 
 
 ^^ Suffer me to add one more to my 
 many requests. — When you answer the 
 questions concerning our family affairs, 
 which the ripening reason of Demetrius 
 will probably soon prompt, do not inform 
 him fully of our destiny ; do not tell him 
 he is absolutely dependent upon such a 
 poor fellow as I am ; for that would be to 
 substitute obligation for affection, appre- 
 hension instead of confidence between us.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 9 
 
 I should abhor the thought of owing his 
 regard to mere gratitude : he must en- 
 trust me with his future errors or difficul- 
 ties, free from every sordid fear, or I shall 
 shrink at the task of censuring them. 
 
 " There is another motive too, stronger 
 even than this, ( for this, is but a whim 
 of over-strained delicacy perhaps;) it is 
 my passionate desire, to let him enjoy the 
 brightest part of life. Our youth, good 
 father, is the only delightful portion of 
 our sojourn here ; it is the blessed period 
 in which we may safely surrender our- 
 selves to innocent cheerfulness. With 
 guileless thoughts, a guiltless soul^, un- 
 chastised hopes, unbroken health, and 
 warm affections, could I bear to see that 
 dear boy, withered, blighted, crushed as 
 it were, by a perfect knowledge of all 
 that his mother suffered, and all that his 
 brother has yet to contend with.^" 
 
 *' The springing spirit of youth, is not 
 so easily crushed," observed the prior. 
 
 *' Ah! but it is, cried Charles hastily; 
 B o
 
 10 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 (and the conviction of how it had been 
 overpowered in his young bosom, blanch- 
 ed his healthful cheek;) am not I a 
 proof that the most thoughtless gaiety is 
 to be speedily vanquished by anxiety for 
 beloved objects? Ever since I could re- 
 flect^ my liveliest moments have been 
 embittered by cares. Often have dismaying 
 anticipations, and vehement indignation 
 chased away the remembrance of enchant- 
 ing pleasures, and driven sleep and peace 
 from my pillow, while I thought alter- 
 nately of my mother, my brother, and 
 my own ravished rights. I am not proof 
 against the certainty that I was born to a 
 splendid fortune, and that a father robbed 
 me of it: that his barbarity has left me 
 only an empty title ; debarred me from 
 the gratification of honourable desires; 
 deprived me of all hope of blessing a 
 race of my own ; and entailed on me the 
 additional mijsery of seeing a beloved 
 brother, doomed to a life equally joy- 
 less. I am a man, Father! a very young
 
 THfi HtTNGAHlAN BROTHER?. } 1 
 
 one; and I feel keenly, too keenly per-^ 
 haps, the "Windage of broken fortunes. 
 Let me then interpose between my bro* 
 ther and premature cares: let my. breast 
 be his shield. Demetrius shall be hap- 
 py^at least awhile, if I can keep him 
 so — the world will soon enough make him 
 otherwise.*' 
 
 To this distempered reasoning, the prior 
 had nothing to oppose : and too ignorant 
 of life, to foresee the evils which might 
 iiccrue from following the plan proposed^ 
 assured Charles of his acquiescence, and 
 instructed his pupil accordingly. 
 
 A commerce with mankind, of nearly 
 five more years, did not materially altet 
 the character of the young count. It is 
 true, that passion and example had essay- 
 ed to whelm him in \ice; but like the 
 eternal oak, whose roots are said to strike 
 deeper, as the storm rages fiercer among 
 its tortured branches^ his virtue strength- 
 ened by contests with his ov/n frailties,
 
 19 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 and every fresh struggle, but confirmed its 
 stability. Kc 
 
 Though devoted to his profession, and 
 employed in actual service, he found 
 means to reconcile war with the graces ; 
 even in camps, he pursued the track of 
 useful science, into which the prior had 
 conducted him: he studied intently; re- 
 lieving his severer pursuits, by music and 
 drawing. 
 
 The commencement of hostilities be- 
 tween France and Austria, gave him an 
 opportunity of applying military specu- 
 lations to practice. In his very first cam- 
 paign, he astonished the veteran officers 
 by a display of promptitude, judgment, 
 and skill, almost miraculous at his age; 
 by ian intrepidity which never varied; and 
 a presence of mind equal to every emer- 
 gency. His gallant defence of an ob- 
 scure post, w^hich circumstances, unex- 
 pectedly rendered very important, at- 
 tracted universal admiration, to one hi- 
 therto unobserved; so that it soon became
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 1 3 
 
 common for the generals to prophesy^ 
 that the young Hungarian, who studied 
 the principles of war, so assiduously in 
 his tent, and illustrated them so bravely 
 in the field, would one day rival the fame 
 of Saxe and Montecuculi. 
 
 The peace which closed the year 1757, 
 afforded Charles an opportunity of re- 
 visiting Hungary the ensuing spring; 
 at which time, this narrative commences. 
 
 He set out for his native place, with a 
 crowd of sweet and bitter feelings, throng- 
 ing round his heart ; and came in sight 
 of the stupendous castle, (of which, his 
 father's deaih had long since made him 
 lord,) just as the evening sun was em- 
 purpling its moss-grown battlements. 
 What gushing tenderness, what manly in- 
 dignation, by turns dimmed and lightened 
 his eyes at the view ! What affecting re- 
 membrances of his mother and brother, 
 were revived by every familiar object! 
 How many hopes and fears, and painful 
 anx^ieties, throbbed in his brcive bosom^
 
 14 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHIIRS. 1 
 
 as he thought of that dear brother, so 
 inexpressibly interesting, so tenderly be- 
 loved, so impressively confided ! He had 
 left him a child, he was now to find him 
 a young man : he was about to bear him 
 from the warm shelter of religious re- 
 tirement, and to plunge him amid the 
 boisterous element of war. For, alas f 
 Demetrius was even more destitute than 
 Charles; and in Germany, the army alone, 
 opens a path to preferment. 
 
 The tenderness predominant in the cha- 
 racter of Demetrius, joined to a peculiar 
 delicacy of constitution, tended to deepen 
 the interest with which his desolate child- 
 hood, had ever inspired his amiable bro- 
 ther. The latter could now contemplate 
 his own blighted fate with serenity ; but 
 to imagine the life of that precious ob- 
 ject, devoted to struggling with the mor- 
 tifications entailed on indigent nobility, 
 was still to dwell on a prospect at once 
 agonizing and abhorrent. 
 
 Absorbed in multitudinous reflections,.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 15 
 
 he" turned his horse towards the vallev, 
 in which the convent of St. Xavier, was 
 situated; stopping at its entrance, (scarce- 
 ly conscious that he did so, ) to look at 
 a figure on an opposite acclivity. It was 
 a young man of eighteen, standing with 
 careless gracefulness near a marble quarry^ 
 as if momentarily observing the labours 
 of the workmen; he wore the Hungarian 
 habit, which, from its grand simplicity, 
 is so well calculated to heighten the beauty 
 of manly proportions: At his feet lay a 
 couple of wolf-dogs, and in his hand, he 
 held a light hunting-spear. 
 
 At so short a distance. Count Leopol- 
 Stat could distinctly note his figure and 
 face ; the former was of admirable stature, 
 and buoyant with animation ; the latter 
 announced a heart, that as yet knew nor 
 sin nor sorrow. It was a countenance 
 bright with all the hopes, and all the be- 
 nevolence of youth; w^arm with the car- 
 nation tints of that sweet season of life^
 
 16 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 "when our very fluids seem as pure as our 
 wishes, as vivid as our expectations. 
 
 In a tumult of doubt and eagerness,, 
 Charles threw himself from his horses 
 while some indistinct sounds, escaped his 
 lips : the young man started, darted for- 
 wards a joyful glance, and precipitating 
 down the height, flung himself into his 
 brother's arms. " Charles !'' he exclaimed, 
 in a thrilling tone of lively affection. His 
 brother pressed him to his breast without 
 speaking; for the remembrance of their- 
 dying mother, suddenly came over him, 
 and tears blinded him as it did so. 
 
 Never before, were two such brothers, 
 clasped in the fraternal embrace. At that 
 instant, they might have been taken for 
 models of moral and material beauty: 
 they were indeed, perfect specimens of 
 the loveliness of youth, and the magnifi- 
 cence of manhood. 
 
 The superior stature of Charles ; the 
 determined form, and martial character 
 of his limbs; his complexion embrowned^
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 17 
 
 by many campaigns; and his features, 
 touched with that gentle sadness, to 
 which thought and experience, invariably 
 give birth, were finely contrasted by the 
 youth, the bloom, the spirit of Deme- 
 trius. Thus would have looked the noble 
 war-horse^ sublime in conscious strength 
 and " proud submission,'' wlien contrast- 
 ed, with the young Arabian, yet free and 
 unbroken, and sparkling in all the graces 
 of his original wildness. 
 . The eyes of Demetrius met the soft 
 scrutiny of his brother's, with a sweet fear- 
 lessness; his unspotted soul was to be seen 
 in their bright azure, and all its properties 
 immediately defined : but the expression 
 of Charles's, (though they w^ere blue 
 also, ) was not so easily comprehended : 
 it was an expression made up of mingled 
 feelings. His eyes were not to be read 
 in a single glance ; they wei'e a volume 
 of noble matter, and the observer deve- 
 loped gradually, in them, all the signs 
 of great and amiable qualities.
 
 18 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 When the transport of surprize had 
 subsided, Leopolstat gave his horse to a 
 peasant, and proceeded with his bix)ther 
 towards St. Xavier's. Mutual embarrass- 
 ment, now caused mutual silence. It is 
 ever thus, between persons who lov^ 
 each other, meeting after a long separa- 
 tion; the fear of jarring in opinion, taste, 
 or manner; the dread of displeasing or 
 being displeased, wiien it is so important 
 to be congenial, generally produces a 
 reserve which makes the first interview, 
 of all others the least satisfying to the 
 heart. Charles often looked wistfully on 
 the beaming countenance of Demetrius; 
 and as often, affectionately pressed his 
 hand. They wxre entering the vineyards 
 belonging to the convent, when Deme- 
 trius, meeting one of those anxious glan- 
 ces, said, smiling, — 
 
 '' I am sure we shall like each other!'' 
 Entertained with the naivete of this re- 
 mark, his brother smiled too, aiid replied.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 19 
 
 '* I have no doubt of that ; my only 
 fear is, that I shall like you too well." 
 
 The prior of St. Xavier's had been 
 apprized by Charles, of his intended 
 visit ; he was therefore prepared to see 
 and to welcome him. Every inhabitant 
 of the convent was forward in demonstra- 
 tions of that oenuine esteem which is the 
 purchase of goodness only : they all knew 
 that he had voluntaiily resigned to his 
 mother, (and since her death, to the 
 charges of his brother's military educa- 
 tion,) that slender income which was his, 
 independent of his profession; and though 
 themselves shut out from the world's 
 temptations, they still had judgment to 
 appreciate the self-denial of a young 
 man, who thus persisted in abjuring all 
 pleasures, for the sake of a duty not 
 allowed to be one, by our modern mo- 
 ralists. 
 
 At five and twenty, Charles was more 
 cheerful than he had been at nineteen; 
 for at that age, he was suffering from the
 
 20 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 shock ' of disappointed hopes; and the 
 complete knowledge of those evils, at^ 
 tendant on rank, united with poverty — 
 at that age, experience shewed him, that 
 he could not hew out a path to fortune 
 and honour, by his sword alone ; that 
 envy and intrigue, obscures the brightest 
 actions, robs them of their reward, and 
 too often gives to them, the colour of 
 crimes. 
 
 Astonished and indignant, at beholding 
 the elevation of the contemptible, while 
 modest virtue was pushed rudely down ; 
 finding no additional respect paid to his 
 nobility, frqm his misfortunes, (an ex- 
 pectation so natural to youth,) he re- 
 nounced with disgust and despair, all 
 views of comfort ; he mixed in scenes of 
 gaiety, without enjoyment, and became 
 for awhile, gloomy and misanthropic;: 
 but this misanthropy was a transitory 
 fever ; an immoderate passion, in which 
 his amiable nature exhausted its small 
 porticm of bitterness. As he learnt mare
 
 THE HUNGARL\N BROTHERS. 2 ^ 
 
 of life, and came nearer to his fellow-crea- 
 tures, this asperity wore off; he saw so 
 much good, where at first there appeared 
 so little; so many failings, where he once 
 expected to find greatness only, that he 
 soon became reconciled to the destinies 
 of mankind ; and reason and religion 
 teaching him to comprehend such of the 
 plans of providence, as are permitted us 
 to scan, brought his mind to a chearful 
 and admiring acquiescence with them 
 all. 
 
 After a fortnight spent among the bro- 
 therhood of St. Xavier's, Leopolstat an- 
 nounced his intention of 'returning to 
 Germany. In this short time, he ascer- 
 tained nearly the whole of his brother's 
 character; he obsened all its tendencies; 
 and convinced, from such observation* 
 that Demetrius would long require a 
 monitor, solicitously sought to secure his 
 future confidence. 
 
 The night before their journev, the bro- 
 thel's, unconscious of each other's purpose.
 
 9^ THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 met at the gi*ave of their mother. De- 
 metrius was stretched upon it, mingling 
 sobs and tears with his kisses, when 
 Charles entered the little cemetry in 
 which it was. Lost in his own grief, De- 
 metrius heard not the steps of his brother, 
 who advanced slowly ; but a deep sigh 
 suddenly rousing him, he started up, 
 ashamed of the tears then flooding his 
 disordered features, and trying to escape, 
 stammered out some indistinct words. 
 Charles, gently detaining him, (while his 
 eves ri vetted themselves vvith sad earnest- 
 ness upon the gi*ave ) said, '' Why should 
 you go, my brother ? ought not ^se both 
 to lament here ?" He then threw himself 
 upon the ground. 
 
 Under the melancholy light of -j. 
 shrouded moon, while the cypress trees 
 by which the biirv^ing-ground was shaded, 
 groaned in the gusty wind, did Charles 
 once more renew his oath of protecting 
 and guiding Demetrius ; and Demetrius, 
 leaning on his brother's breast, internalK
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 25 
 
 vowed to emulate the excellence he loved 
 in Charles. This scene passed in silence ; 
 and it was not till they were far from the 
 cemetry, that Charles^ looking back and 
 seeing the dark trees still rustlino: in the 
 chill night air^ shivered with strong emo- 
 tion, and observed that it was piercing 
 cold. They parted immediately after- 
 wards, sad and thoughtful. 
 
 A sunny morning had revived the spirits 
 of the brothers, when they met to com- 
 mence their long journey ; and then af- 
 fectionate adieus and grateful acknow- 
 ledgments passed between them and the 
 holy brotherhood. 
 
 Demetrius entered the capital of Aus- 
 tria with eager steps ; the palaces and 
 public buildings certainly faded before 
 the magnificence of his imagination; but 
 the warlike appearances presenting them- 
 selves at every gate ; the carriages filled 
 with handsome and ornamented women ; 
 the buz of pleasure ; the tumult of busi- 
 ness; the groupes of young men in mili-
 
 24 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHEllS. 
 
 tary uniforms that stood discussing polui* 
 cal questions in the libraries and squares ; 
 the cordial welcome given en passant, to 
 Charles, excited in him new and delight- 
 ful sensations. He longed to be enroled 
 amongst these spirited young men, and to 
 find himself of some consequence in so- 
 ciety, by having, like them, a profession. 
 
 A visit to a camp just formed near Vi- 
 enna, and an introduction to several dis- 
 tinguished officers, completed the intox- 
 ication of Demetrius ; he was never wea^ 
 ried with asking questions, and making 
 observations ; not a single sentinel es- 
 caped him. Charles smiled at the zeal 
 with w^hich he prosecuted these inquiries, 
 and the swiftness with which he noticed 
 every minute peculiarity ; but he was ob- 
 serving also, and he hailed with pleasure, 
 these signs of an enthusiastic temper. 
 
 The third day after their arrival, De- 
 metrius was presented to the Arch-Duke^ 
 who now graciously acknov»^ledged the 
 services of Charles, by giving his brother
 
 THE HUNGAJIIAN BROTHERS. 25 
 
 a commission ; Demetrius dined the same 
 day with the officers of his regiment, and 
 the next morning Charles thps addi*essed 
 him. 
 
 *' I am not going to preach a long lec- 
 ture to you, my dear iM'other, for I be- 
 lieve the thorough knowledge you must 
 have of my anxiety for your temporal 
 good, and eternal happiness, will render 
 it unnecessary, 1 depend upon the warm 
 afiection vou are daily shewing me — an 
 affection mv heart gratefully acknow- 
 ledges, for your honourable conduct 
 through life ; I am certain you will never 
 rush wilfully into any immorality, because 
 you are convinced that my peace w^ould 
 be embittered incurably by it ; and I trust 
 you will always have such a dependance on 
 my indulgent tenderness as never to with- 
 hold from me any circumstance perilous to 
 your tranquillity or rectitude. Though I 
 have lived seven years longer in the world 
 than you have done, they have not been 
 spent in making me austere; I should 
 
 VOL. I. c
 
 ' ^6 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 have lived then to little purpose had they 
 not rendered me compassionate to all that 
 err, and doubled my reverence for ^ich as 
 continue upright. 
 
 " At vour age I had to struggle with 
 the temptations that will naturally assail 
 vou also ; under some I sunk ; over the 
 most serious I triumphed ; but I did so, 
 Demetrius, through the divine assistance; 
 believe me the source of moral strength 
 does not lie in earth, it must be sought for, 
 above/' 
 
 Charles paused, and his eyes restiHg 
 upon the beautiful f^ice of his brother, 
 graduallv softened from the expression, 
 of adoration into that of fondness. '' To 
 make a discourse to a young man, upon 
 the hazard of having a handsome person/* 
 he resumed, " seems laughable ; and a 
 century or two, ago, would have been a 
 v.'ovk of supererogation, but the free 
 manners of the present day, render it in- 
 flispensible. 
 
 •* Trust me, there is nothing which a
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 27 
 
 youth is so intoxicated by, nothing for 
 which he is so httle prepared, (and there- 
 fore, so likely to be taken, a la coup de 
 main;) as admiration from women. He 
 enters the world, expecting perhaps, to 
 fall in love, but the thought of being 
 beloved in return, upon any other grounds 
 than a series of worth and constancy, 
 never passes over the threshold of his 
 imagination: he is consequently, in dan- 
 ger of being overset, the very first time 
 in which he receives proofs of unsought 
 tenderness. Let me urge you then, to 
 remember, (whenever such a thing hap- 
 pens to you;) that the affection of the 
 estimable, is alone worthy of esteem ; and 
 that the woman who displays un.solicited 
 liking, forfeits her most respectable claim 
 to the heart of man. 
 
 " Be careful therefore, to stifile the ear- 
 liest spark of vanity ; for that is a passion 
 which is as powerful as love itself; and 
 many persons, seeking only what they 
 thought a harmless indulgence of it, have 
 r <^
 
 >- 
 
 28 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 been entangled in snares, from which they 
 never afterwards, could escape. 
 
 ^' I can conceive no situation more des- 
 perate than that of a man, otherwise well- 
 principled, who has suifered himself io 
 be inebriated with the admiration of a 
 ^voman, w^hom he does not sufficiently 
 respect, to marry; and who, having sacri- 
 liced both her virtue and reputation, to 
 his heartless phrensy, finds himself i m pe- 
 ri ouslv commanded by honour and com- 
 passion, not to abandon her. 
 
 " Alv/avs ask yourself, what is likely to 
 be the consequence of such and such ac- 
 tions, and your own pure soul will in- 
 stinctively recoil from any track that 
 seems leading towards guilt. Above all 
 things, teach yourself to refer everv action 
 and every motive, to the commandments 
 of your Creator. Never, my brother, never 
 for a moment, lose sight of the important 
 truth, that you are an accountable crea- 
 ture; that virtue, consists in a series of
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 2.Q 
 
 sacrilices; happiness, in the consciousness. 
 pfa life ^vcll used ! 
 
 •' Continue to love me as you now do, 
 and I can fear nothing. Let us hence- 
 forth, have but one soul : let us impart 
 our weaknesses, our faults, our griefs, our 
 joys, to each other: — let us candidly re- 
 prove, or affectionately applaud, whatever 
 we may observe wrong, or praise-worihy :- 
 let us, in short, never forget the death- 
 bed of our mother ! " 
 
 Charles took his brother's hand as he 
 spoke, and pressed it to his heart : that 
 excellent heart, was big with many emo- 
 tions. — " God bless you, my Demetrius !" 
 he added^ — '' you know not how extremely 
 dear you are to me." 
 
 The expressive colour in his attentive 
 hearer's cheeks, had varied rapidly during 
 this address; he now bent his head over 
 the hand of Leopolstat, to hide the sen- 
 sibility, which boyishly he blu.hed at; 
 but soon after raising his eyes, he said — 
 
 '' ^Ij future conduct must entitle me
 
 30 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 to this excess of goodness. At present 
 CharleSj I can only offer you the sole 
 possession and guidance^ of my inexpe- 
 rienced heart : such as it is^ you see it 
 « ompletely; and ever shall see it." 
 
 Answering this, with an eloquent smile 
 Charles proceeded. " It is proper to tell 
 you, how much money will be at your 
 disposal for the time to come: added to 
 the pay of your commission, you will 
 have a thousand rix-dollars annually : can 
 you contrive to live upon so modest an 
 income, in this gay capital?" 
 
 *' A child cannot be more ignorant of 
 money than I am, returned Demetrius ; 
 but I dare say some obliging acquaintance 
 will soon teach me how^ to dispose of it^ 
 Yet tell me; am I indebted for this to 
 your generosity?" 
 
 A graceful emban-assment made Charles 
 hesitate, while he ambiguously answered, 
 " My father put it out of my *4](pwer to 
 be ge?ie?'ous, even to my brother: this, 
 was our dear mother's income; and of
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 5 I 
 
 course it becomes the property of her 
 younger son." 
 
 Demetrius believed this assertion, im- 
 plicitly ; the thing appeared so natural : 
 and it was so unlikely that a Count of 
 Leopolstat should possess only an estate 
 of a thousand rix-dollars, yet be able to 
 resign it to his brother. A chearful smile 
 brightened his eyes, and he was about to 
 reply, when a party of young men, self- 
 invited to breakfast, entered the apart- 
 ment. 
 
 With some of these, the brothers at- 
 tended parade, and afterwards visited the 
 magic gardens at Schonbrunn : they went 
 in the evening to the opera, where their 
 inexperienced companion was enchanted 
 with ail he heard and all he saw. Exqui- 
 sitely susceptible of every thing that mi- 
 nistered delight to the taste and the heart, 
 Demetrius might be said, from this night 
 to have 4iteraliy fallen in love with Har- 
 mony; of which he had hitherto, received 
 only a faint impression.
 
 32 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 
 
 When the entertainment terminated, 
 the party dispersed; and Charles took his 
 brother to the house of Baron Ingersdorf; 
 where they made part of a large and 
 brilliant assembly. 
 
 At the assemblies of the Baron, foreign- 
 ers of distinction, men of learning, the 
 bravest officers, and the most eminent of 
 the nobilitv, were alwavs to be found : 
 the baroness, was a votary of the fine art^, 
 consequently honoured their professors; 
 and the political power and integriiy of 
 her husband, surrounded them with the 
 great and excellent. It was in this house 
 that Charles wished to see his brother fa- 
 miliarized; for it was here, he knew, that 
 reason and decorum guided the unsteady- 
 steps of pleasure. 
 
 Demetrius \vas too youBg and too happy, 
 "not to seek crowds with avidity: he was 
 of an age to be attracted by amusement 
 and splendour: he was of a temperament 
 to take a strong bent, either towards the 
 highest self-controul, or the wildest liceu-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 33 
 
 tiousness: he was to be moved by lively 
 emotions only ; and Charles wisely thought 
 that to br ing him into contact with a cha- 
 racter like Baron Ingersdorf' s (which forc- 
 ed admiration^ by its unshaken rectitude ; 
 while it endeared, by its amiable socia- 
 bility;) was to impress on him the con- 
 viction, that contemporary applause and 
 internal satisfaction, would be the fruit 
 of imitating his virtues. The princely 
 magnificence, and agreeable mixture of 
 rank, science, and beauty, which pre- 
 vailed in the assemblies at Ingersdorf's 
 house, would also give an additional 
 charm, to the lesson that was there to be 
 studied. 
 
 In their way from the opera, Charles 
 had given his brother a portrait of his 
 patron's mind; so that Demetrius saw no 
 other object but him, in the superb sa-' 
 loon into which they were ushered. 
 
 The baron was a tall,, handsome man, in 
 the prime of life; with a serene, yet 
 somewhat thoughtful countenance; which 
 c 5
 
 34 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 whenever he smiled, had a divinity in it, 
 ^that 
 
 *' Would he begin a sect, might quench the zeal 
 *' Of all professors else ; make proselytes 
 «' Of who he but bid folloAV I"— " 
 
 No lover was ever more agitated by the 
 first sigh of his mistress, than Demetrius 
 when the baron bestowed upon him, one 
 of these benign smiles; when he cordially 
 grasped his hand, and turning to Charles, 
 said — " I heartily congratulate you, upon 
 having got your brother under your own 
 eye ; and I wish him, as much public 
 gratitude,^ as much private esteem, as it 
 has been your happy destiny, to deserve, 
 and to acquire ! — his countenance assures 
 me, I do not wish in vain/' 
 
 The grateful blush that now enriched 
 the cheeks of the brothers^ was reflected 
 by one of a brighter vermilion, which at 
 this instant overspread that of a beautiful 
 brunette who was engaged in conversation 
 near them. She was by far the hand-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 35 
 
 somest woman in the room ; and from a 
 pair of dazzling dark eyes (that outshone 
 the blaze of jewellery about her person ; ) 
 Demetrius observed her darting frequently 
 an anxious look towards where they stood. 
 Charles immediately approached^ and 
 presented his brother. It was to Mam'- 
 selle de Ingersdorf. 
 
 Demetrius had been received with so 
 much cordiality by the baron^ and so 
 much graceful familiarity by the baron- 
 ess, that he was now somewhat mortified 
 to observe an air of bashful restraint in 
 their lovely niece: it was a basli fulness, 
 that, as he was yet fettered by the same 
 chain, placed an obstacle between their 
 mutual freedom. He was however, shortly 
 drawn away from the contemplation of* 
 it, by the sound of music in a distant.' 
 apartment, where a few amateurs, were 
 practising one of Mozart's most admirable 
 compositions. In its ravishing expres- 
 sions, he lost all thought of Mam'selle de 
 Ingersdorf.
 
 36 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 From this period, the brothers were 
 inseparable. They were always to be 
 seen together on duty, at the tables of 
 the generals^ at the private parties of men 
 of talentj and the public assemblies of 
 women of character; where they were as 
 much admired for their fraternal love, as 
 for their fine persons. 
 
