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his grief only became more deep and rankling when he had leisure for `
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reflection, and at length it took so fast hold of his mind that at the `
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end of three months he lay on a bed of sickness, incapable of any `
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exertion. `
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His daughter attended him with the greatest tenderness, but she saw `
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with despair that their little fund was rapidly decreasing and that `
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there was no other prospect of support. But Caroline Beaufort `
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possessed a mind of an uncommon mould, and her courage rose to support `
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her in her adversity. She procured plain work; she plaited straw and `
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by various means contrived to earn a pittance scarcely sufficient to `
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support life. `
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Several months passed in this manner. Her father grew worse; her time `
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was more entirely occupied in attending him; her means of subsistence `
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decreased; and in the tenth month her father died in her arms, leaving `
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her an orphan and a beggar. This last blow overcame her, and she knelt `
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by Beaufort's coffin weeping bitterly, when my father entered the `
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chamber. He came like a protecting spirit to the poor girl, who `
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committed herself to his care; and after the interment of his friend he `
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conducted her to Geneva and placed her under the protection of a `
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relation. Two years after this event Caroline became his wife. `
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There was a considerable difference between the ages of my parents, but `
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this circumstance seemed to unite them only closer in bonds of devoted `
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affection. There was a sense of justice in my father's upright mind `
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which rendered it necessary that he should approve highly to love `
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strongly. Perhaps during former years he had suffered from the `
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late-discovered unworthiness of one beloved and so was disposed to set `
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a greater value on tried worth. There was a show of gratitude and `
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worship in his attachment to my mother, differing wholly from the `
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doting fondness of age, for it was inspired by reverence for her `
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virtues and a desire to be the means of, in some degree, recompensing `
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her for the sorrows she had endured, but which gave inexpressible grace `
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to his behaviour to her. Everything was made to yield to her wishes `
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and her convenience. He strove to shelter her, as a fair exotic is `
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sheltered by the gardener, from every rougher wind and to surround her `
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with all that could tend to excite pleasurable emotion in her soft and `
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benevolent mind. Her health, and even the tranquillity of her hitherto `
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constant spirit, had been shaken by what she had gone through. During `
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the two years that had elapsed previous to their marriage my father had `
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gradually relinquished all his public functions; and immediately after `
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their union they sought the pleasant climate of Italy, and the change `
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of scene and interest attendant on a tour through that land of wonders, `
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as a restorative for her weakened frame. `
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`
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From Italy they visited Germany and France. I, their eldest child, was `
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born at Naples, and as an infant accompanied them in their rambles. I `
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remained for several years their only child. Much as they were `
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attached to each other, they seemed to draw inexhaustible stores of `
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affection from a very mine of love to bestow them upon me. My mother's `
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tender caresses and my father's smile of benevolent pleasure while `
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regarding me are my first recollections. I was their plaything and `
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their idol, and something better--their child, the innocent and `
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helpless creature bestowed on them by heaven, whom to bring up to good, `
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and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or `
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misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me. With this `
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deep consciousness of what they owed towards the being to which they `
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had given life, added to the active spirit of tenderness that animated `
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both, it may be imagined that while during every hour of my infant life `
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I received a lesson of patience, of charity, and of self-control, I was `
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so guided by a silken cord that all seemed but one train of enjoyment `
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to me. For a long time I was their only care. My mother had much `
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desired to have a daughter, but I continued their single offspring. `
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When I was about five years old, while making an excursion beyond the `
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frontiers of Italy, they passed a week on the shores of the Lake of `
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Como. Their benevolent disposition often made them enter the cottages `
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of the poor. This, to my mother, was more than a duty; it was a `
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necessity, a passion--remembering what she had suffered, and how she `
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had been relieved--for her to act in her turn the guardian angel to the `
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afflicted. During one of their walks a poor cot in the foldings of a `
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vale attracted their notice as being singularly disconsolate, while the `
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number of half-clothed children gathered about it spoke of penury in `
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its worst shape. One day, when my father had gone by himself to Milan, `
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my mother, accompanied by me, visited this abode. She found a peasant `
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and his wife, hard working, bent down by care and labour, distributing `
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a scanty meal to five hungry babes. Among these there was one which `
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attracted my mother far above all the rest. She appeared of a `
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different stock. The four others were dark-eyed, hardy little `
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vagrants; this child was thin and very fair. Her hair was the `
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brightest living gold, and despite the poverty of her clothing, seemed `
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to set a crown of distinction on her head. Her brow was clear and `
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ample, her blue eyes cloudless, and her lips and the moulding of her `
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face so expressive of sensibility and sweetness that none could behold `
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her without looking on her as of a distinct species, a being `
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heaven-sent, and bearing a celestial stamp in all her features. The `
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peasant woman, perceiving that my mother fixed eyes of wonder and `
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admiration on this lovely girl, eagerly communicated her history. She `
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was not her child, but the daughter of a Milanese nobleman. Her mother `
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was a German and had died on giving her birth. The infant had been `
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placed with these good people to nurse: they were better off then. `
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They had not been long married, and their eldest child was but just `
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born. The father of their charge was one of those Italians nursed in `
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the memory of the antique glory of Italy--one among the schiavi ognor `
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frementi, who exerted himself to obtain the liberty of his country. He `
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became the victim of its weakness. Whether he had died or still `
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lingered in the dungeons of Austria was not known. His property was `
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confiscated; his child became an orphan and a beggar. She continued `
