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THE ROSE-COLORED PACKET.

BY THE AUTHOR OF THE ITALIAN SKETCH-BOOK.'

SOOTHINGLY played the sunset breeze over the sleeping sea, laden with the perfume from the orange-groves of Genoa. As the mellow light gilded the palace-roofs and domes of the old city, its aspect, to the imaginative spectator who gazed distantly from the ocean, was not unlike an ancient and splendid amphitheatre, with golden battlements, an azure canopy, and an arena of polished emerald. The quiet waters of the bay wore an air of unwonted solitude; and but a single vessel was moored in a position which indicated a speedy departure. This was a brigantine, of beautiful proportions - evidently one of the comparatively small, but singularly efficient craft, which supplied Britain with the finer fabrics of southern Europe. If the eye lingered unconsciously upon the symmetrical exterior of the Sea-Nymph,' a glance at her occupants and equipments, could not but speedily yield to a gaze of earnestness and pleasure. The most prominent figure discernible upon her deck, was that of a young man clad in mariner's vestments, the quality of which indicated superiority of rank not more distinctly than did their perfect adaptation serve to discover superiority of form and strength. There was enough in the stranger's appearance to denote his English origin; but other characteristics as readily suggested to an intelligent observer, that circumstances of birth or experience had modified the peculiarities so obvious in the sons of the north. A certain nervousness of temperament and latent warmth of feeling, were discoverable in the natural language of the seaman; and as the light puffs of air, ever and anon, threw back the sidelocks from his uncovered head, the disciple of a beautiful but misinterpreted science would have noticed the cause of the bland complacency which rested on his countenance, as his eye roved over the surrounding scene. The breadth of the brow indicated a large endowment of ideality, to the delight of which, that fairylike picture was now silently ministering. The mother of Captain Roberto was a native of Spain, and neither the qualities of his Albion father, which he largely inherited, nor a boyhood spent amid the fogs of the island, had sufficed to eradicate the southern leaven from his nature. Earlier, by several years, than ordinary prudence would warrant, he had been entrusted with a large interest in the trade in which he was then engaged. For him, it had many and peculiar charms. His latent affinity with the region of his mother's nativity found free scope during his frequent sojourns in the cities and campagna of the Mediterranean coast; and in every port there were those who welcomed

the Sea-Nymph' and her gallant commander, with a greeting such as seldom cheers the arrival of foreign merchantmen.

'I think the lad has started, yonder,' said the captain.

'Aye, aye, sir,' replied his second in command, turning his eye towards the shipping.

'A slacker boy than Zed would have lingered longer on his last land-errand.'

In a few moments the boat, propelled gently on by the skilful arm of the young sailor, touched the vessel's side, and he stood, hat in hand, before his commander.

'All's right,' observed that functionary, taking a small file of papers from the boy, and hastily glancing at their contents; and had ye brought a good breeze with ye, Zed, we would see how much nearer the Straits the dawn would find us.'

Your honor knows that Zed would ever be the bearer of pleasant things;' and drawing from his vest a small pink packet, he presented it, with unusual obeisance, whereby - as the quick eye of Roberto was not slow to detect the lad hoped to conceal the arch smile that was playing on his lip.

'Whence this?' exclaimed the captain, with an air of surprise. 'It was left at the consignee's, an hour since, sir;' and so saying, he retreated among his messmates.

Nicholas Vanblunt, the mate of the Sea-Nymph,' possessed the numerous solid excellencies which characterized his Dutch progenitors. Indeed, if the truth must be told, the prudent partners of Roberto had connived to secure the old man the berth he enjoyed — deeming his caution and judicious timidity well fitted to neutralize the action of the captain's more mercurial nature; and they were wont, in private converse, to yclep Vanblunt the ballast of their enterprises, and Roberto the sails - the one ever advocating steadiness, and preferring perfect immobility to the least risk; the other striving to catch every breeze of fortune, and carry some canvass even in a tempest. One quickening impulse, however, occasionally wakened into temporary vivacity the energies of Nicholas; this was that restless appetite, of motherEve memory, denominated curiosity; and, had one seen the start and the gaze, which the phenomenon of the rose-colored packet gave rise to, he would have thought that the Netherlands had suddenly become visible over the bow of the brigantine. The effect which the epistle produced upon the demeanor of Roberto, was well calculated still farther to excite the inquisitive spirit of his mate. He dwelt long and curiously upon the superscription; and the listless manner in which he broke the seal, was strongly contrasted with the expression of intense interest which its contents awakened. He read, then walked the deck and read again; now he turned his eyes intently upon some inland object, and now surveyed, with anxious circumspection, the hues of the horizon;

he smiled as the breeze evidently freshened, and glanced complacently over the garniture of his vessel; then resuming his walk, he hummed musingly a Spanish air, till the flutter of the paper seemed to awaken his mind from its abstraction; once again he read, then carefully refolding and depositing it in his bosom, he murmured, yet in a tone of resolution, 'It shall be done !'

What, sir?' ejaculated the impatient Nicholas, at his elbow. 'A trifle, in the way of business on shore. Harkee, Mr. Vanblunt, send Zed, with the small boat and two lads, alongside; loosen the sheets and make all ready; in five minutes after my return, we must be off.'

Roberto hastened to the cabin; and Nicholas, having given orders agreeable to his instructions, returned to his post-determined, on the captain's re-appearance, to learn the occasion of these unexpected movements.

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Any news of import?' he asked.

6 No, Mr. Vanblunt, not a word.

'Are the invoices all on board, sir?'
'Yes; you can examine them, below.'
'But, Captain

What? stopping and looking up, as he descended the vessel's side.

The the rose-colored packet, sir?'