 Charles knew exactly, hovr far to go; 
 and how much better it was^to let his brother 
 drink temperately of the cup of pleasure, 
 than by forbidding It wholly, to provoke 
 a thirst never to be allayed. Without 
 becoming a spy upon his actions, he was 
 enabled^ to judge of their propriety; be- 
 ing constantly his companion; but he 
 was so, only at tne desire of Demetrius 
 himself; who indeed, relished no amuse- 
 ment unshared. 
 
 The discretion and rigid frugality of 
 the young count, prevented any one from 
 suspecting that he lived solely on the in- 
 come arising from his military employ- 
 ments; for no man was better habited;
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 37 
 
 no man freer from debt; or so often 
 known to asi^ist others. But. the secret 
 was, that Charles had long since ascer- 
 tained his income; and having a lively 
 abhorrence of dishonesty; (however dis- 
 guised -under the convenient terms of 
 thoughtlessness, liberality, spirit, &c. &c. ) 
 and having the good sense to allow that 
 appearances discreetly kept up, are ne- 
 cessary to obtain, even the best men, 
 consideration, — lived a life of rigid tem- 
 perance. Eveiy body knew that he was 
 not rich, but no one guessed that he was 
 poor; and the young nobles in whose 
 expensive revels he refused to join, always 
 placed his refusal to the account of prin- 
 ciple. 
 
 Charles really preferred the evening 
 parties of Baroness Ingersdorf, which 
 amused, and cost him nothing, to a des- 
 tructive accpiaintance with dissolute or 
 light women, whose good-humour was 
 to be heightened, and favours purchased 
 by extravagant gifts. — He detested gam-
 
 38 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS^. 
 
 ing; he despised drinking; so that ex- 
 cepting a littte delicacy in dress, and a 
 compliance with his love of collecting 
 fine drawings, he lived, without expend- 
 ing iinprofitablyj a single ducat. 
 
 Poor Demetrius w\is not so expert in 
 balancing between pai*simony and profu- 
 sion. He was occasionally asked for 
 forty or fifty rix-doilars by some of hiS: 
 associates, and to deny them, w^as im- 
 possible : he was also, petitioned in the> 
 streets by beggars, w^hose claim on assist- 
 ance he would not hear questioned; no. 
 one could do the slightest service for 
 him, without tasting his bouiity ; and if 
 he were jested on an unfashionable boot 
 or hat, (not having presence of mind to. 
 defend the old servant;) he cashiered it 
 instantly. For to become ridiculous, 
 even in a trifle, was more frightful to him,: 
 than to be accused of crimes. 
 
 No two men could have less resem- 
 blance than these brothers; and yet
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 39 
 
 nothing could be more nicely equal, 
 than the number of their admirers. 
 
 Demetrius, had exuberant spirits; but 
 they were more than the common spirits 
 attendant on youth and health. They 
 were part of a vivid character, which was 
 energetic in every thing, and were there- 
 fore, always proportioned to the gaiety 
 of the occasion. 
 
 Charles, was thoughtful and serious; 
 but his seriousness had a sweetness in it, 
 which excited tenderness ; and whenever 
 he became lively, his playfulness was 
 the more valued, on account of its ra- 
 rity. 
 
 Demetrius, was frank to indiscretion; 
 inconsiderate, impassioned; loving, and 
 hating, to all appearance with equal vio- 
 lence : still, he never carried his hatred 
 beyond the bounds of simple disgust at 
 sight of its object; for to injure or to 
 mortify, never entered his imagination. 
 
 Charles was somewhat reserved; not 
 from an uncandid or unsocial spirit; he
 
 iO THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 •was discreet from delicacy. Too tender 
 for extravagant emotions of any kind, 
 love melted, rather than fired him; and 
 where Demetrius hated, he pitied or des- 
 pised. — 
 
 A talent for poetry, gave Demetrius an 
 acute relish of whatever was beautiful, 
 either in animate, or inanimate nature; 
 and so coupled were the ideas of mo- 
 ral and physical perfection, in his vision- 
 ajy fancy, that he could never separate 
 them. 
 
 Charles, on the contrary, distinctly 
 perceived every grace, and every defi- 
 ciency; his genius for drawing, gave him 
 a habit of accurate observation. He was 
 never to be pleased by an agreeable 
 error: truth, and truth only, satisfied him* 
 
 Demetrius thought every pretty wo- 
 man, faultless, because his imagination 
 completed, what nature had left unfi- 
 nished. 
 
 Charles, was not to be so taken in; 
 his correct taste, instantly feeling, and his
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 4 1 
 
 judgment acknowledging, all that was 
 imperfect. 
 
 Those who liked to have their interest 
 excited by the changeful conduct, and 
 careless graces of youth, preferred Deme- 
 trius: such as found pleasure in contem- 
 plating the mild dignity and tried inte- 
 grity of manhood, decided for Charles. 
 But avory one concurr^^d in admiring 
 their mutual afiTcction,
 
 42 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 The brothers were one morning together, 
 when a letter was brought to Charles, 
 which as he opened with some confusion 
 Demetrius quitted his seat, and facing 
 towards the glass, began to settle part of 
 his dress. 
 
 " Thou wilt certainly groy^ a coxcomb, 
 my good fellow!" said Charles, (at last 
 rising and laying his hand upon his bro- 
 ther's fine hair. ) 
 
 Demetrius, with a look of alarm, ex- 
 claimed — '^ Do you really think sor" 
 
 Charles laughed — " No, on my honour 
 or I should not have told you of it, so 
 lightly; but to say the truth, you are no 
 indifferent worshiper of your own 
 image: if I may hazard a conjecture on
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 43 
 
 the usual length of your devoirs, from 
 the present specimen." 
 
 " Attribute all the blame, to your con- 
 founded letter, Charles! I saw you were 
 forced to spell it, and charitably tender 
 of such dullness, removed myself out of 
 your way." 
 
 " One must not read love-letters before 
 you, I find,'' observed Charles. 
 
 " Is it a love-letter? — my dear brother, 
 do let me see it." 
 
 '' I did not say it was — indeed it is 
 not: and whether it comes from m.an, 
 woman, or boy, I am completely igno* 
 rant : — there it is, when you have read it, 
 I will tell you, all the little I conjecture of 
 its writer.'* 
 
 Demetrius nearly forgot that he had just 
 thought himself in peculiar good looks 
 that day, and that he meant therefore, 
 to sally forth immediately ; he snatched 
 the billet, which was written delicately, 
 in a small hand, without a signature, and 
 read as follows.
 
 44 THE HUNGARIAN BROTJIERS. 
 
 " I am more than ever, pleased with 
 vou: — your virtues are indeed sterling, 
 since they bear the test of universal 
 admiration. How sincere is the tribute 
 riiy heart pays you, when I reflect upon 
 the disinterested affection with which you 
 are now guiding the unsteady steps of 
 your brother: I foresee he will one day 
 reward, by resembling his youtliful 
 Mentor. 
 
 " Continue what you now are ; suffer no 
 praise, no consciousness of desert, to 
 banish from your mind the solemn con- 
 viction, that all human goodness, stops 
 far short of our divine pattern. It is only 
 by forgetting this, that you can become 
 arrogant. 
 
 *' I hear of you everywhere; and always 
 with honour: let it be your study to 
 preserve this universal esteem. Believe 
 me, you are not the less amiable for be- 
 ing rigidly upright: and receive this assur- 
 ance from me^ that your fine qualities^
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 45 
 
 have secured to you one of the tenderest 
 of hearts. — 
 
 Adieu :' 
 
 " What I would give, to have such a 
 letter written to me!" exclaimed Deme- 
 trius, — '' she must be the dearest creature 
 in the whole world,— -I havnl a doubt but 
 that she is as beautiful as an angel."' 
 
 "But can't you conceive the possibility 
 of this ' dearest creature/ having whis- 
 kers and a bald head/' said Charles smil- 
 ing, " don't you think you may have 
 made a trifling mistake in the pro- 
 noun.^'' 
 
 " What ! — is it a man after all .? — 
 pshaw! — I should not care a rush for 
 the best letter that ever was penned, if 
 it came from a stupid old object of a 
 man." 
 
 " Demetrius !'* 
 
 There was a tender severity in the voice 
 of Charles as he pronounced his brothers 
 name, which brought the other, instantly 
 
 2
 
 46 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 to recollection: he blushed, and inge- 
 nuously protested against the levity with 
 which he had spoken. " To be sure," 
 he added, " praise is sweet, from all good 
 people, whether they be young or old ; 
 but you must allow that it is much 
 sweeter when it proceeds from female 
 lips? now don't interrupt me Charles; 
 I perceive you are going to say, such 
 praise ought not to be half so valuable, 
 because men, are generally, better quali- 
 fied to give just reasons for their appro- 
 bation — true — so they are; but then one 
 is so grateful for a regard that out-runs 
 one's desert! — at least I am*— 'tis that, 
 makes me love you so well. But come; 
 tell me who this worthy old gentle- 
 man is?" 
 
 '' So now, it is positively an old gen- 
 tleman." 
 
 " Why have you not expressly said 
 so?"— 
 
 " No. — I only hinted it as a proba- 
 bility: you may recollect my having
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 47 
 
 Tsaid I was ignorant of the writer s sex or 
 age. So now, if your curiosity can be 
 rekindled by the chance of my corres- 
 pondent's turning out ' a dear creature, 
 ^s beautiful as an angel/ I will tell you 
 how, and when, and where I received her 
 first favour. But to do that satisfactorily, 
 I must recapitulate the events of many 
 years." 
 
 ''My dear brother!*' — exclaimed the 
 grateful Demetrius, and eagerly seizin<>-a 
 chair, prepared to listen. 
 
 Charles was very modest: and the 
 colour deepened in his cheek, as he thus 
 began a regular account of his short, and 
 meritorious existence. 
 
 " You know that I was so unfortunate 
 as very early in my career, to lose the 
 
 prince de E , from whose friendship 
 
 I had reason to expect so much; he fell 
 in a duel; just after having taken me a 
 most improving tour through Switzerland 
 and Italy, and obtained for me the first 
 commission I held under the Emperor. —
 
 48 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 I was then thrown completely upon my 
 own resources; and forced to content 
 myself with the prospect of remaining 
 an obscure individual, all my life. 
 
 It would be frivolous to fatisfue vou 
 now, with a narrative of mv petty adven- 
 tures, during the four followifig yeai-s; 
 they were precisely like other young 
 men's. Sometimes 1 fancied myself in love^ 
 or beloved ; sometimes I was persecuted 
 by the advances of other men's mistresses; 
 or was occupied, by finding enemies in 
 friends, and friends in enemies. Doubt- 
 less, had I not had the blessing of a vir- 
 tuous education, under the -eye of a 
 tender mother, I should have yielded to 
 the temptations around me, and made my 
 desperate prospects, an excuse for ren- 
 dering them worse. As it was, I had dis- 
 cretion enough to prefer occupation 
 l^efore idleness; sound sleep, before 
 nights of revelry ; so I studied, when 
 others sought pleasure ; and when our 
 regiment was ordered into service, I made
 
 THE HUNCARIAI^ BROTHERS. 49 
 
 my first campaign in ninety- three^ with 
 several advantages. 
 
 Books were my recreation; and reflec- 
 tion was the only physician I ever need- 
 ed; (for, thank heaven, all my indispo- 
 sitions were but the effects of an extra- 
 vagant sensibility,) my life was not so 
 full of felicity as to make me very careful 
 of it; and so I rode into action, with 
 some speculative acquaintance with war, 
 a body capable of enduring fatigue, and a 
 heart that feared not death. After one 
 of the severest engagements in which 
 our regiment had shared, so many of the 
 principal officers were killed or wound- 
 ed, that it became my lot, to head a 
 squadron. By this fortunate chance— 
 (having dauntless Hungarians to com- 
 mand, and happily succeeding in a ha- 
 zardous attempt, w^hich dislodged the 
 enemy from a very important position, ) 
 I attracted the favour of Marshal Wurm- 
 ser ; and the bravery of my gallant coun- 
 
 VOL, I. D
 
 50 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 trymen, thus obtained for me the com- 
 mand of a troop." 
 
 '^No disqualifying, Charles!" interrupt- 
 ed Demetrius. '' If your hazardous at- 
 tempt had not been well-planned, and 
 likely to succeed, even success would 
 not have saved you from censure. I have 
 learnt enough of military rules, to know 
 that in these cases, a man must never 
 act but upon probabilities. The courage 
 of soldiers, is only a powerful machine, 
 which depends for its usefulness on the 
 hand that directs it : and for this reason 
 public opinion is not unjust, when it 
 decrees superior glory, to commanders." 
 
 '^ Bravo !*' — cried Charles — " your re- 
 mark is right, and its application so flat- 
 tering to your brother, that he will not 
 endeavour to disprove it. To proceed, 
 therefore. From this period 1 was fre- 
 quently entrusted with the execution of 
 partial attacks, observations, &c. Sec. 
 which good fortune enabled me to ac-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 5 1 
 
 complish fully : and having been so 
 lucky as to propose and effect the re- 
 capture of a lieutenant-general, who had 
 been surprized by a roving party of French 
 chasseurs, I secured him my friend, and 
 in the year ninety-five, went with him to 
 join the imperial army in Italy. 
 
 It was at the close of the foregoing 
 year, when I was lying ill of a flesh- 
 wound, got in the skirmish with the 
 chasseurs, and which for some days, I 
 had not been able to attend to, that I 
 first received a letter from my unknown. 
 Here it is —you may read it, — 
 
 TO COUNT LEOPOLST AT. 
 
 '^ While a whole army are loud in the 
 praises of a young man, not yet one-and- 
 twenty; while the consciousness of de- 
 sert, intoxicates his senses, and perhaps 
 threatens to make him an arrogant cha- 
 racter for life; will he condescend to re- 
 flect on the anonymous tribute of mingled 
 D 2
 
 52 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 caution and eulogiiim, presented in this 
 letter, by an obscure individual ? 
 
 *' It was my fortune to hear of you, 
 continually^ during the last campaigns; I 
 heard of you^not merely as a gallant sol- 
 dier, but as one, who in spite of misfor- 
 tune, nobly supported his nobility; and 
 . xtorted that consideration by his vir- 
 tues, which docs not often fall to the 
 share of any but the fortunate. 
 
 *' Your character delighted me — your 
 situation interested me — and I have ever 
 since, followed all your actions, with the 
 most watchful solicitude. In the late 
 exploit, (where w^ith a handful of men, 
 you so completely routed a strong de- 
 tachment, and not only restored an ex- 
 perienced officer to the senice, but pre- 
 served the plans of attack w^hich he had 
 about him, from falling into the powef 
 of the enemy ), you added a new motive 
 for that admiration, w^hicTi i am romantic 
 enough, thus to. acknowledge. 
 
 '/ So anxious am I^ to see you persevere
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 53 
 
 in the magnanimous course of strict integ- 
 rity which you now tread, that I cannot 
 forbear from thus telling you, that even 
 the most dissolute breathes your name 
 with respect, the most virtuous with en- 
 thusiasm : and should you lay aside your 
 self-denial with your obscurity, your mo- 
 desty with your neglect, believe me, you 
 may fight like a lion, and you will only 
 
 *' Light a torch to shew your shame the more." 
 
 '' Apostates from propriety, like apos- 
 tates from religion, are ever more ab- 
 horred than such as never made a profes- 
 sion of either. Continue then, to think 
 and act as you now do ; new virtues will, 
 in that case, spring up from new circum- 
 stances ; and you will remain a memorable 
 instance of sensibility without weakness, 
 valour without rashness, success without 
 insolence, youth without error, graces 
 without vanity, and excellence without 
 enemies. 
 
 '' Farewel."
 
 54 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 
 
 " With this epistle/* resumed Charles^ 
 ** came a valuable collection of books and 
 maps; all that you see there^ bound so 
 gaily in crimson and gold : they are, in- 
 deed, a complete library for a soldier; 
 some very scarce, all very useful. 
 
 '* I should dissemble unwarrantably/' 
 he added, (as his brother eagerly asked 
 what impression the letter made upon his 
 feelings) ; *' I should falsify truth most 
 notoriously, if I did not own, that it con- 
 jured up a good deal of vanity in me. I 
 read it over and over again, and always 
 with the hope of finding some new reason 
 for concluding it to be the production of 
 a woman. To be sure, there was not a 
 -single woman whom I wished it to come 
 from ; yet was I puppy enough io desire 
 that there might be some charming crea- 
 ture vastly in love with me, whom I might 
 discover, and love in return, with my 
 whole heart/* 
 
 '' Nothing could be so natural — nothing 
 could be so natural/* repeated Demetrius^
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS- 55 
 
 with an ardent sigh. '' If it had been me, 
 I should have died of impatience to dis- 
 cover her. What a soul ! what sensibi- 
 lity to.€,%cellence I what judicious admo- 
 nitions !" 
 
 " Ah ! it was they/' answered Charles, 
 '' that first taught me to suspect that I 
 was deluding myself: the chances were 
 three to four against any young woman in 
 love dictating such a rational epistle. Few 
 pei*sons in love have the sanity to believe^ 
 and the courage to tell its object, that 
 they imagine it possible for him to fall 
 short of perfection. I therefore aban- 
 doned the solitary post of' 1 am romantic 
 enough' (in which I had, at first, most 
 obstinately entrenched this vain opinion), 
 and betook myself to take the writer's 
 counsel, instead of agitating my heart 
 with unavailing conjectures. 
 
 *' Immediately after this incident, I 
 went to Italy, where I became acquainted 
 with a Saxon ofBcer, who was destined to 
 traverse most of mv views.
 
 50 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 '' Joseph Wurtzbiirg was two or three 
 years my senior ; and, without talents of 
 any kind, burnt t® be distinguished. As 
 this desire of distinction had its source in 
 a grasping churlishness, which would wil- 
 lingly have admitted no sharer in the dis- 
 tribution of worldly honours, so was it 
 totally incapable of comprehending the 
 real value of actions ; learning to estimate 
 them solely by public praise or public 
 blame. He lived, wishing to be every- 
 thing, yet becoming nothing. 
 
 " By turns, you saw him consumed with 
 a gnawing desire of supplanting a man in 
 the heart of his mistress, or being pro- 
 nounced a finer figure than his compa- 
 nions, a better dancer, deeper thinker, 
 more active officer; in short, there was 
 nothing too high, nor too low, for his 
 covetous temper to think above, or be- 
 neath its reach. 
 
 *' Envy, like a canker-worm, eat into 
 his very heart : those who knew him 
 slightly, called him a gay, good kind of
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 57 
 
 fellow; such as observed him closely, per- 
 ceived in him the forced levity of a man, 
 in continual ill-humour with himself I 
 do verily believe, that for himself he 
 united the two extremes of love and ha- 
 tred; and preposterously wishing for su- 
 periority in all points over others, (for 
 -vvhich nature had completely unfitted 
 him), neglected the only point in which 
 perhaps he might have shined — yet, hea- 
 ven knows, what that was ! 
 
 '' Being thrown much together in our 
 military stations, he and I became ac- 
 quainted; and from the very first mo- 
 ment, I saw he eyed me with dislike. So 
 \\ii\e did I then dream of the existence of 
 such a character as Wurtzburg s, that I 
 imputed this dislike to something amiss in 
 myself; and the next time we met, en- 
 deavoured to appear as sociable as I felt. 
 Nothing altered him ; he constantly look- 
 ed at me with detestation, and spoke to 
 me with bitterness : yet so, that without 
 D 5
 
 5S THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS^ 
 
 drawing upon myself the charge of irrita- 
 bility^ I could not notice his conduct. 
 
 " The fact was, that as the veteran of- 
 ficers on the Rhine, (thinking a little 
 exaggerated praise might urge me for- 
 %vard to really meritorious achievements), 
 had said far more of me than I deserved. 
 Wurtzbutg hated before he saw me : the 
 happy auspices under which I joined the 
 troops in Italy completed this aversion. 
 
 '' Fortune still favoured me. I conti- 
 nued to obtain the approbation of ray 
 generals, and saw myself approacljing that 
 promotion for which I panted, simply, 
 because from that alone I could expect 
 opportunities of trying those speculative 
 experiments, from which I hoped my 
 country might reap solid advantage. But 
 here Wurtzburg stepped in, like my evil 
 genius, and for awhile darkened my pros- 
 pects. 
 
 "The general, whose liberty I had pre- 
 served, and upon whose friendship I had
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 59 
 
 been taught to reckon so confidently, was 
 a relation of Wurtzburgs. lie was a well- 
 meaning, weak-headed man ; and I quick- 
 ly perceived that his commendations of 
 me grew every day cooler, his zeal for 
 my advancement slackened ; till, at length, 
 he ceased to distinguish me from any other 
 person. 
 
 " You are well acquainted with the 
 disasters which befel the Austrian army 
 in the campaign of ninety-six. My brain 
 maddens, when I remember the thousands 
 of gallant soldiers that were absolutely 
 sacrificed by the insanity of General 
 A — g— u : but, thank Heaven, though I 
 shared in the misfortunes of the battle of 
 Montelezoni, I escaped its disgrace. 
 
 *' I was in the division commanded by 
 Lieutenant-general Provera ; that brave 
 division which, forgotten by the flying 
 A--g— u, was left in the midst, of a vic- 
 torious enemy, without a chance of suc- 
 cour, relying solely upon its own energy. 
 
 ''' During two nights after the engage-
 
 60 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 ment of the main armies, the intrepid 
 Provera endeavoured to effect a retreat 
 by crossing the Bormida; but that river 
 %vas so swoln by heavy rains, that its pas- 
 sage was impossible ; and he therefore 
 came to the resolution of fortifying his 
 little army among the ruins of an old for- 
 tress, on a neighbouring mountain. There, 
 for two days and nights, completely en- 
 circled by the republicans, without provi- 
 sions of any kind, nay, even without water, 
 and almost hopeless of assistance, we re- 
 pulsed the assailants. They had insolently- 
 summoned us to surrender at discretion ; 
 but after having been thrice beaten back 
 with horrid slaughter, and lost three of 
 their generals, they allowed us terms ; and 
 we surrendered prisoners of war. 
 
 " This removal of me, was, I am cer- 
 tain, a sincere pleasure to Wurtzburg ; but 
 he was not long suffered to enjoy it : w^e 
 were exchanged, and as every individual 
 of the brave Pre vera 's brigade partook of 
 ihe ho*^ nir due chiefly to himbclf) I was
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 61 
 
 again cor^.-atulated by my biother of- 
 ficers. 
 
 *' Yon Wvinder^ perhaps, at my using 
 the word congratulated ; yet 1 have not 
 misused it. Success is not the test of ho- 
 nourable exertion; and a handful of troops, 
 abandoned, isolated in the midst of an 
 army surrounding them on all sides, like 
 the waves of the sea — an army which they 
 baffled, m spite of famine and despair, was, 
 in the eyes of all Europe, an object of 
 respect and admiration. No, Demetrius, 
 I would not give one leaf from the hard^ 
 earned laurels of that memorable time, 
 for all the blood-stained wreaths that may 
 hereafter cover the shame of rebels and 
 usurpers. 
 
 '' No sooner had I rejoined the army, 
 than Wurtzburg came again in contact 
 with me, by his being placed in the same 
 brigade, which was sent to strengthen the 
 garrison of Mantua. iVbout this period, 
 I received a second letter from my un- 
 known ; together with the fine ruby, now
 
 6^ THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 
 
 upon my finger: it is exquisitely cut, and 
 would be inestimable to me, were it only 
 for its representing the great Gonsalvo» 
 
 LETTER TO COUNT LEOBOLSTAT. 
 
 " I hasten to send you a trifling testi- 
 mony of the increasing esteem with which 
 I consider you; though I have been so 
 long silent, I have not thought of you the 
 less. Accept this ring, for the sake of one 
 to whom your virtues have endeared you; 
 not your graceful person, nor still more 
 graceful accomplishments : these can have 
 no weight with me, (though I confess 
 myself so silly as to set some value upon 
 a pleasing exterior )j since I never have 
 seen you. 
 
 " Whenever you look on the head which 
 enriches this gem, let the noble character 
 which made it thus admirable, refresh 
 and animate your present virtues. Like 
 his, your gallant acquirements have al- 
 ready obtained for you, the title of * Prince
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 63 
 
 of the Youth ;* and like his, your conti- 
 nued magnanimity will ensure to jou the 
 name of a hero.* 
 
 * Gonsalvo di Cordova, justly denominated the 
 Great, was one of the most celebrated generals of bis 
 time. Nature, \vhiic forming him, employed so 
 many magnanimous qualities in his composition, 
 that she left no room ibr weakness. In the midst 
 of a brilliant military career, during which he had 
 achieved the fmportant conquest of Naples, he ^\?s^ 
 suddenly recalled to Spain by an ungrateful master, 
 who envied him that love and admiration, which he 
 suspected might one day be employed for the pur- 
 poses of Lraitcrous ambition. Disappointed in a long- 
 promised honour, and cruelly neglected, Gonsalvo 
 retired to Loxa, where he devoted himself to the 
 study of elegant literature, and the practice of cveiy 
 domestic virtue. At this period, he was consulted 
 by Cardinal Ximenes, upon an cxpedititm to Africa 
 against the Moors. It was then tliat Gonsalvo 
 proved himself a hero: forgetting; private wrongs, 
 in zeal for public good, he rousvd every power of 
 liis soul to produce a plan which was to crown an- 
 other with glory ; he recommended the only general 
 likely to rival his own fame ; and wh':^n success had 
 consumniiiteti the dazzling entcrprizc, from the depths
 
 64 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 " Your course in Italy has been uni- 
 formly as bright as my heart predicted. 
 I have many military connections ; and 
 from them have heard instances of your 
 humanity, far more affecting than all the 
 exploits of valour. 
 
 " Amiable Leopolstat ! ever be true to 
 your own principles, and you will carry 
 with you into every situation, the prayers^ 
 and blessings of such as love goodness 
 Adieu.^^ 
 
 '' Say what you please, my dear 
 Charles/' exclaimed Demetrirs, '' yet Til 
 maintain this sweet, sermonizing epistola- 
 rian to be a woman ; and if you ever fall 
 in love with any one else, I shall think 
 you have a heart like a bullet." 
 
 '' Thj!t would be passing a terribly- 
 unjust sentence upon my character," re- 
 turned his brother : '' my heart is indeed 
 
 of solitude he listened with patrioiic joy to the shouts 
 of pc.pular applause, greeling his fortunate com- 
 petitor. 
 
