Chapter 3

           WhenIhadattainedtheageofseventeenmyparentsresolvedthatIshouldbecomeastudentattheuniversityofIngolstadt.IhadhithertoattendedtheschoolsofGeneva,butmyfatherthoughtitnecessaryforthecompletionofmyeducationthatIshouldbemadeacquaintedwithothercustomsthanthoseofmynativecountry.Mydeparturewasthereforefixedatanearlydate,butbeforethedayresolveduponcouldarrive,thefirstmisfortuneofmylifeoccurredanomen,asitwere,ofmyfuturemisery.Elizabethhadcaughtthescarletfever;herillnesswassevere,andshewasinthegreatestdanger.Duringherillnessmanyargumentshadbeenurgedtopersuademymothertorefrainfromattendinguponher.Shehadatfirstyieldedtoourentreaties,butwhensheheardthatthelifeofherfavouritewasmenaced,shecouldnolongercontrolheranxiety.Sheattendedhersickbed;herwatchfulattentionstriumphedoverthemalignityofthedistemperElizabethwassaved,buttheconsequencesofthisimprudencewerefataltoherpreserver.Onthethirddaymymothersickened;herfeverwasaccompaniedbythemostalarmingsymptoms,andthelooksofhermedicalattendantsprognosticatedtheworstevent.Onherdeathbedthefortitudeandbenignityofthisbestofwomendidnotdeserther.ShejoinedthehandsofElizabethandmyself."Mychildren,"shesaid,"myfirmesthopesoffuturehappinesswereplacedontheprospectofyourunion.Thisexpectationwillnowbetheconsolationofyourfather.Elizabeth,mylove,youmustsupplymyplacetomyyoungerchildren.Alas!IregretthatIamtakenfromyou;and,happyandbelovedasIhavebeen,isitnothardtoquityouall?Butthesearenotthoughtsbefittingme;Iwillendeavourtoresignmyselfcheerfullytodeathandwillindulgeahopeofmeetingyouinanotherworld."

           Shediedcalmly,andhercountenanceexpressedaffectionevenindeath.Ineednotdescribethefeelingsofthosewhosedearesttiesarerentbythatmostirreparableevil,thevoidthatpresentsitselftothesoul,andthedespairthatisexhibitedonthecountenance.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 33 з 243