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with her foster parents and bloomed in their rude abode, fairer than a `
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garden rose among dark-leaved brambles. When my father returned from `
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Milan, he found playing with me in the hall of our villa a child fairer `
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than pictured cherub--a creature who seemed to shed radiance from her `
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looks and whose form and motions were lighter than the chamois of the `
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hills. The apparition was soon explained. With his permission my `
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mother prevailed on her rustic guardians to yield their charge to her. `
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They were fond of the sweet orphan. Her presence had seemed a blessing `
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to them, but it would be unfair to her to keep her in poverty and want `
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when Providence afforded her such powerful protection. They consulted `
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their village priest, and the result was that Elizabeth Lavenza became `
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the inmate of my parents' house--my more than sister--the beautiful and `
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adored companion of all my occupations and my pleasures. `
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`
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Everyone loved Elizabeth. The passionate and almost reverential `
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attachment with which all regarded her became, while I shared it, my `
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pride and my delight. On the evening previous to her being brought to `
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my home, my mother had said playfully, "I have a pretty present for my `
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Victor--tomorrow he shall have it." And when, on the morrow, she `
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presented Elizabeth to me as her promised gift, I, with childish `
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seriousness, interpreted her words literally and looked upon Elizabeth `
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as mine--mine to protect, love, and cherish. All praises bestowed on `
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her I received as made to a possession of my own. We called each other `
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familiarly by the name of cousin. No word, no expression could body `
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forth the kind of relation in which she stood to me--my more than `
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sister, since till death she was to be mine only. `
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Chapter 2 `
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We were brought up together; there was not quite a year difference in `
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our ages. I need not say that we were strangers to any species of `
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disunion or dispute. Harmony was the soul of our companionship, and `
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the diversity and contrast that subsisted in our characters drew us `
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nearer together. Elizabeth was of a calmer and more concentrated `
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disposition; but, with all my ardour, I was capable of a more intense `
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application and was more deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge. `
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She busied herself with following the aerial creations of the poets; `
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and in the majestic and wondrous scenes which surrounded our Swiss home `
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--the sublime shapes of the mountains, the changes of the seasons, `
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tempest and calm, the silence of winter, and the life and turbulence of `
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our Alpine summers--she found ample scope for admiration and delight. `
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While my companion contemplated with a serious and satisfied spirit the `
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magnificent appearances of things, I delighted in investigating their `
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causes. The world was to me a secret which I desired to divine. `
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Curiosity, earnest research to learn the hidden laws of nature, `
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gladness akin to rapture, as they were unfolded to me, are among the `
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earliest sensations I can remember. `
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On the birth of a second son, my junior by seven years, my parents gave `
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up entirely their wandering life and fixed themselves in their native `
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country. We possessed a house in Geneva, and a campagne on Belrive, `
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the eastern shore of the lake, at the distance of rather more than a `
`
league from the city. We resided principally in the latter, and the `
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lives of my parents were passed in considerable seclusion. It was my `
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temper to avoid a crowd and to attach myself fervently to a few. I was `
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indifferent, therefore, to my school-fellows in general; but I united `
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myself in the bonds of the closest friendship to one among them. Henry `
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Clerval was the son of a merchant of Geneva. He was a boy of singular `
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talent and fancy. He loved enterprise, hardship, and even danger for `
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its own sake. He was deeply read in books of chivalry and romance. He `
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composed heroic songs and began to write many a tale of enchantment and `
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knightly adventure. He tried to make us act plays and to enter into `
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masquerades, in which the characters were drawn from the heroes of `
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Roncesvalles, of the Round Table of King Arthur, and the chivalrous `
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train who shed their blood to redeem the holy sepulchre from the hands `
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of the infidels. `
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`
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No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself. My `
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parents were possessed by the very spirit of kindness and indulgence. `
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We felt that they were not the tyrants to rule our lot according to `
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their caprice, but the agents and creators of all the many delights `
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which we enjoyed. When I mingled with other families I distinctly `
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discerned how peculiarly fortunate my lot was, and gratitude assisted `
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the development of filial love. `
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My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement; but by some `
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law in my temperature they were turned not towards childish pursuits `
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but to an eager desire to learn, and not to learn all things `
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indiscriminately. I confess that neither the structure of languages, `
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nor the code of governments, nor the politics of various states `
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possessed attractions for me. It was the secrets of heaven and earth `
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that I desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of `
`
things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man `
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that occupied me, still my inquiries were directed to the metaphysical, `
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or in its highest sense, the physical secrets of the world. `
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`
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Meanwhile Clerval occupied himself, so to speak, with the moral `
`
relations of things. The busy stage of life, the virtues of heroes, and `
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the actions of men were his theme; and his hope and his dream was to `
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become one among those whose names are recorded in story as the gallant `
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and adventurous benefactors of our species. The saintly soul of `
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Elizabeth shone like a shrine-dedicated lamp in our peaceful home. Her `
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sympathy was ours; her smile, her soft voice, the sweet glance of her `
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celestial eyes, were ever there to bless and animate us. She was the `
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living spirit of love to soften and attract; I might have become sullen `
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in my study, rought through the ardour of my nature, but that she was `
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there to subdue me to a semblance of her own gentleness. And `
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Clerval--could aught ill entrench on the noble spirit of Clerval? Yet `
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he might not have been so perfectly humane, so thoughtful in his `
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generosity, so full of kindness and tenderness amidst his passion for `
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adventurous exploit, had she not unfolded to him the real loveliness of `
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beneficence and made the doing good the end and aim of his soaring `
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