 2
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 65 
 
 touched with very tender gratitdde to- 
 wards this supposed fair; but as I really 
 cannot persuade myself to become certain 
 that my anonymous is a woman — a young, 
 amiable^ delightful woman, I may, per- 
 chance, dispose of ray affections, after all, 
 in favour of some charming reality. How- 
 ever, to satisfy you, my dear boy, I will 
 own, that always after receiving these let- 
 ters, I thought for many weeks of nothing 
 but their writer ; wearied my brain with 
 conjectures of who it was, and where they 
 were; and never met a pair of fine eyes 
 looking at me, without momentarily be- 
 lieving that they belonged to my corres- 
 pondent. 
 
 ^' In Mantua, where I was shut up for 
 eight months, I thought I had at last dis- 
 covered my incognita. This lady was a 
 young widow, the niece of the chief ec- 
 clesiastic there, and having been early 
 married to a Neapolitan officer, who soon 
 died, had returned to live with her fa- 
 mily.
 
 ^5 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERST 
 
 " She was at this time about five-and^- 
 twenty, elegant rather than handsome, and 
 exquisitely accomplished. From the mo- 
 ment she distinguislied me by particular 
 notice, Wurtzburg fell enormously in love 
 with her: it was amusing to see the little 
 contemptible tricks which he used to sup- 
 plant me, and the arts he essayed to pre- 
 possess me against her. Had I been at» 
 tached to Signora Berghi^ such conduct 
 would have exaspefated rae ; as it was, I 
 kughed at him. 
 
 " The uncommon information and de- 
 lightful conversational talent of this charm- 
 ing woman, beguiled most of the tedious 
 hours, which made up the days, and weeks, 
 and months, wasted in Mantua. I felt a 
 sort of home-like affection for her, and 
 was accustomed to talk with, her as with a 
 sister. 
 
 '' Hitherto, I had never attributed her 
 unrivalled kindness to any other account 
 than a sympathy in our tastes and opi- 
 nions ; but one evening, after an interest^
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 67 
 
 ing discussion of military events, (for she 
 was surprisingly skilled on this subject), I 
 was accompanying her voice in a favourite 
 song, when fniding her hesitate, I looked 
 up, and met her eye, as it rested upon my 
 ring with a very agitated expression ; she 
 blushed excessively, and stammering out 
 an excuse, retreated from the instrument. 
 
 *' At that instant, I scarcely knew whe- 
 ther I was rejoiced or disappointed : to 
 say the truth, I believe I was the latter ; 
 for Signora Berghi, with all her excellen- 
 cies, was not precisely such as a young 
 man of two-and-twenty would wish to 
 find an incognita. This blush, however, 
 was convincing. Without taking time to 
 deliberate, and in such a hurry of spirits 
 that I forgot all caution, I followed her to 
 a sopha, respectfully took her hand in 
 mine, exclaiming — 
 
 ' Have I then learned from that amiable 
 blush, what you have hitherto so cruelly 
 concealed from me ^ — what I have so long 
 panted to discover 1 And may I now dare
 
 6S THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 
 
 to assure you, that your goodness — your 
 approbation — ' 
 
 '' Here I lost myself, for I felt as if I 
 ought to have been rather more ardent in 
 my gratitude to a charming woman. 
 
 '' Signora Berghi, who could only un- 
 derstand from this that I was in love with 
 her, and had interpreted her blush into a 
 mutual passion, became really beautiful 
 with various emotions, that, embellishing 
 her cheeks and eyes, gave fo her whole 
 figure an air of the most touching sensi^ 
 bility : she trembled, sighed, averted her 
 face, and withdrawing her hand, said, 
 softly — ^ And have you indeed wished for 
 this discovery ? Till now, I feared that 
 you set no value on my esteem/ 
 
 ' How could you wrong me so ? Was it 
 possible for me to read such pure and 
 admirable sentiments ; to know myself so 
 partially considered ; to wear this sweet 
 remembrancer, and ;^^et not languish to 
 discover the sex and character of my invi-j* 
 sible friend, my guardian angel ^ '
 
 TrtE HONGARIAK BROTHERS. 69 
 
 " I Stopped, but received no answer. 
 A deadly paleness succeeded those rich 
 colours which but the instant before had 
 animated her countenance. She pushed 
 me from her, faintly exclaiming, ' Ah, 
 there is some fatal mistake !' While she 
 spoke, she fell senseless on the ground.'' 
 
 Here Count Leopolstat sighed repeat- 
 edly ; and Demetrius, observing his bro- 
 ther's eyes swimming in tears, cast clown 
 his. Charles then proceeded. 
 
 " When she recovered, she earnestly 
 demanded an explanation ; and as indeed 
 I had already gone too far to recede^ I 
 frankly told her the history of my ring. 
 At its conclusion she wept some time 
 without speaking; at length, still keeping 
 her eyes fixed on the floor, she said, with 
 the most affecting gentleness, ' Surely you 
 will be generous enough to acquit me of 
 a forward affection, (even though I have 
 thus explicitly shewn how dear vou are to 
 me), when I solemnly protest I am not 
 that happy person, so deservedly inte-
 
 70 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 resting; and that, consequently, I could 
 find in your first address only the decla- 
 ration of a mutual preference. Oh, Count 
 Leopolstat, when ^\e are separated for 
 ever, think of me, not as an indelicate, 
 but too ingenuous woman, whose heart 
 had yielded to your virtues, and now tears 
 itself from them eternally, with the ago- 
 nies of death ! ' 
 
 '' The agonies of death did indeed sit 
 on her pale face, as breaking through my 
 now clasping arms, and gasping convul- 
 sively, she rushed out of the apartment. 
 I could not suffer her to leave me thus; 
 but following, and conjuring her to hear 
 me a single instant, at length almost car- 
 ried her back. 
 
 '^ It would have been criminal in me to 
 have deceived her: I therefore candidly 
 explained what my feelings had been 
 towards her; what they now were, (for 
 they were tender beyond all expression^ 
 and my looks must have been faithless to 
 my soul, if they did not express that ten-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 71 
 
 ^lerness) : but it was in vain that I talked 
 to her of love ; she answered, that I mis- 
 took pity for preference ; that though she 
 believed my pity was ever accompanied 
 with respect, and far tenderer than the 
 love of most other men; though it might 
 make her happy, it would not render my- 
 self so. She therefore resigned me to the 
 mysterious and, she hoped, fortunate lot^ 
 which seemed destined for me. 
 
 " I will not weary your attention, my 
 brother, with all the arguments which^ 
 during several interviews, I used to this 
 eccentric, admirable woman, but proceed 
 to tell you, that as every interview dis- 
 played more accurately the delicacy and 
 , sweetness of her character, I became so 
 truly attached to her, so grieved at her 
 incredulity, that 1 fell ill ; and the phy- 
 sician pronouncing the disorder to be on 
 my mind, she was i>iduced to credit my 
 protestations, and biessed me by s:*ying 
 so. Of course, my recovery was imme- 
 diate."
 
 t2 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 ''But how came she to blush, when you 
 caught her eyeing the ring ?" said Deme- 
 trius. '' 1 do suspect, in spite of all her 
 assertions—'* 
 
 " You are mistaken then/* interrupted 
 his brother. '' Wurtzburg, who found 
 out her preference for me, long ere I 
 suspected it myself, desirous, I presume, 
 to have me considered as under engage- 
 ments to some other woman, had cen- 
 sured my reserve, and instanced its folly, 
 by my making a mystery of such a trifle 
 as a ring. Of this ring, he said, he had 
 often asked me in vain ; adding, that it 
 was most likely the gift of some fair fa- 
 vourite, which solved the riddle of my 
 extreme coldness in praising all other 
 women. During my indisposition, this 
 silly fellow made a passionate declaration 
 to Signora Berghi, which she silenced by 
 declaring our engagements : from that 
 instant, his animosity knew no bounds.** 
 
 *^ Well, but, proceed Charles^ tell me.
 
 tHE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 75 
 
 "me, how it happens that you have not 
 married this amiable creature?'* 
 
 Charles now turned very pale ; he 
 averted his head, and said, in a suffocated 
 voice, ''She was taken from me by death/' 
 He then rose, walked to a window, and 
 remained there a long time in silence : 
 when he quitted it, his eyes were heavy 
 and swoln, and the smile which he forced 
 to his lips, parted them but for an in- 
 stant. 
 
 " I'll fmish my story another time," he 
 said, hastily, ( brushing off with his hand 
 the tears that gathered afresh in his eyes) ; 
 '' let us have a walk." 
 
 Demetrius, without trusting his voice 
 to reply, (for sorrow is contagious), rose 
 quickly, and tossing his hair into a thicker 
 ^hade over his brow, as he put on his hat;, 
 followed his brother into the street. 
 
 vou I.
 
 74 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 > 
 
 The* next time in which the brothers 
 breakfasted alone^ Charles resumed his 
 narranve. 
 
 " When 1 was first suffered to avow 
 myself the lover of Signora Berghi^ the 
 situation of Mantua, grew every day more 
 critical: Marshal Wurmser having im- 
 prudently thrown himself into that half- 
 famished city, with twenty thousand fresh 
 troopS;, was now, after four months de- 
 fence, reduced to extremities : each at- 
 tempt made by the allies, to raise the 
 blockade, had failed : we saw ourselves 
 on the point of either perishing with 
 hunger, or disgracefully capitulating. 
 A dreadful fever raged in the garrison; 
 we were obliged constantly to break tht
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHER?. 73 
 
 formidable cordon of the enemy, merely 
 to obtain a few provisions, which the 
 environs soon ceased to afford us; and 
 we were fast sinking into despair, when 
 General Provera with a small force, arriv- 
 ed before the French lines. 
 
 "^ As the command of foraging parties 
 had often been entrusted to me, xmd a? 
 I was therefore, thought capable of ^xe 
 cuting a difficult enterprize, with some 
 presence of mind, it fell to my share, to 
 convey intelligence from the Marshal, to 
 General Provera. At some risk^ this was 
 effected: and the service being deemed 
 important, both generals promised, unso- 
 licited, that their representations to the 
 Emperor, should obtain for me^ the 
 grand cross of Maria Theresa. 
 
 " During this short absence from Mantua, 
 my poor Leonora, (whom I had left ill 
 of the fatal fever ; and from whom I 
 parted with a foreboding heart:) grew 
 rapidly worse; and living only to hear 
 that I had succeeded; that the relief of
 
 76 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 Mantua was almost certain ; that her 
 Charles was about to receive an honour- 
 able testimony of his zeal for the service, 
 expired in my arms. 
 
 '' The day was just dawning, Dtmetrius! 
 when the tumult of musquetry, shouts, 
 and shrieks, announced the hour of the 
 sortie.' What were all the emotions of 
 my life, to that which I felt then? — my 
 character, my honour, my duty, m.y fu- 
 ture peace, were all at stake ! If I were 
 absent, 1 should be disgraced for ever — 
 if 1 joined my regiment, the woman I 
 loved, w^ould die deserted ! — 
 
 ^' This distracting conflict, did not con- ^i- 
 tinue long: her last sigh struck my ear, 
 ani her cold hand suddenly dropt mine. 
 What I felt, what 1 did at that agoniz- 
 ing-moment, I know not: I remember 
 nothings till a loud burst of artillery, 
 succeeded by cries of frightful surprize, 
 recalled me to the consciousness of hold- 
 ing her dear body, fast locked in my 
 arms: I pressed it several times to my
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS; 77 
 
 •vercharged heart; motioned for her 
 wretched uncle to receive the precious 
 burthen; and then* hurried like a madman 
 into the thick of the engagement. 
 
 '' Conceive my horror, when I found 
 that I had been repeatedly called for, 
 by my commanding ofHcei' ; that my 
 squadron wa^ already engngcd; and that 
 our cause was desperate ! 
 
 *' During the night. General Buona- 
 parte, (receiving intelligence of Provera's 
 destination : ) had followed him with the 
 utmost celerity, and was now united with 
 the blockading army. What a scene of 
 slaughter ensued 1 we were in despair, — 
 the enemy, confident: and it was not till 
 the unfortunate, astonished Provera, 
 (obliged to submit to an unforeseen 
 superiority ; ) had surrendered his remain- 
 ing soldiers, that we relinquished the 
 contest. 
 
 '* We were again shut up in Mantua; 
 before which, a victorious and immense 
 force, was now consolidated.
 
 78 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 '' No sooner did I lay down my arms^ 
 and thought to have had a short interval 
 that I might dedicate to the memory of* 
 one^ whom I shall never forget — O never, 
 never! — than I was summoned to a court 
 martial, and charged with desertion from 
 my post;, on the nlorning of the 14th. 
 My enemies, (who seized this occasion) 
 were indefatigable in exciting suspicions 
 of my fidelity; and they so artfully had 
 weaved truth with falsehood in their accu- 
 sations, that for many hours, my very 
 life seemed at the hazard. — But my de- 
 fence was so simple and sincere ; the 
 circumstances of my case, were so affect- 
 ing and peculiar; my attachment to the 
 general cause, so well ascertained, (by 
 the eminent risks I had run to prosper 
 it, the day before;) that the sentence 
 passed, was comparatively lenient. I was 
 suspended from all rank, for six ensuing 
 months, and my claim to the Order of 
 IMerit, no longer allowed/' — 
 
 *' O Heavens!" — exclaimed Demetrius,
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 79 
 
 " How were you able to bear this? — clid 
 you not shut yourself up from every liv- 
 ing creature, and almost break your heart, 
 with grief and shame?" 
 
 " No Demetrius ! — had I deserved cen- 
 sure, I should have sunk under it: — but I 
 knew that every honest heart would acquit 
 me of an intentional breach of duty. 
 Even my judges, pronounced sentence 
 with regret, upon a man, faint with fli- 
 tigue and anguish, and covered with 
 wounds got in the very scene he was 
 accused of having wilfully deserted.— 
 Commiseration from every auditor fol- 
 lowed my sentence : and perhaps your 
 pei-secuted brother was never so praised, 
 so pitied, so esteemed, as at the instant 
 in which his enemies hoped to have ef- 
 fected his ruin. 
 
 " Before I left the court, I requested 
 permission to serve in the ranks as a 
 volunteer, which was granted me, with 
 great emotion, by the venerable Field 
 Marshal. Since then, he has assured me.
 
 80 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS: 
 
 that my colonel would have feigned ig- 
 norance of my temporary absence, had 
 he not been vehemently pressed with the 
 charge of partiality, by two or three 
 officers; who at length forced him to 
 demand a court martial. The names of 
 these officers, I could never learn: but 
 my suspicions, perhaps unjustly, fell prin- 
 cipally upon Wurtzburgh. 
 
 '' The surrender of Mantua shortly^ 
 after this period, separated me entirely, 
 from this cold-blooded fellow. The terms 
 of our capitulation were such as ought 
 to have been demanded by a veteran like 
 Marshal Wurmser; and indeed, his gal- 
 lant defence and venerable character,, 
 wrested admiration from the enemy. — 
 
 '' Deprived of all military rank, I 
 joined the army of the Archduke Charles. 
 That young Prince was now come from 
 iields of immortal glory in Germany, to 
 repair, if possible, the errors or misfor- 
 tunes of the commanders in Italy. Al^^sf 
 this was not to be done: even by him.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 8 1 
 
 The French, (under a man, who has all the 
 talents but none of the virtues of a ge- 
 neral, who violates treaties and neutra- 
 lities without regard to the law of na- 
 tions, ) were in possession of every impor- 
 tant fortress; and nothing was leh the 
 Archduke but a resolution to defend the 
 passes into Germany, with obstinate bra- 
 very. — His line for this purpose, w^-is 
 drawn from the Grisons to the sea ; it 
 was linked together by a chain of posts, 
 which formed a barrier between the 
 enemy, and the remainder of our army, 
 then cantoned in Friuli and Carinthia. 
 I had always languished to serve under 
 the Archduke, and 1 was now insensible 
 to every other desire in this world, save 
 that of gloriously effacing hard disgrace. 
 
 *' In the sanguinary action of Tarvis I 
 was so fortunate as to find myself in the 
 heat of battle, by the side of my General, 
 at the very moment in which his horse 
 was shot under him: I instantly threw 
 myself from mine; and while he mount- 
 E 5
 
 S2 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 ed, disabled a French dragoon, whose 
 sabre was raised to cut him down. The 
 Prince saw the action; and exclaiming — 
 ^ My brave fellow, I will not forget 
 you/ — charged furiously through the 
 field. 
 
 '' He kept his word. When the en- 
 gagement was over^ he enquired for the 
 hussar, to whom he generously declared 
 himself indebted for life; and recog- 
 nizing him in me, promised to promote 
 me to a majority, so soon as the period 
 of my suspension from military rank 
 should be rigidly fulfilled. 
 
 '^ The decrees of courts martial, are 
 never to be reversed; and I know that 
 severe justice demanded some expiation 
 of my offence. At the end of the time 
 I speak of, I was restored to my former 
 station ; and im.mediately afterwards was 
 presented by the Prince with a majors 
 commission, and the Order which I now 
 wear. Ah ! how did the sight of it, 
 wring my heart ! when it w as first pro-
 
 THE HUNGARL\N BROTHERS. S3 
 
 mised me — Leonora, the tender Leo- 
 nora — but why do I thus recal her ! — 
 
 '' When our troops were in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Hundsmarck, the wife and 
 niece of Baron Ingersdorf were on the 
 point of falling into the enemy's hands. 
 A dangerous illness had confined the 
 Baroness some weeks to her country- 
 house; and the march of both armies 
 was too rapid, to allow her attendants 
 time to learn the necessity of removal. 
 Prince Charles, anxious to preserve these 
 ladies from the horror of captivity, stre- 
 nuously urged the Baroness to quit the 
 place in a litter, and to trust herself to 
 the protection of a troop of hussars, which 
 I offered to conduct.- — His advice was 
 gratefully accepted: and after a swift 
 journey, during which we had a sharp 
 contest with a party of French horse, we 
 had the happiness of delivering our fair 
 charges, into the hands of the Baron 
 himself From that hour, he became my 
 sincerest friend.''
 
 84 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 '•'I hear nothing of your anonymous^ 
 all this while!" cried the impatient Deme- 
 trius. 
 
 " True/'' replied Charles, " I neglected 
 to tell you, that when I was in Mantua,, 
 and immediately after quitting it, I re- 
 ceived two letters: it will be as well not 
 to read the last now. The subject is a 
 sad one : yet the manner in which it is 
 alluded to, does honour to the writer's 
 heart, and soothed mine. — I was too un- 
 happy a man, at that time^ to require 
 caution against folly; and the Unknown 
 tenderly forbore from saying any thing 
 that was foreign to my grief. However, 
 I was strengthened under mortification 
 and sorrow, by receiving an assurance 
 in this letter, that my extraordinary situa- 
 tion, and the sentence of the court mar- 
 tial, were the talk of all Vienna; and 
 that so far from suffering by such dis- 
 cussion, I became interesting to every 
 one. — 
 
 '' Here is the singular epistle which
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 85 
 
 reached me in Mantua just before my 
 heavy loss." 
 
 Demetrius perused its contents with 
 surprize. 
 
 To Count Leopolstat. 
 
 • Only a few weeks ago^ it was my 
 intention to have made myself known^ 
 at this period; but an unforeseen, per- 
 plexing circumstance, delays this dis- 
 covery, and you are now on the point 
 perhaps of destroying my dearest views. 
 
 ' 1 hear you are going to marry. — If 
 it be true, and if the happy woman, be 
 as deserving of your heart, as report says 
 she is, I will stifle that selfish regret which 
 I am too honest to deny feeling. — 
 
 ' Disappointed as I am, 1 promise to 
 disclose myself hereafter: and ever, ever 
 to remain your friend, though deprived 
 of all hope of becoming your's.
 
 86 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 *' A most singular letter indeed!'* he 
 exclaimed — " what did you think of it 
 Charles ?^^— 
 
 " I scarcely know what/' returned his 
 brother ; '' it seemed to me, as if the fair 
 writer had designed me the honour of 
 her hand ; and yet I could hardly recon- 
 cile such an expHcit declaration, with my 
 ideas of female delicacy. 
 
 "^ 1 certainly revolved the subject over; 
 many times, with great anxiety, and I 
 fear, also, with some regret, that this 
 discovery had been so long delayed. I 
 will not dissemble with you Demetrius — 
 ( though at the time, I certainly deceived 
 myself) Signora Berghi, amiable, accom- 
 plished, as she was, did not warm my 
 heart, to that delightful excess, 1 knew 
 it capable of. 
 
 '' My nature is, I think, inaccessible to 
 vanity ; but it is weakly tender ; and no 
 virtuous woman ever loved me yet, with- 
 out creating in me so much gratitude, as 
 to make me a little in love with her.
 
 ,v 
 
 !»' 
 
 j THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS- 87 
 
 '*Had Providence destined me to be 
 the husband of Leonora^ I should have 
 spent my life happily with her ; yet not 
 so happily as I might have done with some 
 other woman — this incognita perhaps." 
 
 " This incognita, I hope/' said Deme- 
 trius, " she must, she shall reward you, at 
 last. If she prove of great rank, extraor- 
 dinary rank, as I suspect, you may easily 
 account for her romantic frankness. 
 
 " You smile — well — go on with your 
 narration.'* 
 
 '' I have little more to say of the cam- 
 paign," resumed Charles: '' while the 
 commissioners were treating for peace at 
 Leoben, the armies lay nearly inactive; 
 and before the end of the year ninety- 
 seven, the definitive treaty released us 
 from severe discipline : after which, I 
 repaired to Vienna. 
 
 " Attract d by every thing estimable 
 and delightful, 1 had often visited Baron 
 IngLrsdorfs hcuse,^ when one morning 
 after breakiast, he thus addressed me. 
 2
 
 88 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 
 
 ' You and ], my dear count, are r/ow 
 sufficiently acquainted to wave all cere»- 
 niony ; I therefore freely tell you, that 
 I am peculiarly interested in your future 
 fortune; and having some influence, pledge 
 myself, from this hour, to serve you in 
 any one way which you can point out, 
 or I accomplish. My wife and niece owe 
 you everlasting thanks ; and it must now 
 be my task to prove that we all think so; 
 though never with the hope of liquidat- 
 ing our debt.' 
 
 "T^^as- going to protest against this 
 exaggeration of a simple act of military 
 duty, when he interrupted me. 
 
 ' Come, come, you must allow me to 
 be a fairer judge of your merits and de- 
 merits than yourself. I have canvassed 
 the latter for some weeks, and do not find 
 them so very frightful as to prevent me 
 from saying, henceforth use this house as 
 if it were the house of your neai*est re- 
 lative; make it your home, whenever such 
 a home seems agreeable ; and rely upon
 
 TliJE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. B9 
 
 2 friendship, which, having gratitude and 
 esteem for its basis, will never fail you, 
 unless they perish.' 
 
 " What was said by me, in reply to 
 such undeserved goodness, I know not; 
 but I did stammer out a heap of tumul- 
 tuous expressions, pra\ang that oratory, 
 at least, was not among my qualifications. 
 
 " The baron re-assured me, by cordi- 
 ally pressing my hand. 
 
 ' There is one thing more I have to 
 add,' he continued : ' you are young, and 
 probably susceptible; my niece, good 
 and beautiful;, if you see her often, and 
 discover those endearing virtues which are 
 too much obscured by invincible diffi- 
 dence, you may perchance fall in love 
 with her : it is this I would w^arn you 
 against.' 
 
 '' Here my indignant features became 
 scarlet; the Baron, without allowing me 
 time to speak, hastened on. 
 
 ' 1 see you misunderstand me. Believe 
 mCj there is not a man in the world to
 
 90 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 whom / would so joyfully give Adelaide 
 as yourself; but she is not min« to give. 
 
 ' When Adelaide was quite a child, her 
 mother died ; after which event, my poor 
 brother, who is one of the best men in 
 life, and one of the strangest, found con- 
 solation in nothing but his affection for 
 this girl. She was educated in the con- 
 vent of which our sister is abbess ; and 
 never quitted that retirement till a month 
 before you saw her. My brother, whose 
 estate in Bavaria joins the lands of the 
 eonvent, had been so accustomed to the. 
 society of his daughter, that it w^as with 
 difficulty she obtained his leave to be- 
 come my wife's nurse, when the physician 
 ordered her to Hundsmarck, and with still 
 greater difficulty obtained permission to 
 winter it with us here. This concession 
 was made by him, after having premised 
 several restrictions ; the principal of which 
 is — I careful watch over her heart. Ade- 
 laide has been engaged, from the age of 
 fifteen, to itit son of a man, from whom
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 9 I 
 
 my brother professes to have received the 
 most signal service. Ofcoui'se;, we should 
 not interfere v/ith a parent's views; and 
 Adelaide is herself too warmly attached to 
 her father, and too strict in her notions 
 of duty and delicacy, to make me afraid 
 of trusting her, even with you, after my 
 having thus appealed to your honour. 
 
 ' Perhaps this may be a u:^eless, and 
 therefore tedious, detail to you, my dear 
 Leopolstat ; yet my conscience would not 
 have been quiet, had I not made it. I 
 have uniformly reprobated those parents 
 and guardians, who permit complete inti- 
 macy between amiable young people, and 
 then are enraged at finding mutual good 
 qualities have produced mutual affection; 
 and I am consequently bound to avoid the 
 conduct which I censure.* 
 
 ' How just are your conclusions ! how 
 admirable your sentiments, my dear lord!* 
 I exclaimed, charmed with his generous 
 frankness, ' this is the strongest proof you
 
 92 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 
 
 have yet given me of your friendship; 
 Be assm'ed, that even were I not what I 
 am — a poor soldier of fortune ; such lae- 
 nevolent anxiety for my peace would not 
 be lost on me. As it is : my peculiar des- 
 tiny renders presumption impossible — 
 yet Mamselle de Ingersdorf is not to 
 be beheld with indifference/ 
 
 '' At the latter part of my speech^ the 
 Baron laughed so heartily, that he ut- 
 terly disconcei'ted me — ' I see yow are 
 to be trusted ! he cried with his usual 
 gaiety, that grave cold compliment, so 
 awkwardly delivered, convinces me, that 
 my poor Adelaide would have stood no 
 chance at any rate; — that, if she gives 
 her heart to you, after all, it will be 
 unsought even by a single civil sigh. 
 Well ! *tis all as it should be : learn now 
 to treat her as a sister; and her attentive 
 kindness (being no longer liable to mis- 
 interpretation) will soon prove to you, 
 that her uncle is not partial.' — here ended 
 our discourse. —
 
 "rHJE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. §3 
 
 '^ From this period Baron Tngersdorf 
 K:onstantly treated me with the most flat- 
 tering regard, consulted me on his own 
 private concerns; and learnt from me in 
 return, the history of my life. He is now 
 engaged in an endeavour to restore us 
 part of our lost inheritance, which he 
 suspects to be reclaimable: and it ; is to 
 him, that we are indebted for almost 
 every valuable connection we possess in 
 Vienna." — 
 
 " And pray what has become of that 
 vile wretch Wurtzburgh.^' asked, Deme- 
 trius. 
 
 Charles smiled: '' I hope he is unde- 
 serving of such a decisive epithet as 
 that. You must remember, Demetrius, 
 that all the malice I have perhaps too 
 hastily laid to his charge, was never 
 proved : the evidence was merely pre- 
 sumptive. Possibly a year may have 
 wrought wonderful alteration in him; 
 for I met him unexpectedly, two days
 
 94 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 ago, as I was passing Prince Eugene's 
 palace, and he returned my salutation 
 with such politeness that it amazed me. 
 Some person told me since, that he has 
 got the command of a regiment." — 
 
 " A regiment ! such a churl have a 
 regiment ?" — vehemently interrupted De- 
 metrius — " but hang him ! what is it to 
 us? — do let me read that letter again — 
 the last, I mean : — my dear Charles, TU 
 keep such a look-out for you ! it will be 
 impossible for me to see your incognita 
 without knowing her by instinct. ' The 
 tenderest of hearts,' — Ah 1 that is her's 
 ofcoui'se, — what a sweet woman!" 
 
 *' It is not my intention to fall in love 
 as monarchs marry, by proxy/' said his 
 brother, '' therefore my good boy, let 
 me beseech you not to volunteer so very 
 useless a service. 
 
 '' Come — ^we have talked away half the 
 morning, and have not yet paid our res- 
 pects at M. de Ingersdorfs."
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 95 
 
 Demetrius snatched up his hat, seized 
 Charles by the arm, and hurried him along 
 the streets with as -much rapidity as he 
 harangued.
 
 1&6 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 The Baroness Ingersdorf was a passionate 
 admirer of the arts; and her mornings 
 were usually passed in a magnificent 
 saloon, denominated her work-room, to 
 which she admitted only select friends^ 
 while she plied the modelling-sticks or, 
 the chissel, with equal vileness. 
 
 Nothing could be more surprizing> 
 than to see her there, surrounded by 
 antique statues of infinite beauty; to hear 
 her descant upon proportion, grace, ex- 
 pression, form; to observe her judging 
 accurately of others performances, even 
 at the time in which she was shaping some 
 hideous mass, out of clay or marble, call- 
 ing it a bust, and looking at it> with ex- 
 ultation.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 97 
 
 Charles pretended to no skill in modell- 
 ing; but he drew like a master ; and his 
 spirited sketches, were often made in the 
 work-room of the Baroness. It was her 
 passion to have him drawing near her, 
 while she was engaged on some piece of 
 sculpture, and Demetrius singing or read- 
 ing by snatches, as the momentary hu- 
 mour dictated. 
 
 It is notorious, that a female artist 
 speaks to a man of his person with the 
 greatest freedom: the Baroness therefore 
 had assured Charles a thousand times, 
 that he had indisputably *' The finest 
 l>ead in the world/' — " The most noble 
 contour ; " she had modelled his bust, al- 
 ternately for an Apollo, a Scipio, a 
 Cyrus ;^ and was now condemning him 
 again to fresh torture, having just dis- 
 covered that he, his brother, and her 
 niece, would make a glorious groupe, of 
 Hector, Andromache, and Paris. 
 
 '' I had rather sit on your knee for 
 Astyanax," muttered Demetrius to Ade- 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 laide, in a tone of mingled mirth and 
 pique: Demetrius had a bitter contempt 
 for poor Paris: the Baroness overheard 
 him — laughed, and persevered. — 
 
 Whenever the brothers were not on 
 duty, or engaged in study, they went to 
 Baron Ingersdorfs : perfect liberty was 
 allowed to every one thus domesticated ; 
 and if one of them, would but " sit" to 
 the Baroness, the other might converse 
 with Adelaide, while she worked or prac- 
 tised the harp. 
 
 So familiarized, Demetrius saw a mul- 
 titude of charms in Mam'selle de Ingers- 
 dorf, which her first impression, had 
 not led him to expect. She was in- 
 deed made up of all the gentle elements; 
 and naturally cheerful, displayed a spor- 
 tive ease in her discoui-ses with him^ 
 which she never ventured with Charles. 
 Demetrius admired her so much, that 
 Charles at length felt strangely alarmed 
 and warned him of her engagements : the 
 1
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 9^ 
 
 Other Jested him on this fear; for he was 
 heart-whole. 
 
 The birth-day of Adelaide was cele- 
 brated by her relations, with great splen- 
 dour. On the day which made her 
 twenty, all the beauty and fashion of 
 Vienna, were collected to offer congratu- 
 lations. 
 
 The Hungarian brothers, were among 
 the fii*st who entered these gay saloons, 
 which were laid out, to represent the 
 gardens of Armida. 
 
 Bowers of rose and almond trees, 
 groves of orange and myrtle, sheets of 
 mirror so contrived as to appear like 
 water flowing through woody banks and 
 at last lost among their windings, marble 
 fountains, mossy glades, starry lights 
 twinkling through thick foliage, music 
 breathing from the flutes of unseen per- 
 formers, distracted admiration, till the 
 Ball-room absorbed every sense. 
 
 It was formed into one stupendous 
 grotto, almost blinding the gayer, v i h
 
 100 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 its glittering spars, crystals, corals, and 
 alabaster: a choir like that which mens* 
 feeble imagination supposes in Heaven, 
 sang beneath its lofty arch; while per- 
 fumes sweet and refreshing, alternately 
 grew and faded upon the air. 
 
 For some days before, the brothers 
 had taken no inconsiderable share in as- 
 sisting the lovely Adelaide to create this 
 scene of enchantment; they conse- 
 quently, contemplated its effect, with 
 peculiar pleasure : but it was annihilated 
 to Charles, when advancing to Mam'selle 
 de Ingersdorf, he saw on her bosom a 
 miniature of her father, which he had 
 recently copied from a large portrait, 
 and surprized her with, in the morning. 
 This compliment was the more flattering, 
 as it was the only ornament out of many 
 with which' she had been then presented, 
 that she chose to wear. For a long 
 time, after entering the ball-room no- 
 thing was to be heard, save bursts of ad- 
 miration from the company, which began
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 101 
 
 to crowd the apartments : at length 
 Charles and Demetrius, (who were talk- 
 ing together among some thick laurels;) 
 unintentionally overheard the following 
 sentences. 
 
 ^' And — pray tell me, my dear girl who 
 the young officer is, that was disentangl- 
 ing your dressj from a bush, just as I 
 entered? — I never saw so handsome a 
 creature in my life — what love-lighted 
 eyes !" — 
 
 " Yes, he is very handsome : but surely 
 not so much so as his brother? — It was 
 Count Demetrius of Leopolstat." 
 
 The brothers were equally confused 
 at these remarks: each, wandered in his 
 discourse ; each, grew scarlet; and each 
 with an agitated heart, moved abruptly 
 away. As Charles did not turn round 
 to discover the speakers, Demetrius dar- 
 ed not : but Charles, knew the voice that 
 had praised him, too well, to require the 
 aid of his eyes; and the first strong 
 pulse of vanity, beating violently in the
 
 102 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 breast of Demetrius^ made him fearful 
 that Charles would discover it, and des- 
 pise him. 
 
 It happened, that as they emerged from 
 the shade, they met the fair speakers. 
 Mam'selle de Ingersdorf introduced De- 
 metri?is to Madame de Fontainville, in a 
 manner which shewed her unconscious 
 of what she was doing : for certain that 
 she must have been overheard, she now- 
 talked as much incoherent nonsense, 
 as the brothers had done^ a moment 
 before. 
 
 Charles was so absorbed in wondering 
 at, and detesting the vanity, to which he 
 attributed his present deliruim, that he 
 neglected to observe Demetrius, when 
 he first beheld the Beauty of Vienna; and 
 poor Demetrius, was already " Gone ages 
 in love." — 
 
 A mussulman might have been excus- 
 ed, had he taken Madame de Fontainville 
 for one of the Houries. — Her skin was 
 of a dazzling whiteness, which gradually
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 103 
 
 kindled into a rich crimson upon hef 
 cheek: her large, soft, black eyes, were 
 half closed beneath brows of the finest 
 arch ; and her small, vermilion mouth, 
 lost itself in dimples. To this was added 
 a figure, which had attained that luxuri- 
 ant perfection of shape and fullness, 
 scarcely desirable at three and twenty ; 
 for even the admirers of dimpled hands 
 and shoulders, must foresee, that such 
 beauty, (like a rose prematurely blown 
 which scatters its leaves, as quickly as it 
 expanded them;) will shortly lose its 
 exquisiteness. A robe of black velvet, 
 and a profusion of very rich pearls 
 amongst her silken hair, seemed purposely 
 chosen, as if the wearer meant at once to 
 contrast and match heir own delicate 
 whiteness. 
 
 While every gazer did homage to such a 
 world of perfection, the heart of Charles 
 secretly worshipped that very bashfulness 
 which obscured the lovely Adelaide. Her 
 soft olive complexion, though warm with
 
 104 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 native bloom, was less dazzling than if it 
 had been fair ; and her uncommonly bril- 
 liant eyes, timidly cast upon the ground^ 
 lost the advantage of their brightness. A 
 gentle confusion closed those lips^, which 
 never parted but to reveal snow-white 
 teeth; and wearing nothing peculiar, 
 drapery simple, yet graceful, she moved 
 under a thin floating veil, without many 
 persons observing that her figure was 
 admirable. Her's were the touching 
 charms of twilight ; Madame de Fontain- 
 ville's, the blaze of day. 
 
 It w^ould be vain to describe all the en^ 
 chanting pleasures which were this night 
 varied to infinity, under the roof of Baron 
 Ingersdorf: every one seemed to have 
 put on their best humour with their best 
 attire ; and smiling eyes, dimpling cheeks, 
 cheerful voices, united Avith taste and 
 "wealth to leave nothing imperfect. 
 - The supper consisted solely of rare 
 wines, fruits, and delicacies, so shaded bj 
 flowei-s, or formed into such deceptive
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. lOS 
 
 shapes by moulds of jelly, that nothing 
 gross enough for mortals, was discover- 
 able by the eye : the crystal dishes were 
 made to represent icicles; and the table 
 was spread in a circular room carpetted 
 with green velvet, and transformed by the 
 magic pencil of Charles, into the pano- 
 rama of an extensive landscape. 
 
 During the time of waltzing. Count 
 Leopolstat saw, with some disquiet, that 
 Demetrhis had Madame de Fontainville 
 for a partner, and that the countenances 
 of each were lighted up with unusual ani- 
 mation. When others changed partners, 
 they still danced together : this was ob- 
 served to him, with great levity, by a 
 young foreigner, and it prompted him to 
 whisper his brother, that it was improper 
 to dance the whole evening with the same 
 lady. Demetrius soon afterwards selected 
 another. 
 
 Mam'selle de Ingersdorf had danced 
 only twice ; first with one of the Arch- 
 dukes, and then with Charles : the latter 
 ¥• 5
 
 106 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 now sat down beside her, to make obser- 
 vations on the company. 
 
 *' Though I have seen the beautiful De 
 Fontainville, as she is termed, a hundred 
 times/' said he, " I have never asked whe- 
 ther she be wife or widow, German or 
 French : pray, which is she ?*' 
 
 '' All of them, I think,'' replied Ade- 
 laide : '' her father is a Frenchman; he 
 was envoy at this court many years, dur- 
 ing which he married a Saxon lady, who 
 died in giving birth to their daughter." 
 
 ^' Well ?" 
 ♦ '' Well !'* re-echoed Adelaide, turning 
 her brilliant eyes with a little archness 
 on him ; '^ so, you can find me nothing 
 better to diOy in a ball-room, than to give 
 you a history of the prettiest woman in 
 it ? However, 111 satisfy you. 
 
 " When her father returned to France, 
 Zaire de Liancour married Monsieur de 
 Fontainville, who, I fear, was never very 
 agreeable to her ; for he was a man of 
 violent passions and a narrow mind: he
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 107 
 
 took an active share in the Revolution, 
 and the murder of its august victim ; after 
 which, she immediately parted from him. 
 She and her father emigrated in ninety- 
 two, and now live here in very good style, 
 upon an estate of her mother's." 
 
 Charles would scarcely allow Mam'- 
 selle de Ingersdorf to finish this detail; 
 he pleaded her implied rebuke of his want 
 of gallantr}^ as a reason why she should 
 give him her hand in another dance; pro- 
 testing that if she had not attributed hrs 
 forbearance to respectful timidity, she 
 had wronged him so grievously, as to be 
 compelled by justice to make him repa- 
 ration. 
 
 " Well, well," she replied, (blushing at 
 his earnestness, yet with an increasing 
 gaiety, which spoke increasing pleasure), 
 " if you'll suiTer me to rest awhile, I will 
 repair my fault." 
 
 She then proceeded to inquire the* 
 Count's opinion of ^ladame de Pontaiu^ 
 v.ille's person-r^
 
 108 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 '' I should have admired it a vast deal 
 more/' he said, " had I seen less of it. 
 You smile incredulously — believe me, I 
 don't say this to compliment you upon a 
 style of dress so opposite ; though if I 
 were to say all that I think upon that 
 subject — '' 
 
 '' You shall say nothing about me/' in- 
 terrupted Adelaide. 
 
 Charles smiled and bowed. 
 
 " Well then — I think Madame de Fon- 
 tainville perfectly leautiful: but though I 
 confess she does not in the least look as 
 if she were destitute of sense and sensi- 
 bility, still she does not appear as if she 
 had much of either quality ; beauty, fault- 
 less beauty, is all that she impresses on 
 one's mind. I lc^.g to see those melting 
 eyes sometimes change their character — ' 
 to see them look as if she were thinking ; 
 to observe her complexion vary a little, 
 awakening that tender interest which 
 bloom, assailable by sickness and sadness, 
 rouses in the breast of man. I am not to
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 109 
 
 be captivated by mere externals : I prefer 
 eyes that make one forget their bright- 
 ness in the brighter intellect transmitted 
 through them ; cheeks, that grow lovelier 
 while gazed on ; and a shape, whose chief 
 graces are displayed by accident. In fact, 
 I am grown so old I believe, as to prefer 
 moral beauty before every other species; 
 and to think no woman lovelv, whose 
 countenance does not appear to me, ' the 
 transparent covering' of amiable and ad- 
 mirable qualities." 
 
 '' Ah, then, you would be pleased with 
 Princess Constantia," exclaimed Adelaide. 
 *' I hope she will be here to night ! Sq 
 youthful, so pretty, so playful, so endear- 
 ing, yet so intelligent ! Fr;^! it not been 
 my fortunate lot to possess her friendship 
 from infanc;y, I should have desired it pas- 
 sionately, uie very first moment I beheld 
 her." 
 
 " I have often heard you speak of this 
 charming Princess,'* observed Charles, 
 " and with such enthusiam as to thaw a
 
 110' THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS; 
 
 little of my usual indifference to strangers. 
 You expect her to night, then ? I thought 
 she was still in Italy/' 
 
 '' She arrived this morning. But, come ! '* 
 Adelaide added, (with a persuasive smile), 
 " I must not suffer you to retain an un- 
 just opinion of Madame de Fontainville : 
 it is true, I know very little of her; but 
 quite enough to authorize me in chiding 
 your severity. By the w^ay, let me tell 
 you, my worthy friend, that your deter- 
 mined hostility to beauty is a very hein- 
 ous fault ; and that if you continue thus 
 to look at pretty women, with a resolu- 
 tion to find them disagreeable, yoa will 
 frighten them into being so." 
 
 *' No such thin or. sweet Adelaide," re> 
 plied Charles, apprehensively hesitating, 
 *' the most charming woman I know, is 
 also the most beautiful.*' 
 
 There was an expression in his voice 
 and countenance, as he timidly uttered 
 this heart-felt compliment, which forced 
 Adelaide to apply it properly : she af-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. til 
 
 fected to treat it with levity, laughed, and 
 cried, " Excellent!" while her cheeks 
 burnt, and her eyes sunk under his. 
 
 '* Since I came to Vienna," she hastily 
 resumed, '' Madame de Fontainville sat to 
 my aunt for a head of Cleopatra, (that 
 unfortunate bust which your laughter- 
 loving brother quizzed so violently); 
 and in these quiet visits displayed a very 
 great portion of sensibility : almost too 
 much, I fear, for her own comfort. Ex- 
 cessive tenderness, unaccustomed to re- 
 straint, unused to leave the choice of its 
 objects to reason, is, in my opinion, the 
 
 heaviest misfortune, that^ " Adelaide 
 
 stopped abruptly, exclaiming — '' Here 
 comes Constantia !" 
 
 Leopolstat now turned his observation 
 jn a fair creature of seventeen, who 
 entered from the gardens. She was de- 
 licately attired in white satin,, which, by 
 its soft folds, faintly shadowed out the 
 form of her finely-rounded limbs : except 
 a white Provence rose that was scarcely
 
 11^ THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 to be distinguished from the panting bo- 
 som on which it rested, and a garland of 
 the same flowers, binding up her auburn 
 hair, she was destitute of ornament. 
 
 Advancing with the apprehensive light- 
 ness of a fawn, she addressed Adelaide; 
 and her sweet youthful voice convinced 
 Charles she was destined to be beloved. 
 
 Princess Constantia was not perfectly 
 beautiful; but her lovely shape was a pro- 
 mise of future excellence, and its thousand 
 graces prevented all criticism. She had 
 blue eyes that alternately expressed the 
 tenderest of hearts, and the most intel- 
 ligent of minds ; and an ingenuous smile 
 which changed admiration into afl^ection. 
 
 When the friends had exhausted con- 
 gratulations, Charles was presented to the 
 Princess. At the sound of his name, her 
 cheeks took a brighter red, she darted on 
 him a quick glance of inquiry and plea- 
 sure, repeating in a delighted tone, 
 *' Count Leopolstat ! — I am very happy 
 to see you at last, after so long wishing — "
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 113 
 
 Sh6 Stopped abruptly, blushed, cast clown 
 her eyes, and a sweet fearfulness banished 
 her gaiety. 
 
 For a single instant, Charles lost him- 
 self in the suspicion that she was his in- 
 cognita. Captivated by her unaffected 
 loveliness, his brain grew giddy, and he 
 had not power to dissemble the feeling 
 which suddenly animated all his features ; 
 but while his eye devoured every expres- 
 sion of her face, he met an amazed look 
 from Adelaide, which recalled his senses, 
 and the illusion vanished. Constantia was 
 a girl of seventeen, and his incognita had 
 written to him during five years : the 
 thing, therefore, was impossible. 
 
 He smiled at his own folly ; resumed his 
 tranquillity ; and marvelled how he could 
 have embraced the error with such warmth. 
 
 The princess having been lately ill, was 
 not suffered by her aunt to dance; so 
 that Adelaide excused herself to Charles, 
 at the same time inviting him to be of 
 their party in a walk through the saloons.
 
 114 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 During this promenade, his graceful gen- 
 tleness so entirely restored Constantia to 
 ease and sprightliness, that she turned 
 every object they passed, into subjects for 
 pleasantry : yet this was done with such 
 innocent mirth, that no one could find ia 
 it a particle of ill-nature. 
 
 The young Princess of Nuremberg was 
 indeed a rare creature. There was a little 
 girlish simplicity in her manner, which 
 preventing fools from being awed by 
 the occasional penetration of her look, 
 made her equally amiable to the wise and 
 unwise : without intending it, she always 
 charmed, by her desire to make others do 
 so; for, possessing an instinct, as it were^ 
 of whatever would he most consonant to 
 the tastes or feelings of her associates, she 
 immediately fell in with their humour, 
 and made it her aim to draw forth their 
 best endowments. Naturally playful, but 
 never excessively lively, she amused un- 
 ceasingly, and delighted instead of fatigu- 
 ing ; it was her happy destiny to endear.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 115 
 
 even while she entertained : indeed, her 
 archness had ever a softness in it, which 
 flattered the person to whom it was di- 
 rected, with this idea, that she had their 
 pleasure for her object, rather than her 
 own gratification. 
 
 Leopolstat, as he slowly turned his ad- 
 miring eyes from her to Mam'selle de In- 
 gersdorf, and remembered Madame de 
 Fontainville, (for she was in another part 
 of the assembly), secretly commented on 
 the whimsical chance which had thus 
 shewed to him in one evening, three spe- 
 cimens of beauty, so perfect, yet so dif- 
 ferent. He then thought of Demetrius, 
 whom he had not seen for some time, 
 and sincerely wished that he might not be 
 still with Madame de Fontainville. 
 
 Princess Constantia retired before sup- 
 per with her aunt. Just as she was 
 giving Charles her hand to conduct 
 her to her carriage, a smile moved her 
 blooming cheeks, '' like roses, when their 
 leaves are gently stirred with the wind/*
 
 116 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 and she whispered him — '' I know young 
 men are apt to be abominably vain^ and 
 to construe every silly action into an 
 ofTering to their conceit ; so I must ex- 
 plain to yoU; Count, why I longed to see 
 you, (which confession, to be sure, slipped 
 out of my lips without my intending it) ; 
 why I blushed when I did see you, and 
 looked so prodigiously silly. I longed to 
 see you, first, because my brother has told 
 me as many wonders of your achieving, as 
 were ever done by the English Guy of 
 Warwick; and secondly, because numbers 
 of folks told me, I was as like Count Leo* 
 polstat as a sister. Now I always colour 
 whenever I am taken by a pleasant sur- 
 prize ; no wonder then, that I should do 
 so when you were introduced to me.*' 
 
 A graceful bow prefaced Charles's an- 
 swer. 
 
 " I am afraid your Highness has chosen 
 the worst way imaginable for laying my 
 vanity. This flattering solicitude to be 
 understood, makes me believe — I hope not
 
 tHH HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 117 
 
 presumptuously— that Princess Constantia 
 is willing I should respect and admire 
 her/' 
 
 *^ She would willingly deserve to be 
 respected and admired by all men like 
 Count Leopolstat/' was her gracious reply. 
 
 Charles bowed again, and a deeper co- 
 lour glowed through his brown cheek: 
 yet was there no undue explanation given 
 by his thoughts to Princess Constantia's 
 ingenuous speech. 
 
 " I suppose it is my brother^ who has 
 the honour of being considered like your 
 Highness/' said Charles, as they approached 
 the grand staircase. 
 
 '' I hope so," was her gay answer; 
 '' for I do protest, that though your com- 
 plexion is vastly becoming for a soldier, 
 it would not be quite so apropos in a court 
 lady." 
 
 Charles laughed ; so did she ; and her 
 aunt inviting him to the Nuremberg Pa- 
 lace, they were hastening down stairs, when 
 their steps were arrested by the sound of
 
 1 1 8 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 a voice^ sweeter than those gales^ which 
 flowing over Arabia Felix, waft the per- 
 fume of the rose, and the song of the 
 nightingale, mingled together. Princess 
 Constantia's bright eyes, flashing with sud- 
 den delight, were rivetted on the half- 
 open door, from whence these sounds 
 proceeded : she did not therefore observe 
 the burning glow which gradually spread 
 over the face of Leopolstat, as he listened 
 with a disturbed heart, to the impassioned 
 voice of his brother. That voice, evi- 
 dently addressing its seductive language 
 to Madame de Fontainville, seemed breath- 
 ing the very soul of love into the air 
 which bore it towards Charles. Blushing 
 at its contagious influence, he stood si- 
 lently attentive to the following stanzas. 
 
 I. 
 
 Turn, turn those eyes, whose dewy light 
 Spreads tender languor o'er my soul; 
 
 Whose orbs, like evening Vesper bright. 
 Thro' mists of melting softness roll.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. U^ 
 
 All ! turn those eyes, for now they dart 
 Resistless light'ning thro' my heart. 
 
 IL 
 
 Hide, hide those lips, that smiling meet, 
 Vermeil and warm as sunny fruit ; 
 
 Thro* which thy breath, ambrosial sweet. 
 Coldly denies my ardent suit: 
 
 Hide, hide those lips, for pity's sake! 
 
 They tempt the kiss I dare not take. 
 
 Fortunately, both ladies retired from 
 the door, at the song's conclusion, without 
 speaking ; for how could they venture to 
 admire a performance, which united pas- 
 sionate tones with passionate words ? 
 
 Charles saw them into their carriage ; 
 and returning up stairs, was about to enter 
 the room where Demetrius was, when an 
 unseasonable commission from the Ba- 
 roness, (who hastily passed him), carried 
 him back to the dancing-room. How 
 Would his mortification at this have been 
 increased, had he guessed that Demetrius
 
 120 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 had not merely applied his glowing song 
 to the bewitching Zaire, but rapidly 
 composed it^ while another person waa 
 singing.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. Itl 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 When the brothers met the next morn- 
 ing, at breakfast Charles inquired what 
 Demetrius thought of Princess Constan- 
 tia of Nuremberg. 
 
 " I never saw her." 
 
 '* You must have seen her : it is im- 
 possible for any one to overlook so sweet 
 a creature.*' 
 
 '' Well then, I saw% without knowing 
 her. Was it that fine woman in the 
 Turkish dress .^ or that Spanish-looking 
 girl that danced with Stzarray ? " 
 
 " Neither. She was in white sattin 
 with flowers through her hair: and came 
 into the ball room two hours before 
 supper, but she did not sup." 
 
 VOL. I, G
 
 123 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 '^O then, I never saw her; for I was 
 not among the dancers all that time." 
 
 " Where were you then?" — 
 
 '^ With Madame de Fontainville. — 
 Charles 1 she sings more exquisitely than 
 you can conceive ; and upon my saying 
 how much I loved music, some one pro- 
 posed a singing party ; so we went into 
 that little cabinet, which leads off the 
 grand staircase towards the back of the 
 palace, and then she sang me all Sig- 
 nora 's songs in the last opera." 
 
 " So then, you were the whole evening 
 with Madame de Fontainville! and pray 
 what sort of a companion did you find 
 her? Agreeable?" — 
 
 Thrown off his guard by the assumed 
 carelessness with which Charles asked 
 this question, Demetrius, burst forth 
 into such a rhapsody of praise and trans- 
 port, as completely appalled him : Charles 
 was silent awhile; at length regarding 
 the animated Demetrius, with a look
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 123 
 
 made up of pity and fear, he said 
 gently — 
 
 " Demetrius ! you have more depend- 
 ence upon your own heart, than I should 
 have on mine, if ever you trust yourself 
 again in so dangerous a situation." 
 
 '' How do you mean ?" — 
 
 '' I mean, that Madame de Fontain- 
 ville's beauty is enchanting enough to 
 make a man forget she has a husband ; 
 she has French manners also, which too 
 often awaken hopes that ought to be 
 impossible. Ttike my advice then , avoid 
 her society, as 1 sincerely believe I should 
 have done, had her avowed admiration, 
 fallen to my share/' 
 
 '' What! avoid a virtuous woman, 
 merely because she is man-ied and charm- 
 ing? — why Charles, your virtue is rather 
 that of a monk than a soldier, if it con- 
 sists in flying froni danger instead of re- 
 sisting it." 
 
 *' No b?.d virtue either my dear boy. 
 I know what the passions are at nineteen; 
 
 G 2
 
 1^4 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 I know that you must be superior to all 
 human weakness, if you are not at this 
 very instant delirious with gratitude, ad- 
 miration and expectation. (Charles as 
 he spoke, averte(^ his hf ad, that he might 
 not see the blood plead guilty through 
 the cheek of Demetrius.) Madame de 
 Fontainville has decidedly expressed the 
 liveliest praise of your figure; and she 
 has tacitly avowed as much of your man- 
 ners, by devoting herself to you, the 
 ^vhole of yesterday evening : you think 
 her the loveliest w^oman in the world: 
 now, if you can stand this first attack, 
 made at once upon your vanity and your 
 senses; if you can drink long draughts 
 of beautv and admiration, without becom- 
 ing intoxicated ; and can drive vour 
 warmest passions to the very edge of 
 ruin, and yet there stop them, I pro- 
 nounce you a greater hero, than Scipio." 
 
 " Heavens ! my dear Charles, what 
 frightful phantoms do you conjure up, 
 about mv talking five or six hours, to a
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 12^ 
 
 most delightful woman, who probably 
 does not care whether I am at this instant, 
 above or below ground/' 
 
 "You don't suspect her of such in- 
 difFerence; I'll be sworn you do not:" re- 
 turned Charles, (an encouraging smile 
 tempering the seriousness of his eyes; ) 
 " come, be sincere with your brother; own 
 to him that you think she distinguished 
 you very particularly; and that it would 
 not terrify you, if she were free at this 
 moment, and doomed to become your 
 wife ?" 
 
 " I should be shockingly ungallant if 
 it did :" exclaimed Demetrius laughing, 
 " however, I'll not dissemble with you 
 Charles: I am certainly abominably vain, 
 for I was last night elevated out of myself,. 
 by Madame de Fontainville's atten- 
 tions; and thought a heap of silly things: 
 but none, none on my honour, that had 
 the slightest criminality in them — You 
 must allow me a little harmless indul- 
 gence of my vanity." —
 
 126 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 " What ! at the expense of her peace^ 
 perhaps?" — interrupted the County " after 
 your flatteries, or frequent society, have 
 alienated her heart from its nuptial vow; 
 in short, when you have made her in love 
 with you, you will end your sport, and 
 call it harmless. Fie, fie, Demetrius 1'* 
 
 Demetrius strove to disguise his vexa- 
 tion under the mask of levity ; '^ pshaw!" 
 he cried, *' in love with a boy like me 1 
 ridiculous !" 
 
 '' Possibly I am too serious," rejoined 
 Charles, after a pause, '^ but you must 
 pardon me, brother, in consideration of 
 the experience I have had of what vanity 
 may lead to. You may think these cau- 
 tions very premature ; but 1 profess my- 
 self one of those physicians who de^4 
 more in preventives than cures." 
 
 " Yes ; but my dear fellow, you would 
 not flay a man alive, with blisters and ca- 
 taplasms, or physic him to death with 
 pills and boluses, when he is in sound 
 health ? — You would not deny me my din-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN! BROTHERS. 127 
 
 iicr, because I fnioJit eat nivself into an 
 apoplexy ; would you r" 
 
 "• You are excellent I know, at the ridi- 
 culous, Demetrius, and I never dare enter 
 its lists with you. All I shall now ven- 
 ture to add, is this: keep a watch over your 
 heart: i>c\er farget that Madame de Foii- 
 t^ainville is married ; and that situated as 
 she is, her reputation is more delicate 
 than that of a single girl. Recollect also, 
 that though to make a woman guilty, is 
 the most heinous of crimes, to make her 
 unhappy is a crime also ; and that no plea 
 of indulging ' harmless vanity,' will si- 
 lence your conscience., when it has to re- 
 proach you, either with the loss of her 
 peace, or of her character." 
 
 '' Ah \ — you are so completely master 
 of yourself," cried Demetrius, with a 
 loud sigh, '' so nice a weigher of possi- 
 bilities and improprieties, and such mat- 
 ters, that I fear — 1 shall never be like you. 
 Consider my dear, dear Charles, this is the 
 very first time I was ever admired \"
 
 128 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 *' Not the first time, I am confident,' 
 replied Charles^ kindly taking the hand 
 that was stretched forth to him, '' other 
 women have admired you as much as Ma- 
 dame de Fontainville, I dare say, but were 
 too discreet to express it." 
 
 *' O ! if it's only a ' dare say,' " cried 
 Demetrius, shrugging up his shoulders ; 
 " but you shall be satisfied. I was to have 
 met Madame de Fontainville at the opera 
 to-night, and I will not go." 
 
 The smallest concession from a beloved 
 person, was always sufficient to endanger 
 the wisdom of Charles : his tender heart, 
 overflowing with the belief of this sacri- 
 jRce, being greater to Demetrius than it 
 really was, would have annihilated all the 
 foregone admonition, had not the fortu- 
 nate entrance of a servant with a note, 
 put an end to their dialogue. The billet 
 presented, contained these words. 
 
 To Count Leopolstat. 
 ' If the brave Charles, will be this night;
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 129 
 
 as the clock strikes twelve, at the great 
 gate of the church of St. Josephine, he 
 will there meet a veiled woman who will 
 conduct him to one, lo?ig interested in his 
 happiness; one, who has a discovery to 
 make, which she trusts will prove far from 
 unwelcome.' 
 
 " Now is your time to impose mortifi- 
 cation upon me ! " said Charles, holding 
 out the note to his brother; " retort if it 
 seem right to you, my dear boy, and be 
 assured that I will stifle both vanity and 
 curiosity, the instant you bid me/* 
 
 " I would not bid you, for the uni- 
 verse !'* exclaimed Demetrius (when he 
 had run over the letter) '' It is from your 
 Unknown 1 — Surely, you make no hesita- 
 tion about going?'* 
 
 " If I thought it were indeed my. Un- 
 known I" answered the other, half breath- 
 less with eagerness; but no — no — I de- 
 ceive myself : — yet stay; though the hand 
 is not the same — the seal." — 
 
 He stopped, and examined the wax. at- 
 G 5
 
 130 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 
 
 tentively. Some impression had evi- 
 dently been made upon it^ which seemed 
 to have been afterwards pressed on^ with 
 the finger; yet parts remained, out of 
 which, either Charles's eye, or his fancy 
 formed fragments of a seal that had al- 
 ways been complete on the letters from 
 his Incognita. — He communicated this to 
 his brother, whose sight being spectacled 
 by credulity, soon discovered a whole 
 eagle where Charles only saw the beak 
 of one ; and every word of a motto, of 
 which no other human being could have 
 described a single letter. 
 
 No sooner had this conjecture ripened 
 by degrees from possibility to probabi- 
 lity, and thence, to certainty, than Deme- 
 trius began guessing about the lady's 
 rank, age, beauty, and merit; drew a por- 
 trait of her person, as confidently as if 
 he had seen her; and betted boldly, that 
 Charles would be her husband in a 
 month. 
 
 ** Nay, my dear fellow !'' he gaily added.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 131 
 
 *' I'd have you take notable care of your- 
 self; for it would not surprize me at 
 all, if this sweet romantic fair, were to 
 have a Divine in the house, and make 
 sure of you this very evening. Now 
 don't loe too sublime, Charles, forgive a 
 little eccentricity for the sake of much 
 affection; and don't insist upon the poor 
 girl, loving you with and ^yithout reason 
 at the same moment. For my part. Love 
 like ' Charity covers a multitude of sins ;' 
 and I only wish, some good kind of body, 
 would take pity upon me, and pick my 
 pocket, of my. heart : for Tm confound- 
 edly tired of its heaviness, and desire 
 nothing more fervently, than to get it 
 agreeably off my hands." — 
 
 " What a fund of mischief, and misery 
 perhaps, lies under this rattle of yours 1" 
 observed Charles. *' Ah, Demetrius, De- 
 metrius ! you know nothing of what you 
 wish. — However, if you are really under 
 vsuch a pressing necessitT to disburthen 
 youi*self of your hearty come with me, and
 
 132 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 I'll shew you an object precisely form- 
 ed to captivate you : the young Princess 
 of Nuremberg." 
 
 *'A Princess! —Good, i'faith !— 1 ve- 
 nerate your prudent recommendation, 
 Charles !"— 
 
 *^ O thou giddy boy ! — you know very 
 well, I would neither have you wretched 
 nor culpable; and of course Princess 
 Constantia is as far removed from you, 
 by the customs of society, as Madame de 
 Font;iinville by the law of heaven : I 
 merely wish to mend your taste, by 
 shewing you a better species of ma- 
 gic."— 
 
 " O your humble servant, sage bro- 
 ther !'' cried Demetrius — '' I now per- 
 ceive from what quarter of the globe, 
 your foregone, woeful cautions have been 
 wafted! From the Paphos of sighs and 
 dreamt, and wishes, and alarms ! — only 
 two hours in your company, and in that 
 short time to bewitch away such a soul 
 as your's ! a soul so guarded round by
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 133 
 
 triple chains of adamantine prudence ! 
 Mercy upon us ! what would have be- 
 come of me then^ whose hearty ( it seems, ) 
 wants nothing but the invitation of a 
 few songs sung after a ball, to lure it for 
 ever and aye, into the first fair bosom, 
 willing to cage it! — Ah well! Chance 
 stood my friend, and by depriving me 
 of the sight of this mortal Venus, saved 
 me from hopeless slavery. As to you, 
 my dear fellow^ I haven't a doubt but 
 that this evening will unrol a romance 
 the length of a furlong, and as marvel- 
 lous as the Legend of St. Dennis. — So 
 allons! for a peep at its Heroine.'' 
 
 Demetrius was all spirits at this mo- 
 ment; he laughed at his brothers serious 
 defence; forgot the preceding lecture; 
 remembered only that Madame de Fon- 
 tainville had sigh'd when they parted; 
 that his feelings were ecstatic; and 
 Charles's Incognita interesting. He 
 therefore set out for the Nuremberg pa.-
 
 134 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHEHS. 
 
 lace with no sensation which was not plea^ 
 sure able. 
 
 The amiable Princess whom the bro- 
 thers sought^ having been early depriv- 
 ed of her mother^ was educated in Ba- 
 varia at the same convent with Mam'- 
 selle de Ingersdorf ; where, the tenderest 
 friendships grew between them. — 
 
 Upon the death of her father. Con- 
 stantia willingly hastened to relinquish 
 even her friend for the task of soothing 
 the forlorn houi-s of her maternal grand- 
 mother; who now childless, and enfee- 
 bled rather by sickness than age, ear- 
 nestly longed for her society. After a 
 residence of two years in Italy, with this 
 venerated relative, Constantia was pre- 
 vailed upon to visit Germany with her 
 uncle's wife ; but a paralytic stroke 
 suddenly seizing the duchess, induced 
 her physician to recal the Princess 
 lonor ere her intended short absence 
 should have terminated.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 135 
 
 Inclination led the brothers to make 
 their first call at Baron Ingersdorf's, \vhere 
 they learned the mortifying tidings of 
 Princess Constantia's departure. A courier 
 had that morning summoned her back 
 to Italy, and she had hurried from the 
 Capital with all the expedition of terrified 
 affection. 
 
 How heavily to Charles, passed the 
 hours of this day ! Fluctuating between 
 the hope of finding his Incognita amia- 
 ble, and the fear that she would be other- 
 wise; now dreading that he was deluded, 
 and now scrutinizing with uneasiness 
 the strange character which prompted 
 such strange conduct; alternately suspect- 
 ing her blameably imprudent, or con- 
 structing for her a marvellous romance 
 capable of solving every mystery, and 
 sanctioning the most erratic actions ; — he 
 nearly agitated himself into a fever. But 
 ■for all this, he certainly wished more fer- 
 vently to find her an old woman, than a 
 young one; one, who would adopt him
 
 136 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 for a son, instead of seeking to make him 
 her husband. — His chief restlessness, arose 
 from a dislike to be thus left wandering 
 in conjecture : for he had no ambition 
 like Demetrius (who secretly indulged 
 the most extravagant expectations:) and 
 no heart like him to give away to a 
 phantom. 
 
 It had been determined by the bro- 
 thers, that they should appear together 
 at the opera, (for Charles would not 
 suffer Demetrius to break a promise made 
 even to Madame de Fontainville, ) and 
 then repair to the church of St. Josephine, 
 where Demetrius was to stay with him 
 till the veiled lady should arrive. This 
 plan was followed. 
 
 Madame de Fontainville piqued at the 
 late entrance of her young admirer, re- 
 ceived him with extreme coldness, be- 
 stowed all her attention, for a short time, 
 on a party of Englishmen wha were witk 
 her, and then suddenly left the theatre. 
 Demetrius shewed such visible raortifi'
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 137 
 
 cation and resentment at this^ that Charles 
 refrained from overpowering him by any 
 observation ; he hoped to see him dis- 
 gusted by her seeming caprice, and suf- 
 fering him therefore, to gnaw the corner 
 of his hat, staid the conclusion of the 
 piece, and then as the clock approached 
 twelve, trod the road to St. Josephine's. 
 
 Charles took the precaution to arm 
 himself; and he was not sorry that he 
 had done so, when Demetrius accidently 
 suggested the possibility of this note be- 
 ing a contrivance of Wurtzburgh's to en- 
 trap and perhaps murder him. — Leopol- 
 stat smiled at the latter surmise; but 
 admitted the likelihood of Wurtzburgh's 
 malice having prompted the poor trick 
 of cheating a sensible man into the folly 
 of thus traversing the suburbs to meet 
 nobody. Impressed with this idea, he 
 heard the clock chime a quarter after the 
 hour, and was just leaving the place, 
 when a female figure in an ordinary 
 dress, yet closely veiled/ advanced from
 
 138 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 behind the portico of the church, aiid 
 softly pronauiiced his name: he started 
 forward ; caught a hasty benediction from 
 Demetrius; then following the woman 
 down a flight of steps, was soon lost amid 
 the obscurity of the night. 
 
 Left thus alone, Demetrius thought 
 of nothing but his brother. — While the 
 adventure was in perspective, it appeared 
 the gayest thing imaginable ; it w^as all 
 delightful mystery, animating interest; 
 but now that he approached this speci- 
 ous pageant, he thrilled with vague ap- 
 prehension ; beheld visions of horror, 
 where he had fancied- elysiums of de- 
 light ; and saw hatred and death, instead 
 of tenderness and beauty. 
 
 Hour after hour, lingered by, and he 
 counted the heavy strokes of the pon- 
 derous clock, with a far heavier heart. 
 The moon that had awhile struggled 
 through the gathering clouds, became 
 now completely obscured; a fierce wind 
 roared among tiie pillars and round the
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 139 
 
 angles of St. Josephine's; and the rising 
 tempest seemed mocking the agonized 
 watchfuhiess of Demetrius : No one was 
 to be heard in the distant streets, but the 
 patroles, whose dismal voices, mingling 
 with the hoarse roar of the Danube, came 
 on the blast like the cry of iJl-omened 
 birds. A violent shower of piercing sleet 
 soon began to fall, and driven by the fu- 
 rious wind, beat in through the open col- 
 lonade; but Demetrius retreated not; his 
 whole soul was with his brother, and he 
 walked wildly to and fro, sometimes uttering 
 a hasty prayer, sometimes execrating his 
 own folly, for having suffered Charles to 
 be thus entrapped. 
 
 Where to seek him he knew not : yet 
 to seek him, to share his fate, whatever 
 that might be, was now his resolution. 
 The clock at that moment struck four, 
 and rushing down the steps, he encoun- 
 tered a person advancing with as much 
 rapidity as himself. 
 
 '' Charles t Charles ! is it you ?" he ex-
 
 140 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 claimed eagerly. His brother's voice, 
 speaking in reply, came on his senses 
 like the first gale of spring ; he could no 
 longer support himself, but falling on his 
 neck, overcome with joy, faintly uttered, 
 " My dear brother !" 
 
 Charles did not see the grateful tear 
 which sprang to the eyes of Demetrius, 
 but he felt the agitated grasp of his hand, 
 and clasping him for an instant to his 
 heart, he took him by the arm, whispering, 
 " Let us begone." Demetrius quickly 
 recovering himself, obeyed in silence. 
 
 When the brothers found themselves 
 safely enjoying the comforts of a warm 
 room, in their own quarters, they were 
 equally solicitous to converse about the 
 events of the night. Charles was tempted 
 to sum up his adventure in a very few 
 words; but knowing his brother's taste 
 was averse to the laconic stile, he related 
 it thus : 
 
 " When I parted from you, my con- 
 ductress led me down a narrow street, at
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. Hi 
 
 the end of which, a small gate let us into 
 a garden, which we traversed silently ; 
 then entered a tolerably fine house, where 
 she shewed me into a room, and there left 
 me. Nothing could be more elegant than 
 the decorations of this apartment; luxury 
 and wealth seemed to have exhausted 
 themselves in the task of constructing it; 
 but my expectations with regard to its 
 fair possessor were considerably abated, 
 when I observed the ceiling painted with 
 designs and figures, which a modest wo- 
 man would blush to remember having 
 once seen : a canopy of purple silk, half 
 shading a Grecian couch, was so impreg- 
 nated with a languishing sort of perfume, 
 that whenever the lightest air moved its 
 curtains, the whole apartment became lus- 
 ciously sweet ; before this, stood a table 
 covered with a sumptuous collation, im- 
 perfectly beheld, by reason of the lamps, 
 which were so contrived as to produce the 
 effect of moonlight. 
 
 " I was beginning to suspect the truth.
 
 142 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 and was in twenty minds whether or not 
 to make good my retreat, when the door 
 of an inner saloon opened, and a lady 
 magnificently attired, appeared at the en- 
 trance. My eyes seemed to mock me, as 
 they fixed on the figure and features of 
 Madame de Fontainville." 
 
 "Madame de Fontainville 1" repeated, 
 Demetrius, suddenly turning pale. 
 
 *' It was not reallv Madame de Fontain- 
 ville,'' resumed Charles, " but a woman so 
 like her, dressed so precisely in her taste, 
 that at the distance, and under the doubt- 
 ful light I saw her by, even the most in- 
 timate of her friends would have been 
 deceived. She approached me with the 
 most alluring gracefulness, and addressed 
 me in a voice sweeter than silver — never 
 did I hear such a voice ! 
 
 " For the honour of the sex, you must 
 allow me to pass over all the pro's and 
 con's of our dialogue : suffice it, the sub- 
 stance was this. She announced herself 
 as the celebrated Signora Albertina, who 
 4
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. Ii3 
 
 SO long has been the melodious ^vonder of 
 Europe, and is now engaged for the opera 
 here. She professed a violent passion for 
 your amazed brother; confessed that it 
 was sufficiently strong to prevent her de- 
 nying him any happiness in her power to 
 bestow; and to avoid the possibility of 
 being misunderstood, assured him, she 
 ■^vas so far from having a mercenary end 
 in view, that she vowed never to accept 
 from him the humblest present : to this 
 she added, a boast of being settled in com- 
 plete affluence by the generosity of Co- 
 lonel Wurtzburg, ' her present protector, 
 by whom she was brought to Vienna.' " 
 
 '' Astonishing ! Well, Charles, and how 
 did you act in such a perplexing di- 
 lemma ?" 
 
 '^ As you, no doubt, would have done — 
 awkwardly thanked the lady for her in- 
 tended kindness ; professed my inability 
 to return so sudden a passion ; hoped it 
 would not be very injurious to her peace^ 
 (having arisen merely from seeing me.
 
 144 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 two or three times on duty); bowed, 
 moved towards the door, and tried to 
 escape : but all this was vain ; she flew to 
 me, acted for two hours, I believe, a most 
 pathetic scene of rage, tenderness, and 
 intreaty ; displayed to great advantage, 
 beautiful arms, trembling vvith either real 
 or feigned agitation, and the loveliest of 
 mouths, breathing nothing but sighs. 
 
 '' I was not to be wrought upon by con- 
 duct so gross : for if it were possible for 
 me to become a libertine, I am. sure no 
 avowed wanton could disorder my brain. 
 So inseparable in my mind are decent 
 restraint and modesty from the character 
 of women, that no one without them could 
 affect even my senses. 
 
 " The Signora defeated in this attack, 
 changed her plan ; railed at me, ridiculed 
 my ' sanctity,' contrasted me with other 
 men ; and exerted a wit so keen and bit- 
 ing, that if I had been of a temper to be 
 bantered out of principle, s.ie might have 
 boasted the glory of doing it.
 
 TMft HUITGARIAN BTIOTHERS. 145 
 
 " As she had taken the keys out of the 
 doors, I was forced to lean quietly against 
 tJie hangings, during her alternate batte- 
 ries of invective and supplication ; but 
 Dot a word did she extract from me. At 
 lengdi she snatched a lute^ and touching 
 it exquisitely, accompanied it with that 
 seducing voice, which almost transported 
 me into the madness of exclaiming — 
 
 ** Sure something holy lodges in that breast, 
 ** And with these warblings moves ihe vocal air, 
 ** To testify its hidden sesidence I" 
 
 •* Nay, her very countenance assumed 
 a divine expression, which pleaded for 
 Wurtzburgh's frailty. The rap't attention 
 with which I listened, inspired her with 
 the hope of having overcome my stub- 
 born virtue, (as she termed it); she re- 
 doubled her blandishments, invited me to 
 partake of the collation before us; and, 
 at last, saying she knew Wurtzburgh had 
 formerly been my enemy, insinuated, 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 J46 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 that she now gave me ample means of 
 revenge. 
 
 '' At this instant^ the creature became 
 hideous in my eyes ; I said, I know not 
 what ; and bursting from her arms, (in 
 which she forcibly twined me), I sent the 
 door through with mv foot, took the 
 flight of stairs at a leap, and was over the 
 garden wall, and by your side, long ere; 
 the Signora, doubtless, had recovered 
 from her astonishment." 
 
 " And this profligate wretch is like 
 Madame de Fontainville !" exclaimed 
 Demetrius, indignantly : *' impossible, 
 Charles!" 
 
 '' You will acknowledge the likeness 
 when you see her on the stage," returned 
 his brother: ^' whether she has, in reali- 
 ty, further resemblance than shape and 
 feature, I know not; but her complexion 
 was either naturally or artificially, as ce- 
 lestial a compound of white and red'.." '. 
 /•'I renounpe Lavater," said Demetrius,: 
 sullenly.
 
 THS HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 147 
 
 *' And I hope, at the same time/ you'll 
 renounce your skill in drawing my horos- 
 cope,** said Charles, laughing ; " your 
 trick of foreseeinof, and knack at disco- 
 covering the complete impression of seals. 
 O brother, brother ! what idiots do not 
 men make of themselves, when they sur- 
 render up their reason to their imagina- 
 tion, as we lately did.'* 
 
 The bixjthers now separated, to obtain 
 an hour's rest. 
 
 A few days after Count Leopblstat'^ 
 intei'view with Signora Albertina, he was 
 surprised by a visit from Colonel Wurtz- 
 .iim'gh: not doubting but that his errand 
 was an hostile one, originating in her mis- 
 representations, "he advanced to meet him 
 ?with the calmness of integrity. Wurtz- 
 rburgb offered his hand; Charles took it; 
 and introduced his brother: the usual 
 common-place compliments were then 
 'succeeded by a silence, which was first 
 broken by the Colonel. 
 
 '' 1 know not what you will think of 
 h2
 
 1 4^ THE HUNGARfAN BROTHERS. 
 
 the motives which have prompted this 
 iinrequested visit," said he, " when I ac- 
 knowledsje them to be a sincere desire to 
 renew our former acquaintance, and a 
 hearty wish to obtain yoitr pardon for 
 former incivility. Many men would shrinlc 
 from such a confession ; and I certainly 
 should, if it were to make to any other 
 man than Count Leopolstat : but my days 
 of competition and mortification are over, 
 and have left me leisure to reflect upon 
 the injustice and folly of such feelings." 
 
 He paused : — Charles eyed him stea- 
 dily ; and with so distinct an expression 
 of incredulity, as to make Wartzburgh 
 reply to it. 
 
 " I have no right to be piqued at this 
 doubtfulness," he observed, '' you shall 
 hear what excuse 1 have to offer, for past 
 coldness, and may then decide." 
 
 Charles bowed. 
 
 '' When you and I first met,'* resiimed 
 the Colonel, " 1 had just emerged from 
 the house of a fatiier, who educated me
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 149 
 
 in idleness, pampered all my passions, 
 restrained none of my evil habits, in- 
 dulged the most extravagant of my wishes, 
 and perpetually prophecied that I should 
 attain the heights of military glory. He 
 died intestate just as I entered the army ; 
 leaving my fate in the hands of a rich 
 severe uncle, who was too morose to re- 
 form my folly, by gentleness ; and whose 
 constant reproofs therefore, only exasper- 
 ated me into rage. This uncle thought 
 it well to let me remain some time a 
 subaltern, and to limit my allow^ance: I 
 had expected such rapid promotion ( from 
 the connexions of my family) and had 
 been used to such unlimited expense, that 
 I grew half frantic with resentment; saw 
 every thing and every body in a hateful 
 light ; abhorred the whole world, and was 
 in short, as you know, a very disagreeable 
 fellow. 
 
 " Further than a little envying of your 
 renown, and rude repulsing of your 
 friendliness, my ill humour never went ;
 
 150 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 heaven is my witness, that it did not !- 
 No, though you v/ere destined at Mantua^, 
 to blight my tenderest hopes — forgive 
 me// he added, (seeing the colour fluctu- 
 ate on the cheek of Charles ) "1 ought not . 
 to touch on so sad a subject.'* 
 
 He cast down his eyes as he spoke, evi- 
 dently much agitated, himself 
 
 *' To continue silent now/' said Leopol-: 
 Stat, after a pause, " would be ungrateful 
 or stupid. I will be very candid with you. 
 Colonel Wurtzburgh, and confess that 
 not a month ago, I spoke of you, to my 
 brother here, as the only man whom I felt 
 certain, wished me ill. If I wronged you 
 by saying so, accept my unfeigned re- 
 gret.*' 
 
 '' You did wrong me. Count !^' replied 
 the other. '' I own that my manners were 
 forbidding enough to authorize such a be- 
 lief ! and I know very well that when once 
 the mind takes up an unfavourable opi- 
 nion of another, it is too apt to convert 
 suspicions into certainties. You had ene-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN brothers: 151 
 
 mies in Italy, but they werc smiling ehc"4 
 mies ; men you never suspected ; while 
 I, doubtless, appeared the person most 
 likely to thwart your advancement. My 
 sincerity may admit of this proof. 
 
 '' If I were your enemy in Italy, because 
 you were admired, praised, and promoted* 
 w^hy should I not continue so, (nay, in- 
 crease in malice) since you are now far 
 more praised, honoured, and promoted, 
 than before ? You are not yet powerful 
 enough to assist. me — nay, I am now re- 
 moved from the possibility of wishing it* 
 What interest can I have in humbling my- 
 self to one I am supposed to hate, when 
 fate has placed me at the summit of my 
 desires? — My uncle is no more; 1 have 
 at last procured the m.ilitary rank which I 
 had a right to expect, and am master of an 
 ample fortune. Does this statement seem 
 fair to your" 
 
 '' So fair," replied Charles, " that I 
 blush to have pressed a man, capable of 
 such a frank avowal, into so painful a
 
 152 THr HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 task. I am sure no one can have inter- 
 ested views in seeking my friendship; 
 yoii^ less than all men ; and I therefore 
 heartily exchange the olive; pledging 
 myself not to suffer a single prejudice to 
 interfere with our future intercourse. 
 
 " But remember this. Colonel^, I am a^ 
 nice in friendship as in love; and I may 
 live in the constant interchange of good 
 ofnces with you, or any other worthy man, 
 for years, without finding him or you so 
 intimately dear to me, as to privilege me 
 in bestowing on you, the comprehensive 
 title of friend. You see I am dreadfully 
 blunt, Colonel: does it displease you?" 
 
 *' Not in the least. Count; I accept 
 your terms: confident that your nature is 
 too generous not to repay me amply, for 
 the little injustice you have mentally done 
 me. When you shall find that I have 
 really nothing so much at heart as acquir- 
 ing a title to your esteem, I know you will 
 add to that a more cordial sentiment : till 
 then, I rest satisfied ; and now request that
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 153 
 
 you and your brother ^vill do me the ho- 
 nour of meeting Field Marshal , at 
 
 dinner at my house to-morrow/' 
 
 This invitation was gracefully accepted ; 
 and a general conversation followed, in 
 which Wurtzburgh bore his part with some 
 degree of credit : the fluctuating mea- 
 sures of the Austrian cabinet, and the 
 probability of renewed hostilities, were 
 the theme of discourse; after amply dis- 
 cussing which, they separated with mu- 
 tual assurances of good-will. So extra- 
 ordinary an interview, gave rise to much 
 speculation between the brothers. De- 
 metrius gloried in such an hoiiourable in- 
 stance of self-imposed mortification ; pro- 
 tested he hated himself, for having so 
 heartily hated Wurtzburgh ; and adverted 
 with enthusiasm, to the honest confidence 
 with vvhich the Colonel had said, ' he re- 
 lied on Leopolstat's generous nature for 
 amply repaying the injustice he had 
 mentally done him.' 
 
 In this expression, Demetrius disco- 
 11 5
 
 154 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 vered the sign of as generous a spirit ; a 
 spirit, which by conceiving the nobleness 
 of another^ proved its own right to res- 
 pect. 
 
 Charles was less certain^ and therefore 
 less voluble : the longer he reflected on 
 the Colonel's character, and past conduct, 
 the more reason did he find for doubting 
 the reality of his disinterestedness, and 
 the greater was the struggle in his breast> 
 between reliance and caution. Yet he 
 canvassed the subject again and again; 
 viewed it in every light, and found no- 
 thing to warrant his suspicions. 
 
 '' But this self-abasement, this frank 
 avowal of unamiableness/' he said to him- 
 self, " is so great, so magnanimous ! it is 
 so unlikely for such a disposition as'' — 
 
 Here he stopped, glowing with shame to 
 find a prejudice thus rooted, w^hich he had 
 so lately declared should be for ever an- 
 nihilated. 
 
 '' Hov7 can I be such a wretch," he ex- 
 claimed, '* as to refuse belief to this man's
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 155 
 
 sincerity, for no other reason than be- 
 cause, if he be sincere, he is one of the 
 noblest-minded of men! — away with such 
 odious scepticism, such worldly-wisdom !'* 
 Charles then reverted with pleasure to 
 his escape from the alkirements of Signora 
 Albertina; to which if he had yielded, he 
 would now have felt himself inferior in 
 every way to Wurtzburgh ; but while he 
 thought of her, his ardour cooled again ; 
 and he could not help acknowledging to 
 his brother, that although Wurtzburgh was 
 most probably capable of much good, his 
 character sullied by a gross attachment to 
 a profligate woman, must have some points 
 from which that of Charles would eter- 
 nally revolt.
 
 15G THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 During the course of a month, from this 
 period, many changes took place in the 
 hearts and situations of the brothers. 
 They associated occasionally with Colonel 
 Wurtzburgh ; and perceiving in him no- 
 thing but kindness, soon forgot that he 
 had ever been the object of their dislike. 
 Winrt^burgh was neither philosophical, 
 nor poetical ; nor skilled in any of those 
 delightful arts which, embellishing our lei- 
 sure hours, add a polish to virtue; the 
 most ordinary man in creation, v/as his 
 equal in all these things ; but he had dis- 
 covered the important secret of supplying 
 his own defects, by the qualities of others ; 
 and he therefore invited to his house.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 157 
 
 only such as excelled in society. The 
 brothei*s hearing round his table, the sal- 
 lies of wit, and the observations of wis- 
 dom ; always receiving there, extreme 
 pleasure, imperceptibly associated every 
 thing that was agreeable with his image. 
 Nothing, alas ! is so common as this error^ 
 and nothing is more dangerous. 
 
 A% the Colonel had discretion enough 
 never to mention his mistress, Charles saw 
 her only on the stage; from the distance 
 of which, even Demetrius himself, unwil- 
 lingly acknowledged her resemblance to 
 Madame de Fontainville. Sometimes 
 Charles doubted the truth of the Signora's 
 assertion ; and sometimes he indulged the 
 agreeable belief, thatWurtzburgh's evident 
 attention to what he said upon the subject 
 of such degrading connections, produced 
 the fruit of reformation. 
 
 The Colonel did indeed win on his 
 esteem, by a silent relinquishment of 
 many habits which he censured ; and as 
 this was done without boastj even while
 
 158 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 he appeared zealous to evince the high 
 rate at which he valued his good opi- 
 nion^ Charles could no longer refuse it 
 to him. 
 
 Wurtzburgh had long sought an oppor- 
 tunity to oblige the brothers ; and a me* 
 thod shortly presented itself. There hap- 
 pened a vacancy in his regiment, which 
 he immediately imparted to Demetrius, 
 who had earnestly wished to quit the in- 
 fantry, and who was therefore easily per- 
 suaded to accept a commission, which 
 gave him rank, and removed him into the 
 light cavalry. 
 
 For some time, Charles dissuaded his 
 brother from incurring such obligation, 
 and attaining promotion,, ere his services 
 had entitled him to it. 
 
 5*^ Wait till you have made one cam- 
 paign, my dear fellow," he added : " every 
 one predicts that we are on the verge of 
 a war, and therefore you will not have 
 long to wait : be able to shew an ho- 
 nourable title to rapid advancement ; and
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 159 
 
 do not ^ou add to the idle race that are 
 content to be elevated by the exertions of 
 others. 
 
 " I hate the system of interest altoge- 
 ther; and protest that I think not even a 
 Prince has any claim to military rank, 
 unless he can urge the plea of long or 
 great sei-viccs. You can urge neither, 
 my Demetrius. You have not yet been 
 five months a soldier, and all that time 
 your regiment has been in Vienna. Do 
 not then blast the bright fame, which I 
 fondly foresee, by forestalling its rewards 1 
 if you refuse promotion till you have 
 earned it, every new commission will be 
 a new register of your glory ; but if you 
 thus push prematurely forward, through 
 friendly interest, no one w^ill take the 
 trouble to inquire why you are, hereafter; 
 a major-general or field-marshal. ' 
 
 '' I would have you ambitious of de- 
 serving honours, not of obtaining them. 
 Ever fix your eye upon desert, rather thaii 
 reward ; and believe me, reward will fol-
 
 160 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 low of course ; at leasts that of inward 
 approbation. Rewards which sacrifice ei- 
 ther to pride or vanity^ are below a sol- 
 dier's wishes. I do assure you, my dear 
 brother^ that I have never received such 
 exquisite pleasure from the flattering 
 eulogiums bestowed upon my public ac- 
 tions, (because it cost me nothing to 
 brave death in a just cause), as I did at 
 your age, when I made a conquest over 
 vanity, either from principle, or for the 
 sake of compassion. You know not what 
 a hero I used to feel myself, after having 
 given up the folly of a new cap, or sabre- 
 tash, when an unfortunate soldier's wife 
 happened provokingly to lie in, upon a 
 march. For to say the truth, 1 com- 
 menced my career with a dash of the cox- 
 comb in me ; and piqued myself then as 
 much upon my good figure and good 
 taste, as you may now do upon your's. 
 
 " From what has been said, you will 
 discover that I have very peculiar notions 
 on the subject of promotion ; but you see
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 1(51 
 
 they have ivot injured me : nay, their very 
 rigidity, by leaving me no other resource, 
 has obliged me to make efforts to be dis- 
 tinguished." 
 
 *' You are quite right — say no more, 
 dear Charles," cried Demetrius, all in a 
 glow with virtuous shame ; '' I blush at 
 being so inconsiderate as to have wished 
 for this promotion ; and I promise you, 
 that if there be a war, I will shew a score 
 of scars for every fresh commission." 
 
 Charles looked at his brother's ani^ 
 mated countenance with the purest de- 
 light. 
 
 " I know it is your wish to get into the 
 horse,*' he said ; " and if Colonel Wurtz- 
 burgh will procure the Arch-duke's per- 
 mission for your translation from the in- 
 fantry to the cavalry, I see no possible 
 reason why you should not accept o[ a 
 cornetcy in his regiment." 
 
 Demetrius was in such ecstacics at this 
 sfuggestion, that he would not allow his 
 l»rother time to reconsider it; but hur-
 
 162 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS; 
 
 tied him away to Colonel Wurtzburgh's> 
 where the plan was immediately arranged, 
 and in a few days completed. 
 
 Charles would not so readily have pro- 
 moted this alteration, had he not secretly 
 hoped it would remove Demetrius from 
 the metropolis, where the most serious 
 dangers began to threaten his peace and 
 his integrity. Madame de Fontainville, 
 too much pleased with the beauty and 
 spirit of Demetrius, to relinquish the wish 
 of adding him to her train of slaves, ac- 
 cidentally encountered him, as he was 
 coming alone out of the opera-house. 
 A vast concourse of people and carriages 
 rendered it difficult for her father, (who 
 was her sole companion ), to get his coach 
 near the door, and as he left her, for a 
 moment, to seek one of his servants, De- 
 metrius passed her. 
 
 At the sound of a female voice, timidly 
 pronouncing his name, he turned hastilv 
 round, and beheld the beautiful object of 
 his former admiration and pique, stand->
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 163? 
 
 ing amid a current of air, in a solitary 
 waiting-room, totally unguarded. For-"^ 
 getting every thing, except the delightful- 
 emotion her first notice had excited in 
 him, he sprang forwards, exclaiming — '■ 
 " Alone ! unprotected ! and I so fortu-- 
 nate as to see you \" 
 
 _ While he spoke, he seized her hand,* 
 without any consciousness of having done 
 so, till its soft yielding texture made him 
 sensible of the most exquisite pleasure. 
 
 . " I ought to be very angry with you," 
 said the lovely Fontainville, (faintly try- 
 ing to withdraw her hand, which indeed 
 only emboldened him to press it more 
 fenently), " and ought to refuse your 
 assistance ; but my anger is always as", 
 short-lived as it is violent ; and never 
 violent, except when created by some one' 
 I like very much." 
 
 The last words were almost lost, from 
 the low, sighing tone, in which she said 
 them ; but the heart of Demetrius was in 
 his ear, and he heard them too clearly.
 
 164 THE HUNGABUAN; BROtHERS. 
 
 The smothered fire now burst forth : 
 he murmured apologies, thanks, protesta- 
 tion, and passion, over the hand which he 
 alternately pressed to his breast and to 
 his lips; and Madame de Fontainville, 
 (too fearful of losing the lover she had 
 wished, so earnestly to gain; too tender 
 to be discreet ; too innocent to imagine 
 that forbearance might licence him in the 
 most irregular hopes;) suffered him to 
 sigh and vow unreproved. 
 
 The Marquis de Liancour, her father, 
 terminated this scene : and Demetnus 
 saw them seated in the carriage, after 
 pleading a pre-engagement as an excuse 
 for declining their joint invitation to 
 supper. 
 
 What did it not cost him to do so ? He 
 was wild with an imperious passion, 
 which had its origin in vanity and the 
 senses; a passion which was now assuming 
 a tenderer cast, from the evident sensi- 
 bility of Madame de Fontainville : he wa& 
 Sfuddenly traaslated from mortification
 
 THE HUKGARIAN BROTHERS. 165 
 
 into transport; and in place of cold words 
 or averted looks, was permitted to breathe 
 the breath of love, over the fairest hand 
 in the universe ; to gaze unchastized, (ex- 
 cept by kindling blushes, ) on eyes which 
 met his with melting forgiveness ; and to 
 hear himself named as the object of her 
 peculiar partiality : great was the sacrifice, 
 yet he made it to fraternal affection. 
 
 Politeness required that Demetrius 
 should call the next morning to inquire 
 after the Marquis and his daughter. Charles 
 foreboded the event of such an acquies- 
 cence with the forms of society ; but how 
 couM he hurt the feelings of his brother 
 by any strong expression of uneasiness, 
 when that brother had so recently given 
 proofs of his self-control ! Demetrius 
 went therefore. 
 
 Alas ! fram that fatal morning, was to 
 be dated the ^nd of his self-command. 
 Madame de Fontainville was iiTesistible, 
 not only in beauty, but accomplishments: 
 she possessed talents for every art which
 
 16t3 THE HUNGAPvIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 captivates the taste or the senses ; and 
 though without a single solid acquire- 
 ment, had a sensibility so tender as to 
 become infectious. Educated in the dis- 
 solute court of France, she knew no fixed 
 principles; yet her propensities being all 
 inclined to good, and no object having 
 till now excited one lawless wish, she had 
 reached the age of three and twenty with 
 perfect innocence. Her habits of life re- 
 lieved her from the necessity of reflection ; 
 and conscious of no sflarino^ evil in her 
 heart, she yielded, without scrutinizing 
 them, to all its impulses. ■ 
 
 Monsieur de Fontainville had been the 
 choice of her father — he deserted the 
 • court partv, to which she was passionately 
 attached ; and from that hour she disliked 
 him. When he voted for the death of 
 the virtuous Louis, she separated from 
 him with horror. Without a friend to di- 
 rect it, the very amiableness of Madanfe 
 de Fontainville's nature, led her into 
 error : she wished to please, not merely
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 167 
 
 -from vanity, yet was too ill-instructed to 
 know of any other method, than that of 
 looking handsome, and being good-tem- 
 pered ; her triumphs consequently, were 
 devoid of insolence, her rivalry, without 
 malice. 
 
 Destitute of children, she felt a void in 
 -her heart which indeed had never been 
 filled, but which ceased to be, the instant 
 she beheld Demetrius: Hurried away by a 
 sudden desire to please, to charm, to rivet 
 him, she did not ask herself why she 
 wisked it^ or how such a conquest might 
 terminate. Till now, she had never ob- 
 sierved in - others, and never had occasion 
 to pbserVe in herself, that Love advances 
 from wish to wish, till nothing is left it to 
 desire :^ that each separate gratification, 
 till attained, , is falsely thought the boun- 
 dary of our views ] and that even the most 
 upright, having once suffered themselves 
 to respire the killing- air of unsanctioned 
 passion, lose all Just notions of vice and 
 virtue.^ - -
 
 168 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 Madame de Fontainville had cer- 
 tainly seen many handsome men, before 
 she saw Demetrius; but never any 
 whose countenance was so love-inspiring 
 a compound of beauty, spirit, and sensi- 
 bility : these graces, captivated her, with- 
 out being analyzed by her reason; and 
 yet had they not all shone upon her M 
 once, she would still have remained free. 
 
 Aft^r one visit at the Marquis de Lian* 
 cour*s, Demetrius found himself unable to 
 resolve upon never making a second : his 
 senses w ere soon bound in hopeless slavery 
 by the various charms of Madame de 
 Fontainville ; his heart was melted by 
 her softness; and from often listening to 
 the animated story of her husband's poli- 
 tical apostacy, and her enthusiastic fond- 
 jiess, for the unfortunate Aatoinette, be 
 grew into an impatient longing for that 
 husbands death. 
 
 How rapid, yet how undiscernaMe, ^are 
 the encroachments of vicious desires ! 
 These two persons who had so lately loved 
 4
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 169 
 
 without forming a wish, beyond a kind 
 look or word • who had satisfied their 
 uneasy consciences by the solemn assur- 
 ance, that to know they were beloved, 
 to pass their lives only in seeing and 
 sympathizing with each other, would for 
 ever limit their thoughts; — these two 
 persons, were now agitated with restless 
 anticipations, occasionally lost in wild 
 probabilities, or striving to extenuate the 
 guiltiness of future guilt. — Demetrius, 
 had reached that fatal period, w^hen pas- 
 sion puts out the eyes of reason, reli- 
 gion, and shame; weakens the energy 
 of domestic ties ; confuses every moral 
 perception ; and leaves the amazed soul, 
 like the wretched Phaeton, driving furi- 
 ously towards that very ruin, she has no 
 ionger strength to avoid. Madame de 
 Fontainville, was sunk in a destructive 
 tenderness, which left her neither power 
 to struggle against her own weakness, 
 nor to reproach that of her lover : he 
 was now, dearer to her than life, repu- 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 170 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 tation^ or happiness, and he could have 
 exacted no sacrifice which she would have 
 hesitated to make. 
 
 O ^s retched pair ! where were the 
 Guardian Angels, that were to step in 
 and save ye from yourselves! 
 
 What a different train of feelings, were 
 at this time, awakening in the heart of 
 Charles 1 
 
 In the contemplation of beauty veiled 
 by bashfulness and love ; shrinking from 
 its own modest glance, he was losing his 
 peace, without diminishing his virtue. 
 Nothing is more certain than that a ge- 
 nuine passion, takes its character from 
 the character of the object : Charles 
 therefore, loved with purity. — 
 
 Having never suffered himself to be 
 seduced by his imagination, he had never 
 been in danger from an attack made upon 
 the fancy through the eyes : he admired 
 external graces without being agitated 
 by them ; till the knowledge of rarer 
 charms, those of the heart and under-
 
 THE HttNGAAlAN BROTHERS. 171 
 
 "Standing, threis^ a bright light over beau- 
 ties, hitherto faintly noticed ; and soon 
 added to the sentiments of esteem, ten- 
 derness, admiration, and respect^ all that 
 was wanting to complete the compound 
 passion of love. 
 
 When Leopolstat was first introdiiced 
 to the friendship of Baron Ingersdorf^ 
 the recent loss of Signora Berghi, and 
 the information of Adelaide's engage- 
 ment, rendered him fearless of any painful 
 consequences resulting from his intimate 
 Acquaintance with her: he had so long 
 armed himself against the attack of mere 
 beauty, that he .justly believed it would 
 be more difficult for a handsome vroman 
 to win his affections, than one, apparently 
 less dangerous. Adelaide, was indeed the 
 VeiT woman to disarm him of caution, 
 Smd the very woman against whom all 
 his caution ought to have been exerted. 
 
 Her character, was the lovely result f 
 that perfect SYmmetry> that harmonious 
 arrangement of propriety and grace.
 
 172 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 ^vhere every excellence appeal's in its 
 fairest order^ and every grace has its use : 
 finely-constructed throughout, it ofTered 
 no eccentric ornament, for description 
 to seize and distinguish ; but like Grecian 
 Architecture, uniting the sublime with 
 the beautiful, rose in the observers esti- 
 mation, from every fresh survey. 
 
 After Charles became intimate enough, 
 to have familiar access to the house of 
 Baron Ingersdorf, he gradually ceased to 
 consider Adelaide as merely amiable ; and 
 began to view her character with equal 
 surprize and interest. It was indeed a 
 novelty to find a young Beauty abso- 
 lutely incredulous of her conquests; to 
 see her cultivating her thinking powers 
 with the liveliest assiduity; and perform- 
 ing every action of life with a careful 
 humbleness which evidently flowed from 
 a deep sense of religious and moral du- 
 ties: how then, were these virtues em- 
 bellished by a temper of unvarying sweet- 
 ness, a cheerfulness which gladdened the
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 173 
 
 soul like summer suns, and a sensibility 
 infinitely diffused yet ever proportio- 
 nate to its objects ! — 
 
 Dispositions so congenial, could not 
 long remain indifferent to each other : 
 yet their progress from dispassionate ap- 
 probation, to the most exclusive pre- 
 ference, was so gentle, that neither of 
 them were conscious of the chan2:e. 
 
 At first, Adelaide beheld Count Leo- 
 polstat with admiration exactly adequate 
 to his well-earned reputation: but as she 
 became intimate with him, the tender- 
 ness of his heart, (which was indeed its 
 prime quality;) imperceptibly won upon 
 the tenderness of her own; and she loved 
 to contemplate that sweetness accompany- 
 ing his magnanimity, which seemed to be 
 at once its cause and its reward. 
 
 Many men, perform meritorious acti- 
 ons and therefore demand our esteem: 
 unless these actions appear to flow with- 
 out constraint, and delight them in the 
 performance, they fail to conciliate af-
 
 174 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 fection. Nothing which Charles did for 
 his brother^ or the unfortunate^ had any 
 merit in his own eyes, because he had 
 early banished such inclinations as weaken 
 benevolence ; he was therefore, unaffect- 
 edly astonished at being praised for what 
 cost him nothing; and New PJuloaophers 
 might perhaps have denied his claim to 
 praise : Adelaide was wiser than these 
 philosophers; she knew that at some 
 former period he must ha'> e .made great 
 sacrifices to preserve him&eif from selfish 
 sensibility, and she formed a- just estimate 
 of his deserts. 
 
 Whenever she was touched by the djV 
 play of any excellence hitherto conceal- 
 ed, she used to wish that the young 
 Count intended for her husband, might 
 also possess it: but quickly this wish 
 ceased to arise ; till at length, she dwelt 
 ou the .noble and endearing qualities of 
 Charles, without once thinking of ano- 
 ther. Forshiem, was indeed little more 
 than a phantom to her: they had not
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 17a 
 
 met, since they were children ; and now 
 that she every day every hour beheld^ or 
 contemplated the most admirable reality, 
 her engagements became dream-like ; she 
 forgot their steadfastness, or remembered 
 it only as a dissolute man does the cer- 
 tainty of death, with a momentary shoot 
 of terror. 
 
 The education of Adelaide had been such 
 as qualified her for appreciating the 
 richly-stored mind of Charles : he always 
 found her eager to listen, whenever he 
 discussed with Baron Ingersdorf, the 
 topics which women are deemed unable 
 to comprehend: He never felt restrained 
 in his conversation, or forced to lower 
 its strain lo the pitch of an inferior ca- 
 pacity, but was accustomed to commune 
 as freely with her intellect, as with his 
 own. This intimacy so propitious to the 
 growth of a well-grounded affection, 
 authorized an animated friendship, which 
 for a long time lulled them into fatai
 
 176 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 security. A trifling incident removed the 
 veil from Leopolstat's eyes. 
 
 He was one morning drawing by the 
 side of Adelaide, who was beginning to 
 attempt the art, under his instructions, 
 when the Baron appearing for an instant 
 at the door of the apartment, said in a 
 pleased tone, '* Your Father is come, my 
 dear, and Count Forshicm.' The next 
 moment Adelaide was in the arms of her 
 father, who presented her hand to For- 
 ^hiem with grcnt emotion. 
 
 As the Count respectfully put it to his 
 Tips, and the crimson suddenly fled the 
 fcheek of Adelaide, Charles found new 
 ^ight break in upon his heart. Forshicm 
 was then, the happy man whom Baron 
 Ingersdorf had spoken of as the future 
 husband of his niece, but whose name^ 
 till this day, had never been mentioned. 
 Like one awaking from a frightful dream, 
 bewildered and distracted, all his faculties 
 were absorbed in the conviction of being
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 17/ 
 
 henceforth doomed to the tortures of 
 imprudent affection. He was indeed 
 thrown so entirely off his guard, that the 
 expression of his eyes, ( as he unconsci- 
 ously fixed them upon Adelaide, ) attract- 
 ed the attention of her father. 
 
 " You are not well, Sir, I think," said 
 the veteran (in a voice which united 
 roughness and gentleness ;) Charles start- 
 ed — a deep suffusion covered his face, 
 while bowing, he stammered out a hesi- 
 tating affirmative. 
 
 The person he addressed, seemed 
 scarcely to hear the answer, for he was 
 lost in earnest contemplation of Leopol- 
 stat's mild yet manly beauty : the Field- 
 Marshal's war-worn countenance was not 
 indeed adapted to the expression of so 
 youthful a feeling as admiration, but 
 Charles could not mistake its meaning-, 
 and o^lanced in return with equal pleasure 
 on the veteran's martial aspect and silver 
 hairs. 
 
 " I am an abominably rude old fellow/' 
 I 5
 
 17S THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 cried the latter, (suddenly recovering 
 himself;) '* but Sir, if you knew how 
 much I respect brave men ; and how hap- 
 py I am,, thus to shake hands in my bro- 
 ther's house, with the ablest officer of his 
 time, you would forgive a little staring. — • 
 You look like an excellent soldier^ Count I 
 i hate white-and-red ones." 
 
 *' Not without they have had an oppor- 
 tunity of becoming otherwise, I hope ?" 
 returned Charles, trying to smile. 
 
 The Marshal nodded assent, then re- 
 sumed. 
 
 ** You made the campaigns of Ninety- 
 six and Seven, in Italy I think ; I should like 
 to hear you speak of them. Though age 
 and infirmities have cruelly disabled 7ne 
 iVom serving my dear country, yet I listen 
 with interest to the naiTations of those 
 who do serve her. What is your opinion 
 
 of General A ? Do you think his 
 
 disasters were all blunders ?' 
 
 Charles hesitated an instant, and then 
 said. —
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 179 
 
 " This is a subject, Sir^ upon which I 
 would not vohinteer an opinion perhaps 
 erroneous, particularly as it is decidedly 
 against that General ; but since you ask it^ 
 I cannot refrain from giving my reasons 
 for pronouncing every one of his disas- 
 fei-s, either atrocious follies, or flagitious 
 crimes. I run the risk of committing 
 myself, I know, (he added, modestly co- 
 louring;) there is almost unpardonable 
 temerity, in a young soldier thus hazard- 
 ing crude speculations before the ripened 
 judgment of Field-marshal Ingersdorf." 
 
 '' Your crude speculations, have pro- 
 duced excellent fruit, however/' cried 
 the Marshal, "so don't withhold them: 
 besides, I see you will furnish me additio- 
 nal excuses for my contempt of A . 
 
 Why the deuce did ve not all, cr^o- and 
 chain him^ before he issued his blunder- 
 ing orders, and used his infernal legs so 
 ably in running r — Defend him ! — if any 
 man were to atteinpt such an act of 
 rascality in my presence, I'd exterminate ' 
 
 I
 
 180 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 him.- — Was he a fool or a rogue, I v'ant 
 to know ? — did he sell his brains to the 
 enemv, or had he none to sell t" — 
 
 '' He had none to sell, I verily be- 
 lieve;" returned Leopolstat, '' a very few 
 objects were .sufficient to overwhelm his 
 small capacity; he was in the field, like a 
 booby in a dance, who seems suddenly 
 bereft both of eyes and ears^ turns inces- 
 santly wrong, skips eternally out of time, 
 and growing more confused the more he 
 is bawled to, at last stands death-still, and 
 puts every body in the same state of 
 immobility/' 
 
 *' Ha ! ha ! ha ! A charmin"- simile! — 
 go on Count, pray." 
 
 Charles now entered upon a serious 
 investigation of the m^ilitary causes in 
 which the misfortunes of that campaign 
 had their origin : and while so doing, 
 displayed so much warlike talent, such 
 accurate observation, such a lucid ar- 
 rangement of events and their remotest 
 consequences, thit the old officer's eye.;
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 181 
 
 Sparkled with approbation. From the 
 discussion of an individuaPs actions, he 
 drew Charles into a detail of the whole 
 campaign. Too well-bred to refuse satis- 
 fying the Marshal's curiosity, and too mo- 
 dest to bring forward his own merits, he 
 related its different circumstances with 
 simplicity and faithfulness, but without 
 a particle of vanity. Sometimes he check- 
 ed the curt-ent of his subject, to pay the 
 tribute of admiration to the abilities of 
 an enemy, or to rescue the character of 
 the Republicans, from some undeserved 
 obloquy. Ther€ was the more generosity 
 in this, because he was rtn ardent foe to 
 their destructive system, and their thirst 
 of universal dominion. 
 
 From the eccentric, yet agreeable 
 commendations of the veteran, Charles 
 longed to break ; he longed to remove from 
 thefiight of Forshiem and Adelaide. They 
 were standing together, at the end of 
 the apartment, convei'sing in low tones; 
 and though Count Forshiem might have
 
 1S9 THE HUNGARIAN BUOTHERS. 
 
 moved there to examine a picture, it was 
 more probable that the removal proceed- 
 ed from a tenderer motive. 
 
 ^^ At such a time as this, sty/' said Leo- 
 polstat (averting his agitated countenance 
 from the steady gaze of his^ companion. ) 
 " I feel myself an intruder. Have I your 
 permission to withdraw ?'* — 
 
 '^ You are in a great hurry, young 
 man !" replied the Marshal somewhat 
 peevishly, yet grasping him cordially by 
 the hand; "what the deuce is there in 
 Adelaide In^rersdorPs father, to make vou 
 believe him a whitless sensible of your 
 merits, than any other man ?'' — 
 
 " Yon over-rate them, so much Sir,'* 
 answered Charles, '' that it is my interest, 
 perhaps, to leave you without metiiis of 
 discovei'ing your error/' 
 
 " Tis well you put in a ^ perhaps,' 
 you agreeable puppy !" returned the ve« 
 teran, " or by my Cross, I'd have knocked 
 you down. Come — throw away your 
 hat— I am not a weeping and wailing
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 185 
 
 father; I don't visit my daughter for the 
 mere purpose of wetting a score of 
 pocket-handkerchiefs, or of sitting op- 
 posite her at dinner, with a face like a 
 skull and cross bones : (what do you cast 
 up your lack-a-daisical eyes at. For- 
 shiem ? — ) I rejoice to see the worthless 
 baggage happy in the midst of enlivening 
 company. So, do you hear, put away 
 your hat; stay and make one of our do- 
 mestic party ; and remember, that Max- 
 amilion Ingersdorf never could endure 
 to see a face for two minutes, which he 
 would not love to look on, all the rest of 
 his life."— 
 
 At these words, (pronounced with the 
 greatest sensibility ; ) the old officer beck- 
 oned to his daughter, apologized for a 
 short absence, and disappeared: leaving 
 Charles, to recover as he could, from the 
 pleasing astonishment into which they 
 had thrown him. 
 
 '' If you have never heard the Field- 
 marshal, particularly described," said
 
 184 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHER?. 
 
 Count Forshieni;, approaching Leopolstat, 
 *' his manner must exceedingly surprize 
 you. It is certainly strange^ unceremo- 
 nious — but I assure you^ he is the most 
 amiable man breathing. I have had the 
 happiness of knowing him, ever since my 
 memory could retain anything ; I there- 
 fore, speak upon certainties.'* 
 
 Never before, was Charles at such a 
 loss for conversation : his mind was wholly 
 employed in anxious scrutiny of the 
 young Count, to which a suspicion, that 
 he was not perfectly agreeable to Ade- 
 laide, gave the keenest interest. Yet 
 Forshiem was formed to please : his ap- 
 pearance was strikingly elegant, his coun- 
 tenance spirited though not handsome, 
 and his address characteristic of a noble, 
 frankness. Charles had served with him 
 in Alsace ; but as they were in difTcrent 
 brigades and seldom quartered in the 
 same neighbourhood, they knew little 
 more of each other than what re-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 185 
 
 port furnished. Report however, had 
 spoken highly of each. — 
 
 A few minutes, were sufficient to res- 
 tore the balance of Leopolstat's mind: he 
 resumed his self-possession^ and replied to 
 the Count with equal amenity. 
 
 Charles now learnt from Forshiem, that 
 the Marshal's visit to Vienna, was a mere 
 visit of business. He was come to consult 
 his brother, upon the subject of a vexa- 
 tious law-suit, long since instituted 
 against him at Munich ; on the event 
 of which, rested the prime part of a for- 
 tune inherited from his wife. This suit 
 was the more vexatious, as it had not the 
 shadow of right, and was so artfully em- 
 broiled, so intricately confused, by the 
 adverse party, (a distant relation of the 
 late Madame IngersdorPs, ) that it was 
 likely to hang suspended, many more 
 months. Forshiem added to this account 
 the information of his purpose to return 
 with the Marshal, the next day to Mu • 
 pich.
 
 186 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 Just as Leopolstat was secretly congra- 
 tulating himself upon the latter circum- 
 stance, the family joined them. 
 
 Rapidly flew the day, to all but Charles. 
 The Marshal communicated his own hi- 
 larity ; the Baron smiled with fraternal 
 pleasure at his brother's strange sallies ; 
 and the Baroness had the delight of talk- 
 ing on her favourite topic, sculpture, to a 
 young man profoundly ignorant of any 
 one of its principles; Forshiem, listened 
 and learned, and professed himself enlight- 
 ened : Adelaide was at once gay and sad, 
 happy and miserable ; she was placed 
 between the man she loved, and the man 
 she was to marry ; she heard the tender 
 sighs of the one, and marked the cheerful 
 indifference of the other ; she saw her 
 father^s eyes dwell with equal satisfaction 
 on each, and she hoped — improbabili- 
 ties! 
 
 In the Baroness's zeal to secure her 
 new disciple Count Forshiem, all her store 
 of drawings, and models, were produced ;
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTIIER9. 187 
 
 among which, the masterly sketches of 
 Charles, bore a distinguished part : this 
 led to the production of the Marshal's 
 miniature, which he had painted for Ade- 
 laide. The Marshal was in ecstacies with 
 the pr sent, the compliment, and the 
 artist; Adelaide kissed it, with a crowd 
 of emotions at her heart, and then calling 
 on Leopolstat to accompany her, sat dowa 
 to the Piano Forte. 
 
 The chords she struck, were the first 
 notes of a wild, soul-rousing march, com- 
 posed by Charles ; at her request he ac- 
 companied her on the harp, and drew 
 forth such animating sounds that the 
 Marshal enchanted out of all reflection, 
 caught him in his arms. 
 
 Everybody laughed at this flight : and 
 the Marshal himself, allowed that he was 
 '^ an old fool ;" but when they parted for 
 the night, he shook Charles's hand several 
 times, saying in a low, energetic voice — 
 
 " I wish, I had another Adelaide foe 
 1/ou r—
 
 188 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 Leopolstat bowed upon the hand then 
 grasping his, with an agitation which 
 locked up all the powers of speech ; his 
 disorder became visible to every one; 
 but they attributed it to sudden indis- 
 position. 
 
 No sooner was he at home, than he took 
 a rigid survey of his heait ; and alarmed 
 at the wild wishes, and still wilder hopes 
 which were agitating it, resolved to over- 
 come them, by a course of inflexible self- 
 denial. 
 
 Let it not be thought, that this resolu- 
 tion cost Charles no anguish: it cost him 
 much. Sleep never visited his fevered 
 eyelids; and his heavy sighs, resounded 
 through the long, long night.
 
 THK HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 180 
 
 C II A P. VII. 
 
 The plea of illness, which privileged 
 Charles in avoiding the sight of Adelaide, 
 scarcely served his cause ; for the affec- 
 tionate visits of her uncle, and the little 
 delicacies (prepared by her own hand:) 
 which she daily sent him, recalled her 
 image under the tenderest of lights : he 
 soon emigrated therefore from his useless 
 retirement. On the day previous to this 
 he received a basket of exquisite flowers, 
 from Mam*selle de Ingersdorf, with the 
 following billet. 
 
 To Count Leopoi.stat 
 '*' The Baron gives us such good ac-
 
 I*)0 tHE HtmoARlAN BROTHERS. 
 
 Counts of your various employments, that 
 my aunt and I3 begin to suspect your 
 illness, to be no other than an idle fraud, 
 invented either to enhance the value of 
 your society, when you shall return to 
 Us; or else to save yourself from teaching 
 drawing, to the stupidest of all stupid 
 girls. 
 
 " It does not argue much in favour of 
 your talent for deceit, that you thus allow 
 folks to see you studying maps and for-^ 
 tifications, while you give out, that you 
 are ill : therefore, we hope you will soon 
 abandon an attempt, for which nature has 
 evidently denied you ability. 
 
 *' Seriously- w^e want our reader. 
 Every book -we have had since your ab^ 
 sence, has been pronounced execrable; 
 and so now we find out, that it is gcfod 
 readins; which makes <xood books. —If 
 you have any charity, come and enliven 
 us ; for every body has left Vienna : your 
 brother amuses himself^ somewhere else 
 than at Ino^ei-sdorf house* Princess Con-
 
 THE HI^KOARIAN BROTHERS. 19 1 
 
 stantia is still in Italy ; Madame de Fon- 
 tainville has grown so low spirited;, that I 
 never see her; my uncle is plunged in 
 vexatious cares for the public; and were 
 it not for the sight of frightful, busy 
 streets, I might as well be in my convent. 
 
 " By way of bribe, I send you some 
 charming exotics which my father has sent 
 me : he charged me to tell you, that you 
 are one of his chief favourites: indeed^, 
 the moment I heard him lavish on you, 
 his usual endearing, jlattering epithets, I 
 knew how it was. Of coui-se you know 
 he left Vienna the morning after you saw 
 him at my uncle's. 
 
 " Adieu, dear Count ! pray come, and 
 tell me what degree of friendship, I may 
 say you cherish for him, in return. 
 
 Adelaide/' 
 
 The stile of this note, was not calcu- 
 lated to stifle unavailing hopes ; Charles 
 felt them revive, with every line. 
 
 On renewing his former familiar habits
 
 19^ THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS* 
 
 at Ingersdorf house, he found it more dan- 
 gerous than ever : the Marshal and For- 
 shiem had of course left it; the Baroness 
 was so enwrapt in the composition of a 
 new groupe, that she banished every one 
 from her study, leaving orders for all her 
 guests to be entertained by her niece ; the 
 Baron was absorbed in politics; Princess 
 Constantia was still detained by the pious 
 care of her venerable relation, who it was 
 feared would never more recover the use 
 of her limbs ; and no one appeared to 
 break the long tete-a-tete's which Charles 
 and Adelaide were thus doomed to enjoy. 
 Charles had no other resource than a 
 system of perpetual restraint : he made 
 frequent absences of a morning, prose- 
 cuted his professional studies with new 
 ardour; expressed a growing distaste to 
 the exercise of minor accomplishments, 
 sought no longer to persuade Adelaide 
 that she had a genius for drawing, and 
 finally estranged himself from her societ y 
 whenever he cculd do so without ill-man- 
 ners.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 193 
 
 At first, Matn'selle de Ingersdorf re- 
 ceived these excuses with facility: but it 
 was Hot possible for her long to remain 
 blind. She every day beheld the sensible 
 decline of his oncc-affectionatc friend- 
 ship ; and from trying to search out the 
 cause in her own conduct, and finding 
 none there, yielded herself up to the 
 most piercing regret. With reserve and 
 coldness, they now constantly met, only 
 to part still more estranged : her reserve 
 one day, made him more reserved the 
 next ; this again, acted upon her ; and so 
 their coldness kept increasing, as if it 
 might have done so, ad infinitum. 
 
 Charles, now vainly sought a comforter 
 for his sick heart, in his brother : alas ! he 
 found it not. Demetrius was no longer 
 himself. 
 
 Frantic with a lawless passion, whidi 
 tyrannized over his whole soul, he wa« 
 become gloomy and violent : when away 
 from Madame de Fontainville (with whom 
 indeed. He spent nearly all his time> her 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 father being absent from Vienna ; ) he 
 %s'ould shut himself up in his own apart- 
 ment, and there give loose to all the ex- 
 travagance of distempered wishes. This 
 infatuated boy well knew^^ that Madame 
 de Fontainville's fate now depended solely 
 upon him ; he w^as convinced that he had 
 only to ask all he desired, and that she 
 would from that instant, neither have the 
 power nor inclination to deny him. But 
 to vrhat would this criminal tenderness re- 
 duce her ! How could he devote to shame 
 and guilt, the woman for whose sake he 
 would have laid do^vn his life ? How 
 could he hope to retain his own esteem, 
 after such base ingratitude ? Or how meet 
 the virtuous eyes of a brother who had so 
 early warned him of his danger ? 
 
 The sense of right, Vvas not yet utterly 
 lost by the soul of Demetrius, though it 
 ceased to be an object of his love ; reli- 
 gious feeling, still retained som^e authority 
 over his raging passions, though they exe- 
 crated their bonds, and writhed under 
 3
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 105 
 
 their restraint : He could not resolve upon 
 the commission of a crime, yet had not 
 strength to rush away from the flowery 
 precipice from which it tempted him. 
 
 Charles had fearfully anticipated hi? 
 brother's thraldom, and had often and 
 earnestly exhorted him to quit Vienna : 
 Demetrius at first treated the subject 
 lightly ; then listened in agitated silence ; 
 and at last, unable to hide the distraction 
 of his soul, suifered its smothered agony 
 to burst forth like a torrent. — He strove 
 not to disguise the excess of that passion 
 with which Madame de Fontainville had 
 inspired him, contenting himself with so- 
 lemnly assuring Charles, that it should 
 never betray him into any criminal act. 
 
 When Charles would have convinced 
 him, that the mere indulgence of a guilty 
 desire, is in itself, an act of guilt Deme- 
 trius confounded him with the eloquent 
 sophistry of impracticable virtue ; expa- 
 tiated on the involuntary nature of affec- 
 tion ; and the peculiarity of Madame ile 
 K 2
 
 '196 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 roRtainville's situation ; protested their 
 mutual innocence, mutual misery, mutual 
 resolutions of never forgetting the sacred 
 barrier by which they were divided. Baffled 
 in his expectation of conquering with the 
 gentle arms of Truth and Tenderness, 
 Charles, was forced to seek assistance from 
 authority : he reminded his brother of the 
 awful power vested in him by their mother, 
 and beseeching him to pardon his seeming 
 cruelty, for her dear sake, commanded him 
 to join his regiment, under his cure, the 
 7iext 7norni?22:. 
 
 Demetrius refused to obey: yet he ac- 
 knowledged his subjection. Fii-st, he 
 threw^ himself on his brothers compas- 
 sion for one short week longer; then he 
 threatened rebellion. Charles saw that all 
 was lost, if a single point were conceded — 
 he was resolute: Demetrius became ex- 
 asperated, and peremptorily refused ; leav- 
 ing his brother, for the first time in their 
 lives, with open hostility, 
 
 iSothing couid exceed the anguish and
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. i<)7 
 
 consternation of Leopolstat, at this mo- 
 ment: the world wrecking around him, 
 could scarcely have caused him an asto- 
 nishment more replete with horror. His 
 generous heart seemed devoted to sorrows 
 the more poignant, because totally unex- 
 pected : it was to be pierced, not merely 
 by love for Adelaide, but by the estrange- 
 ment of her esteem ; and lacerated by the 
 unkindness of a- brother, still more than 
 by his misfortunes. 
 
 What a life of misery was summed up 
 to him, in the solitary hour which he pass- 
 ed after the hasty departure of Deme- 
 trius! He spent it in plans for saving 
 him ; and in striving to banish the remem- 
 brance of that cruel tone of defiance, 
 which rung the knell of their mutual hap- 
 piness. 
 
 All the sacrifices he had made to gratify 
 this thankless brother, now rose to his me- 
 moi*y, uncalled. How often had he de- 
 nied himself the possession of things 
 which his elegant taste peculiarly valued —
 
 }9$ THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 how ofteji Stifled a longing desire to in- 
 dulge a munificent or charitable spirit; 
 that Demetrius might have added means to 
 enjoy them both ! How had he laid aside 
 those quiet habits, so dear to him, s» ne- 
 cessary to his system of honourable ecp- 
 nomy;, only to watch over the heedless 
 steps of one, who now rudiely pushed l)ii^i 
 away I 
 
 ^ All hop^ of comfort in this wov]4, 
 would have vanished from the eyes of 
 Qhprles, had he not remembered that De- 
 ip.,etriiis Kne\v not hp,v mqch he ow^d tp. 
 him. — Demetrius erroneously believed^ 
 that whqt he enjoyed, was his own by 
 right; and that Charles had fortune ample 
 enough for any demand of his generous 
 Jjut pi*udent nature— how thten was he to 
 guess, that when his little extravagancies 
 fprced him to ask the assistance of his bro- 
 tj),er, be was robbing him, with every du- 
 cat, of some innocent gratification ! — Con- 
 soled by this consideration, Charles deter- 
 TOiBed on seeking the advice of Baron In-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 199 
 
 gei'sdorf; and for that purpose immedi- 
 ately sought his house. 
 
 The Baron was eno^aored with a forejorii 
 minister, and could not admit Leopolstat 
 till he was gone; the liaroness was attend- 
 ing a sale of pictures; and Adelaide alonc^ 
 received him in the study. 
 
 Her observing glance discovered the 
 traces of past and present suffering, in the 
 features of Charles; they still trembled at 
 moments^ and his eyes clouded occasi- 
 onally with tears : never before had she 
 seen him thus profoundly sad; and never 
 before did such an excess of tenderness 
 overcome hei^elf. 
 
 He sat down, conversed little, bent his 
 head over her work^ often drawing heavy 
 sighs which he conquered with difficulty. 
 This wretchedness, whatever it proceeded 
 from, was too interesting to Adelaide, not 
 to call forth her gentlest sympathy : her 
 beautiful countenance assumed an expres- 
 sion of angelic pity, and the tone of her 
 voice grew^ so touching, that Charles
 
 200 The Hungarian brothers, 
 
 longed to cast his aching head on her pi- 
 tying *bosom, there to weep away the op- 
 pression of his heart. Adelaide too, the 
 modest Adelaide, could have pressed him 
 to that bosom, with the fondest compas- 
 sion ; for she thought at that instant, she 
 loved him like a brother ; and like a sister 
 would have caressed and consoled him. 
 
 " You are not well, to day?" she said 
 apprehensively, as if afraid that the very 
 sound of her voice might hurt him. 
 
 '' Indifferent,*' he replied, forcing a Ian-, 
 guid smile. 
 
 He got up, walked once or twice across" 
 the room, looked wistfully at the door, 
 listened to hear if the Baron wxre com- 
 ing, then sat down again, but not near 
 Adelaide. 
 
 There was no coldness in this, and 
 therefore Mam'selle de Ingersdorf w^as not 
 chilled by it: unconscious that her kind- 
 ness redoubled his agitation (by tempting 
 him to avow how very a wretch he was) 
 she again made some anxious remark : he
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 201 
 
 replied to it, only by resuming the seat 
 next her's. 
 
 ''Is company, irksome to you?*' at 
 length she asked, laying down her work, 
 and preparing to leave him. 
 
 "Not your*s! — never, never your's'V 
 he exclaimed with a sudden burst of vio- 
 lent emotion. 
 
 Her hand was now on the table where 
 she had laid her work ; he bent his head 
 hastily down to it, and fixed his lips there 
 in a delirium of love and pain. The re- 
 peated kisses and teai*s which he mingled 
 over that little hand, had something in 
 them which would not suffer Adelaide to< 
 mistake their character : her head swam^ > 
 her heart melted within her, and she had 
 not power left to move or to speak. 
 
 Meanwhile a spell seemed to bind the 
 unhappy Charles; yet he spoke not; he 
 only sighed often aad deeply. For once 
 he had given way to impetuous sorrow, 
 and no longer had strength to control 
 i?ts force. 
 
 K 5
 
 202 THE HUI^QA&IAN BROTHERSi 
 
 Adelaide recovered first: she withdrew 
 her hand, in great disorder, and tottering 
 to the door, faltered out some words which 
 iatiinated ^he was going in search of her 
 uncle. As she departed, Charles, whose 
 love was increased by a vague suspicion 
 that he was dearer to her than she ima- 
 gined, gazed after her with a swelling 
 keart. *' O ! " he exclaimed, " while De- 
 n^ietrius knows himself beloved, if he 
 loves as I do, how^ can I wonder at any 
 madness to which it may transport him !" 
 
 The reflections which Adelaide's passive 
 softness, had thus excited, were silenced 
 by the entrance of her uncle. His undis- 
 turbed countenance, ever the transcript of 
 ^. serene and contemplative mind, calmed 
 the turbulent feelings of Charles: the lat- 
 ter briefly apologized for his own emo- 
 tion, and then stated his brother's pcriious 
 situation. 
 
 Baron Ingersdorf heard the narrative 
 with unaffected concern : Demetrius had 
 always possessed a large portion of his
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. S03 
 
 affectionate solicitude, and though lately 
 a stranger at his house, was not the less 
 dear to him, from what he deemed a mere 
 freak of youthful caprice. Leopolstat's 
 delicacy not permitting him to urge the 
 extent of his fears, (and they were 
 grounded on a certainty of Madame d6 
 Fontainville's rash attachment) the Baron 
 did not see the affair in so dangerous a 
 light, as to induce him to give very urgent 
 advice: he merely recommended unceas- 
 ing watchfulness, increasing tenderness^ 
 change of scene, and active employment. 
 To obtain the two latter, it was necessary 
 for the leave of absence, which Deme- 
 trius had long ago procured, to be re- 
 voked ; and the Baron therefore, strenu^ 
 ously advised Charles to request Colonel 
 Wurtzburgh would devise some plausible 
 excuse for so doing : a thousand reasons 
 for this request might be given by Leopol- 
 stat, without betraying his brother's se- 
 cret : he saw there might, and instantly
 
 204 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 determined not to lose any time in follow- 
 ing the Baron's counsel. 
 
 As he hastily traversed the streets lead- 
 ing to Wurtzburgh's house, he repeated to 
 himselil again and again, the last words of 
 Ingersdorf.^-'' Take comfort, my dear 
 Charles, yt>ur brother will come to him- 
 self, as soon as he is removed from the 
 sighl of tliis dangerous beauty. He has 
 a heart habitually upright, and it cannot 
 long bear its own reproaches : be assured 
 it eannot." Fain would Charles have be- 
 lieved this prediction implicitly, fain 
 would he have hoped that Demetrius had 
 the heroism to tear himself from every 
 yish at the \ery instant they might be 
 j^ealized. 
 
 Wurtzbursh was from home, and beinsr 
 ^one some miles oflT, was not expected till 
 the -ensuing day : Charles turned from his 
 door with saddened feelings. 
 
 When Demetrius returned from evening 
 parade, to adjust his dress for the opera, 
 his features expressed all the contrition of
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 205 
 
 his heart : yet dreading that a confession 
 of error, would tempt Charles to urge hfis 
 giving him a proof of it^ by instant obe- 
 dience, he stifled the expression of what 
 he felt, and merely ventured to utter a 
 few unimportant words. 
 
 Charles was sitting at a table, whick 
 distinctly shewed the uneasy state of his 
 mind ; for it was crowded with books, 
 drawings, maps, mathematical instruments^ 
 military models, all of which he had sepa/- 
 rately tried to station and occupy his rest- 
 less thoughts. His eyes were now as 
 heavy with indisposition, as trouble : the 
 presence of Demetrius had excited re- 
 membrance of his momentaiy ingratitude, 
 and caused a slight throb of resentment to 
 beat in his bosom. He would not look at 
 him: but keeping his eyes fixed on a 
 book which he had just opened, answered 
 his few questions. 
 
 Demetrius fluctuated between remorse 
 and apprehension — 
 
 '' Will you not go out with me, this
 
 206 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 evening Charles ?" he said hesitating as 
 he moved towards the door. 
 
 '^ No — I am not quite well and you are 
 going to the opera — I shall go to bed." 
 
 *' What, now .^"— 
 
 " Yes : I don't feel myself — good 
 night !" — Charles rose as he spoke, and 
 taking up one of the candles; opened 
 the door of his chamber, and without 
 even turning to look at Demetrius, hastily 
 shut himself in. 
 
 Charles had his moments of weakness ; 
 and this, was one : the contrast between 
 what he supposed his brother's feelings to 
 be, and what he knew to be his own, 
 pierced him to the soul; wounded ten- 
 derness got the better of reason, and he 
 forgot in its keen pangs, that he had re- 
 solved to conciliate and to sooth. 
 
 Hour after hour, found him sleepless. 
 Every reflection which he unavoidably 
 revolved, was pregnant with misery : his 
 own fate was likely to be a cheerless 
 one ; and if it were to be embittered by
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 207 
 
 the loss of that dear brother's affection^ io 
 which he had treasured up his soul, if 
 they were to sever in anger, how was it 
 to be endured ? — The pain of these 
 thoughts was heightened by a conscious- 
 ness of error in himself. He had too 
 surely betrayed his passion, to Adelaide, 
 and by so doing, tacitly supplicated a 
 return; and, even to wish for a return, 
 much more to ask it, was to prove him- 
 self capable of violating the Baron's ge- 
 nerous confidence ; it was to break the 
 SQcred bond of obligation by which he 
 had consented to be held ; and was to 
 I'obr the absent Forshiem of what a father 
 had made his. To Demetrius also, he 
 had acted wrong : influenced for the only 
 time in his life, by indignation more than 
 sorrow, he had abruptly quitted him at 
 the very moment in which his faltering 
 voice announced a softened heart: at the 
 very moment in which, he felt certain, that 
 had he raised his eyes, he would have seen 
 those of Demetrius filled with penitent
 
 208 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 tears, and might perhaps have drawn him, 
 by one forgiving look, into his opened 
 arms. 
 
 Bitter regret, and want of sleep, in- 
 creased the fever of Leopolstat; and the 
 night was far spent, when he found him-* 
 self so devoured by thirst, as to be under 
 the necessity of ringing for a servant. 
 
 The instant his bell rang, some one 
 entered the room : it was Demetrius. — 
 Charles expressed surprize, and asked if 
 he had just come in : 
 
 " I have never been out." Was the 
 reply. — 
 
 " Never been out \'^ repeated Charles 
 in a tone of inexpressible affection — ''and 
 was it upon my account — O my bro- 
 ther!" 
 
 Demetrius threw himself into his eager 
 arms, without speaking, for his heart was 
 full : and so gratefully did he love his 
 brother, so distractedly adore Madame de 
 Fontainville, so deeply abhor himself, that
 
 THE HUi^GARIAN BROTHERS. 209 
 
 at that moment he would willingly have 
 resigned his wretched breath. 
 
 In this agitation, Charles saw the re- 
 turn of virtue: he pressed the youthful 
 Demetrius closely to his breast, while he 
 intreated pardon for past harshness, call- 
 ing heaven to witness that his own soul 
 was not more precious to him than he 
 was. — Demetrius could not articulate : 
 he was almost suffocated with perpetual 
 sighs, and every nerve in his body shook 
 with convulsive agony. Alas ! he was about 
 to pass upon himself, the dreadful sen- 
 tence, of banishment from her beloved. — 
 Charles redoubled his tenderness; and at 
 length, his unhappy brother faintly gasped 
 out, 
 
 *' Forgive me — and I will leavt Vienna 
 whenever you bid me !" 
 
 The instant he pronounced these fatal 
 words, his head fell back upon Charles's 
 bed, and he remained there a long time 
 insensible to everything. 
 
 How fervent was the short prayer which
 
 2 1 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 Charles inwardly addressed in his behalf, 
 to the God of pity, as he gazed on the 
 deathly face of his brother. At that mo- 
 ment, could the sacrifice oi his own life. 
 Hay, of what was dearer than life, his 
 temporal hopes; could that, have saved 
 Demetrius from the necessity of thus 
 tearing his heart in pieces, he would 
 cheerfully have made it. 
 
 A fault acknowledged with such sen- 
 sibility, and forgiven with so much ten- 
 derness, served only to bind the brothere 
 in closer union.— -Demetrius, confessed 
 the dangers to w^hich his own passion and 
 the trusting fondness of Madame de Fon- 
 tainville, daily subjected him: and 
 Charles, related in return, the agitating 
 discovery so lately made to him by his 
 heart. — Thus reposing on each other, and 
 mutually Exhorting themselves to follow 
 the path prescribed by honour, they saw 
 the morning, dawn. — 
 
 As Demetrius dared not trust himself 
 with seeing Madame de Fontainville, he
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS, 211 
 
 wrote her a letter, explanatory of his 
 situation ; in which, he conjured her to 
 believe, that this cruel banishment was 
 the surest proof he could give her, of his 
 love; that in condemning himself to it, 
 he was consigning all the rest of his life 
 to wretchedness, excepting those mo- 
 ments only, which would be sweetened 
 by the consciousness of deserving her 
 esteem. — 
 
 Charles contented himself with taking 
 leave of the Ingersdorf family, in a note 
 to the Baron ; and then, sat off with his 
 brother, for Bolzano in the TyrQl-^
 
 2 1 2 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 When a heart is sadly occupied in re- 
 volving the happiness of the past, and in 
 contemplating the gloom of the future, 
 not even the charms of nature, bewitch- 
 ing nature ! can rouse it from such ab- 
 straction. Demetrius, who used to look 
 on this beauteous earth with the eyes of a 
 lover, and who never saw the wildest 
 scene, or simplest flower, without emo* 
 tions of pleasure, now passed over the 
 most romantic of countries^ and ssw it 
 not.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 213 
 
 • The magnificent mountains of Tyrol, 
 its fertile vallies, and picturesque inhabit- 
 ants, rose in succession before him, with- 
 out displacing for a single instant the lit- 
 tle boudoh' of Madame de Fontainville ; 
 when, unconscious that they were so 
 soon to part for ever, he had ventured, 
 for the fust time, to kiss off her falling 
 tears. 
 
 The remembrance of the fond delirium 
 which succeeded this touch of her balmy 
 cheek, the sighing tenderness with which 
 she had suffered him to fold her repeat- 
 edly in his trembling arms, all raged with 
 an agony amounting to madness. Often 
 was he on the point of recalling his hasty 
 promise, and confessing his phrensy, and 
 hastening back to fling himself at her 
 feet ; but then the sound of his brother's 
 voice, and the sight of his countenance 
 (on which tenderness and apprehension 
 were touchingly blended), calmed the 
 storm of passion. 
 
 Charles had his own sorrows; and per-
 
 •14 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 haps they were the mightier for Being 
 concealed : but he was accustomed to 
 contend with, and vanquish himself; while 
 Demetrius, he knew, was now, for the first 
 time, learning the hard lesson of sacrific- 
 ing inclination to duty. 
 
 From the hour in which they reached 
 Bolzano, it became his study, how best to 
 sooth, yet strengthen his brother's mind. 
 Frequently he called his attention to the 
 changeful scenery amongst which they 
 rambled, pressed him into the discussion 
 of interesting speculations, and, though 
 often repulsed, as often renewed the at- 
 tempt. 
 
 Demetrius was weary of the whole 
 world ; and felt as if he did indeed *' cum- 
 ber the fair earth." Life, for him, had 
 lost its strongest motive; and therefore 
 he abandoned every minor one, without 
 hesitation. 
 
 Refraining from useless expostulations, 
 Charles trusted to his brother's grateful 
 nature for that exertion which was^eces-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 215 
 
 sary to prove his sense of such unwearied 
 kindness : and success would have crown- 
 ed his forbearance, had not the unshake- 
 able attachment of Madame de Fontain- 
 ville for ever traversed his views. 
 
 She wrote to Demetrius in all the dis- 
 traction of an ill-governed but fond heart; 
 reproached him for abaiKloning the woman 
 he had taken such pains to win, whose 
 principles he injured, when he imagined 
 them likely to be overthrown even by the 
 wildest gust of passion ; recalled to his 
 memory how often they had mutually 
 vowed to confine their attachment within 
 such bounds as Religion's self would not 
 condemn ; how often she had professed 
 hei'sclf ready to appear the guilty wretch 
 she ^vas not; incurring, for his sake, every 
 reproach, except that of her own consci- 
 ence. She beseeched him to return; and 
 renew their sad compact of hopeless con- 
 stancy ; or at once to acknowledge that 
 he lio longer loved her. 
 
 This last was the trying argument with
 
 2 16 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 Demetrius. To be suspected of not loving 
 the fatal beauty for whom his heart was 
 rent asunder, for whom he could have re- 
 nounced everything dear to man, was to 
 shake his best resolutions to their foun- 
 dation. 
 
 Charles witnessed the baneful effect of 
 ^fadame deFontainville's letter with dread- 
 ful forebodings : he would have convinced 
 his brother that such a correspondence was 
 dangerously imprudent; but Demetrius 
 seemed deprived of reason, and argument 
 was lost on him. As, however, he still 
 remained faithful to his promise of not 
 revisiting Vienna, Charles was forced to 
 sat^isfy himself with a sacrifice, rather 
 springing out of fraternal gratitude, than 
 from any conviction of its necessity. 
 
 In one of Madame de Fentainville's 
 letters, she urged the chance of her future 
 freedom : which, as her husband was a 
 man of a rash, fiery, turbulent spirit, was 
 an event by no means unlikely. On this 
 hope Demetriu;: seized; and, as if he had
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 217 
 
 only wanted an excuse for again indulg- 
 ing his infatuation, became more infatu- 
 ated than before. 
 
 Yet, alas ! what were his sufferings to 
 those of his brother ! to Charles, who thus 
 saw the innocent companion of his ch'ld- 
 hood, the endearing charge of his riper 
 years — he whose sweet gaiety and amiable 
 virtues had twined themselves round his 
 heart, plunging from misery into guilt, 
 and hastening to lose, in the indulgence 
 t)f a criminal hope, all that remained of 
 his " ori<i:inal brio^htness !'* 
 
 No splendid visions fraught with extra- 
 vagant transports yet to come — no be- 
 witching recollections (which, while they 
 lasted, transported the deluded soul into 
 the fond belief, that past things were 
 present), visited the waking dreams of 
 Charles : he saw guilt approaching in all 
 its horrors, and remembered the former 
 excellence of Demetrius only to mourn 
 the more over his change. 
 
 While under the influence of these 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 218 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 painful feelings, he was suddenly sum- 
 moned to Vienna upon regimental busi- 
 ness, and obliged to commit his brother 
 to the guidance of his own powers. 
 
 Had Charles felt any solid reliance upon 
 the friendship or principles of Colonel 
 Wurtzburgh (who was just arrived at Bol- 
 zano}, he would secretly have commis- 
 sioned him to watch over his brother : 
 but Wurtzburgh had made no way in his 
 affections; and, spite of appearances, he 
 could not help sometimes suspecting that 
 the Colonel sou<j:ht his good word rather 
 than his real esteem, since there was, in- 
 deed, no point of perfect union between 
 them. Contenting himself, therefore, with 
 con'iurins: Wurtzbur«:h to send him fre- 
 quent news of his brother's health, (the 
 plea urged for their sudden journey ), he 
 took an affecting leave of Demetrius, who 
 li:>tened with speechless emotion to his 
 pathetic exhortations and encouraging 
 praises. 
 
 No sooner was Charles gone, than Dc-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 219 
 
 metrlus felt as if an oppressive weight were 
 removed from his soul; a sensation almost 
 amounting to gladness succeeded to' his 
 late wretchedness ; and though he stili 
 loved his brother most tenderly, that im- 
 perious passion^ upon which his pitying 
 yet repressing eyes had so long laid a 
 restraint, made separation from him a 
 blessing. He could now plunge from 
 despondence to de pair, or soar from 
 hope to certainty ; alternately resolve to 
 regain, and to relinquish her ; abandon 
 himself to regret, or waste his days in 
 fruitless musing — w^ithout dreading the 
 sight of that mild, reproachful look, which 
 so often forced him back to the most 
 painful sense of shame. 
 
 Two days after the departure of Charles, 
 Colonel Wurtzburgh called upon Deme- 
 trius. 
 
 As the latter had not yet risen, in con- 
 sequence of a sleepless night, the Colonel 
 sat down in his little study, and amused 
 himself with looking over some plans of 
 L 2
 
 220 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 fortresses. While he carelessly turned the 
 different sheets, his eye fell on a fragment 
 of paper containing verses; \vhich, sup- 
 posing to be an extract, he read : how 
 was he surprised to peruse the following 
 lines^ signed with the name of Deme- 
 trius — 
 
 *^ \'ain arc my struggles, fruitioss my resolve; ! 
 
 Before her imrgo, every vow dissolves. 
 
 I see no world where Zaire m(i-:t not live ; 
 
 I know no transport but what she can give : 
 
 Tranric I turn from Reason's cold debate, 
 
 Aii6 } ield my burning heart to Love and F.-ile. 
 
 O precious Fatv ! i( thou indeed hast giv'n. 
 
 In her I dote on, a foretaste of lieav'n ; 
 
 If thou hast destined her to bless my arm?, 
 
 To Icml my youthful days {heir sweetest charms, 
 
 To warm tv.y kiudling soul with glowing life, 
 
 And be at once my friend, my guide, my wife! 
 
 Awny, ye icy doubts, ye coward fears! 
 
 Ve calculating thoughts of future years! 
 
 Grief, censure, shame, no more this mind shall 
 
 move. 
 For what arc all their ills to boundless Love? 
 A sweet delirium now my soul confounds, 
 With passion's voice my echoing breast resounds j
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 2"21 
 
 Each pulse with rapture throbs ; I see, I hoar, 
 I clasp — transporting bliss ! my fond Zaire. 
 Before my swimming sight again she comes, 
 Warm with celestial beauty's brightest blooms ; 
 A faint reproach beams thro' her moonli^jht eyes; 
 She moves with trembling, and she speaks in sighsi 
 Our senses float ; she sinks upon my breast ; 
 To her soft cheek my falt'ring lips arc prcst; 
 Earth vanishes from each, and every care 
 Melts in that ardent chaste embrace to air. 
 O dear delusion, gone 'ere half believed ! 
 Of every vision, every hope bereav'd, 
 i\Iy spirit droops ; Reality's sad glass 
 Reflects life's coming sorrows as they pass. 
 There, bound in tyrant chains, my Love appears, 
 Wasting her prime away in useless teai-s : 
 While I, (the slave of custom and of shame), 
 No longer dare assert our guiltless aim ; 
 No longer strive to banish vain desire, 
 (Bidding love's flame a-ccnd with purer fire); 
 But fly the sweet temptation — basely fly; 
 And leave her tru-r heart to break and die !" 
 
 There ^vas so much more passion than 
 poetry in this extravagant eflusion^ that 
 Colonel Wurtzburgh hesitated not a mo- 
 ment in believing it to be the production 
 l3
 
 22 '2 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 of his friend *s feelings, rather than a pas- 
 sage selected by his judgment from the 
 works of another. 
 
 Scarcely had he time to recover fron> 
 the reflections into which it threw him, 
 and to push it among the leaves of a book^ 
 when its unconscious writer appeared. 
 The wasted figure and colourless com- 
 plexion of the young Count, were pre- 
 sumptive proofs that Wurtzburgh had not 
 misjudged him. 
 
 After discussing the usual topics of the 
 metropolis they had so lately quitted, 
 Wurtzburgh carelessly observed, that Vi- 
 enna was very near losing its fairest or- 
 nament; the beautiful De Fontainville 
 having been on the brink of the grave, 
 and only pronounced out of danger a 
 week ago : that this was the more distress- 
 ing, as her father was still with Louis 
 XVIIL 
 
 What became of Demetrius during this 
 brief detail ? His heart smote his breast 
 with a force which made it audible, while
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 223 
 
 his parched lips vainly endeavoured to 
 utter some articulate sounds. The Colo-* 
 nel kindly took his hand : 
 
 " My dear fellow, she is better — on my 
 soul she is better !*' he said, '' — if I could 
 have guessed how this would agitate you! 
 But you slight my friendship ; you con- 
 ceal all your feelings from a man who 
 would cordially participate in every one 
 of them ; and it is accident alone to which 
 T am indebted for your confidence. Why 
 do you not speak ? This excessive agita- 
 tion terrifies me ; indeed, she is out of 
 danger: she suffered me to see her.'* 
 
 *' You saw her ! O heaven !" exclaimed 
 Demetrius, (forgetting caution in sur- 
 prize and anguish), '^ and how did she — 
 what did^/o^ saw her, and I — '* The 
 broken sentences here dissolved away in 
 sighs. 
 
 Wurtzburgh again pressed his hand, 
 again assured him of Madame de Fontain- 
 ville's safety, and repeated his protesta- 
 tions of sympathy : he then told Deme-
 
 224 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 trius, that Madame de Fontainville had 
 admitted him to her dressing-room, merely 
 to inquire about the road to Bolzano, as 
 she was ordered to change the air, and 
 meant, for that purpose, to visit a friend 
 whose house was in its neighbourhood. 
 
 The blood gushed into the cheeks of 
 Demetrius with as much impetuosity as he 
 felt it rushing through his heart. The 
 motive of Madame de Fontainville's visit 
 to a place so distant, and the cause of her 
 illness, he could not mistake : it was for 
 him then, that she had been dying ; it 
 was to seek him that she was thus about 
 to undertake a laborious journey, while 
 her shattered frame was scarcely-able to 
 retain its wounded spirit ! There needed 
 not this fatal testimony of tenderness to 
 distract him. He forgot his vow, and his 
 brother; he thought only of Zaire, and 
 saw in Wurtzburgh only an affectionate, 
 judicious friend. 
 
 Compassion and indulgence, indeed, 
 breathed from the mouth of the Colonel. 
 1
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. ^^3 
 
 He was far from lessening the abhorrence 
 with which Demetrius considered the pos- 
 sibiJity of ever betraying Madame de Fon- 
 tainville's honour ; but he saw no guilt in 
 suffering a powerful sentiment to reign 
 undisturbed in their bosoms. 
 
 Madame de Fontainville, he observed^ 
 was surely placed in peculiar circum- 
 stances : her husband had long ago dis- 
 solved every tie between them, by taking 
 a mistress^ whom he suffered to bear his 
 name ; how could she be considered still 
 his wife^ the wife of an apostate, a traitor 
 to his God and king ? Was her disconso- 
 late spirit to be interdicted even the en- 
 joyment of a pure, unfortunate attach- 
 ment ? Was she, without children, or other 
 relatives, (except a father, whom she 
 might soon lose), to be forbidden all hope 
 of securing to herself a faithful friend ? 
 Wurtzburgh saw the case under this light; 
 but he scrupled not to pronounce that 
 man a wretch, who could deliberately ruin 
 the peace, or by an impulse of passion
 
 S26 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 destroy the innocence of a woman so cir- 
 cumstanced. With such various motives 
 to pure affection, he wonder-^d at the ir- 
 resolution of Demetrius, whom he had 
 believed capable of the most refined ten- 
 derness. 
 
 That ill-starred young man listened with 
 too much attention to this hollow reason- 
 ing : at every fresh remark, his resolution 
 became w^eaker and weaker ; he thought, 
 if Charles were there, that he too would 
 admit the solidity of Wurtzburgh's judg- 
 ment : yet he forgot, that Charles had 
 anticipated even more than these argu- 
 ments, and one by one had disproved 
 them all. 
 
 The contest ended in the Colonel's 
 triumph; who, in return for his friend's 
 confidence, conjured him to avoid Zaire 
 eternally, unless he could resolve upon 
 never wishing for more than the posses- 
 sion of her heart. Demetrius had just 
 proved the weakness of his own resolu- 
 tions, yet he now avowed another, with
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 227 
 
 as much self-applause, as if certain of 
 keeping it inviolate. 
 
 The terrific visions of guilt, remorse, 
 and shame, which a brother's faithful voice 
 had conjured up to stop him in his mad 
 career, now vanished into air : all seemed 
 serene again ; and Wurtzburgh appeared 
 the angel of peace, whose tenderness, 
 while it indulged him in weakness, would 
 preserve him from crime. Demetrius 
 was, in short, reconciled to himself; and 
 entreated Wurtzburgh s advice : falsely- 
 believing, that he would acquiesce in any 
 decision ; while, in reality, he asked coun- 
 sel only from knowing it would be con- 
 formable to his own wishes. 
 
 The arrival of Madame de Fontainville, 
 a few davs after this interview^, sealed the 
 fate of the young Count. It was not in 
 the heart of man to behold her fading 
 beauty, her eyes for ever swimming in 
 tears, her neglected attire, and agitating 
 tenderness, without losing all self-com- 
 mand. Demetrius could find safety only
 
 5^8 THE HUNGARIAN ^OTHERS. 
 
 in flight ; but how could he fly agairt 
 from the fond creature, who thus sought 
 him at the risk of her character and her 
 life ? 
 
 Had Madame de Fohtainville been the 
 object of a respectful, disinterested, intel* 
 lectual affection ; had she herself shrunk 
 affrighted from the passionate bursts of 
 her lover ; had her charms, in short, af- 
 fected the heart more and the senses lessj 
 Demetrius would not have had to struggle 
 with opposing desires. But she possessed 
 no mental grandeur to spiritualize the 
 transports of a frantic passioii : . her ac- 
 complishments Were thbse of a Circassian 
 slave ; she was accustomed to consider 
 her matchless person as her strongest at- 
 traction, and wishing to be loved by De- 
 metrius, saw in his bold freedoms only 
 the proofs of true attachment. 
 
 The house at which Madame de Fon- 
 tainville now resided, was the abode of a 
 French woman, the widow of a Tyrolian 
 nobleman ; as the lovers imprudently con-
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 2^9 
 
 fided their situation to this lady, (whose 
 principles were — no principles at ail ! 
 that is^ she never stepped aside from vir- 
 tue herself, but cared very little about the 
 conduct of others), every indulgence was 
 granted to Demetrius; and to complete 
 his happiness, (by making Madame de 
 Pontainville's-i'esidence there, almost a 
 secret), no visitors were admitted. 
 
 Wurtzburgh and the thoughtless Baro- 
 ness de Marienthal, Demetrius and Zaire, 
 passed their days and evenings together. 
 Yet, wretched were these days and even- 
 in o^s to the miso-uided Demetrius ! He had 
 concealed Madame de Fontainville's ar- 
 rival from Charles, and was now, there- 
 fore, without a single restraining fiiend, 
 who might have renewed in his mind, the 
 fading images of right. 
 
 Every object by which he was sur- 
 rounded in the Chateau de Marienthal ; 
 every conversation in which he bore a 
 part ; every expression of Zaire's subdu- 
 ing eyes, was calculated to inflame and 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 230 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 disorder his senses : a devouring fever 
 preyed incessantly upon his heart and his 
 /lerves ; and sometimes he denied himself 
 the sight of Madame de Fontainville for 
 whole days together. 
 
 It was then, that wrestling with a giant 
 passion J whose teri'ors he had so rashly 
 contemned, he longed for Charles, and 
 almost wished that he would come and 
 tear him from the scene ; yet had he not 
 resolution enough to write and ask his 
 aid. 
 
 Desperately pressing forward to the 
 ruin which he saw awaited him, and losing 
 all other considerations in that one, he 
 began to contract new habits, less alluring, 
 but equally pernicious. Madame de Ma- 
 rienthal loved play ; and as she had closed 
 her doors on her usual associates, for the 
 sake of Demetrius and Zaire, it was but 
 gratitude in them to assist, in her amuse- 
 ment. Demetrius played therefore ; lost, 
 played again ; resolved to do so no more; 
 bi^oke his resolution ; and then sous^ht to '
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 231 
 
 drown by floods of wine, his sense of 
 misery and of shame. 
 
 Three weeks after the elder Count Leo- , 
 polstat left Bolzano, a change took place 
 in the cantonments of the Austrian regi- 
 ments ; and Wurtzburgh's hussars were re- 
 moved into the Bellunese. 
 
 This circumstance did not alter the si- 
 tuation of Demetrius : he implored for 
 leave of absence ; and the sympathizing 
 Colonel/ (renewing his exhortations to 
 the practice of that virtuous self-denial, 
 which he was thus rendering every day 
 more difficult), weakly granted: he too 
 remained at Bolzano, continuing to share 
 and promote the destructive pleasures of 
 Marienthal. 
 
 It was now the beginning of autumi n 
 the rich country of Tyrol bloomed with 
 the ripened vineyards and mulberry 
 grounds ; cloudless skies and balmy airs 
 infused tender joy, and the loveliness of 
 nature melted the human heart. Denie-
 
 232 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 Irius grew every day sadder and more 
 enamoured ; and Madame de Fontainville 
 seemed to partake in his feelings. 
 
 One evening, a delightful sunset made 
 Colonel Wurtzburgh propose a ramble to 
 the Baroness. Zaire was somewhat indis- 
 posed, and Demetrius, ofcoui'se, remained 
 in the chateau with her. Never before 
 had he appeared so hurried away by his 
 unhappy passion, and yet his friend per- 
 iiuaded the Baroness to take fruit in a re- 
 mote cottage, where they loitered away 
 the time, and returned not to Marienthal 
 till Ions: after the moon had risen. The 
 hills and vallies were briglit with her 
 steady lustre; a holy serenity pervaded 
 every thing but man's stormy soul, when 
 Wurtzburgh and the Baroness saw a figure 
 glittering in the light, as it hastily emerged 
 from some trees, and as rapidly disap- 
 peared. The waving feather convinced 
 them it was Demetrius ; nor were they 
 mistaken.
 
 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 233 
 
 On reaching the chateau, they found 
 he had just left it, in great agitation, and 
 that Madame de Fontainville had retired 
 to her own chamber. Wurtzburgh de- 
 clined supping at Marienthal; hasten- 
 ing to seek Leopolstat, whose fatal in- 
 fatuation had now touched its dreaded 
 point. 
 
 After an unsuccessful search among the 
 woods into which he had seen him phinge, 
 the Colonel repaired to their hotel where 
 he heard with unfeigned astonishment, 
 that the young officer had been there 
 for his horse, and had left only these few 
 words addressed to him. 
 
 " I must stay here no longer why 
 
 did you leave us? Farewel 1 return 
 
 to my regiment. 
 
 Demetrius." 
 
 Wurtzburgh now anticipated the con- 
 fession, his friend would soon make to
 
 234 THE HUNGARIAN BROTHERS. 
 
 him, and avoiding the sight of Madame 
 de Fontainville, took leave of her and 
 the Baroness, in a well-worded billet; 
 after which, he set off for the Bellu- 
 nese. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 COPvPvIGENDA. 
 
 rage 17, Hue S, for, when contrasted, read, when compared. 
 2*1, 11, /or, lie in earth, read, Jieon earth. 
 
 bj, 6, for, Ah, it was thev, read. Ah, it was those. 
 
 Sj, first from the bottorn, for, hope of becoming your's, rfsrf, 
 
 hope of becoming your— 
 513, 6, /or, when, unconscious, read, where unconscious. 
 
 5I7» f, for, he whose sweet, read, him whose sweet. 
 
 0. Stower, Printer, Patcniostwltow.
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 13, line 11, /or, I having wooed repulse, rtai. Of having 
 
 wooed, &c. 
 Page 13, line la^t, jor^ If the softness shadow, rw</, If the 
 
 slightest shadow.
 
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