-

'Oh! I will tell you all about it'

'Do, sir,' winningly exclaimed Nicholas, leaning over, in fond expectation.

On my return,' dryly added Roberto, as he dropped into the boat, and, in an urgent though low tone, bade the oarsmen 'pull away.' Before the disappointed mate could rally from his discomfiture, their long and vigorous strokes had borne their commander to a distance which precluded any but a vociferous renewal of the interview.

The business which thus unexpectedly called on shore the captain of the Sea-Nymph,' was of that species with regard to which experience had taught him it was well to postpone consulting his reflecting brother officer. He made it a rule, indeed, to take counsel with that worthy on all occasions of mutual concernment; but chose to exercise his private judgement in fixing the time for presenting certain subjects to the veteran's consideration having often found his opinion, on questions of expediency, less troublesome after than before the said questions were experimentally settled. Accordingly, he already anticipated many long discussions with Nicholas, relative to the rose-colored packet, but not till his own view of the matter had been practically adopted.

Leaving the anxious Hollander to superintend the preparations for the speedy departure of the brigantine, let us follow her small

boat, and learn what is writ on the rosy scroll, against which the Anglo-Spaniard's noble heart is beating with benevolent expectancy. The delicacy of the characters betray the hand of woman; and the elegant Italian, in which the epistle is couched, evince more than ordinary cultivation. In homely English, it would read thus:

To the captain of the Sea-Nymph

The writer of this has been, almost from her earliest recollection, a denizen of the convent of St. Agatha. She has gazed often from the tower above, forth upon the beautiful city, and out upon the bright sea; she has heard the festal cries of the Genoese, and the song of the mariners from the bay; she has noted the glad faces of the young gentry and the happy countenances of the peasants, as they have passed along the adjacent road; and these things have awakened in her soul the desire of freedom. The thought has been cherished till it has become a passion and a necessity. She has read much of the honor and generosity of Englishmen. Thrice has she marked thy distant vessel; but, until this hour, knew not by what title to address thee. She now appeals to the captain of the Sea-Nymph for deliverance and protection. Three hours after vespers, a blue cord will be dropped from the third window of the farther wing of the convent. thou be there to rescue an involuntary nun? and shall the SeaNymph bear her to the free shores of England? In nomine Dei Patri, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, thou art invoked to compassionate VIOLA DONATELLI.'

Wilt

The long, delicious twilight, peculiar to southern latitudes, was fast yielding to the deeper shades and more solemn effulgence of night. The lovely daughters of Genoa again welcomed their evening pastimes. The cheerful hum of the converzazione, the rich music of Italian song, and even the low notes of a guitar, ever and anon echoed along the terrace-groves, or stole out from among the garden-shrubbery of the street of palaces. A day of uncommon sultriness had rendered the cool and tranquil even-time doubly grateful. Yet the new-born breeze, sweetly musical as it was within the city and by the sea-side, stirred, with something of wildness, amid the rank grass that clustered about the foundation of a massive pile which arose loftily, beyond the suburbs. Its anterior wall cast a gigantic shadow over the solitary fields; and nought but the white habiliments would have betrayed a figure, which, in a crouching attitude, was slowly following the line of its base. Suddenly it seemed to spring forward, and presently the gleam of a lantern revealed the captain of the 'Sea-Nymph' hastening towards Zed, who was drawing from among the vines the tessalated extremity of a silken rope. To this, a light but strong ladder of cordage was attached and drawn upward. Roberto soon felt the cords tremble in his grasp, as he

endeavored to steady them. 'Corragio!' he whispered, as a light female form dropped gently among the weeds at his feet, and knelt down, with folded arms and an upward gaze, as if witless of his presence. He quietly raised the lantern, and its feeble rays fell on features of that indescribable saint-like beauty, with which the traveler occasionally meets among the religeuse of the continent. The freshness of youth combined with the sacred ardor of devotion to vivify their expression; and the excitement of the occasion tended to deepen the impression, which the vision for such it seemed ― made upon the ardent mind of the young seaman. He inwardly rejoiced, yet with something of awe, that the enterprise was undertaken, and felt nerved for its fulfilment. Zed suddenly pointed to the ladder, and to his dismay, the captain beheld another and seemingly decrepit female slowly descending; his exclamation recalled the nun from her reverie. Rising, she anxiously surveyed the countenance of Roberto; then softly murmured-' Viola confides in one above and thee. Fear not; yonder comes the only other being whom I can call friend on earth; finding me resolute, she has determined to accompany me.' Roberto was sadly perplexed at this information; but his cogitations on the subject were quickly interrupted by a cry of alarm, and the next moment the unfortunate donna fell groaning at the foot of the ladder. Snatching a cloak from the arms of Zed, he threw it around the fair being beside him, and lifting her on his shoulder, ran with wonderful rapidity, followed by the sailor-boy. The cries of the fallen dame echoed through the solitude. Roberto pressed onward in silence, nor paused till he reached the last point whence the convent was discernible; then gazing momentarily back, he beheld lights gleaming from twenty windows, and fancied the cries of pursuers, borne on the rising wind.

*

*

Hadst thou, gentle reader, while rusticating, at a subsequent period, at one of the most beautiful villages in the vicinity of London, unexpectedly entered the drawing-room of the accomplished Madame Clarissa Roberto, thou wouldst have seen, among that lady's fair-haired and blue-eyed daughters, a flower not less pleasing to contemplate, though evidently exotic. But it would be only by patient attention, that, in the cheerful and womanly beauty of the stranger, thou couldst discover any especial semblance to the lovely apostate who, three years before, prayed for forgiveness beneath the walls of St. Agatha. Yet, were it thy privilege to linger beside her to mark the sweet naiveté, with which she uttered the accents of the Anglo-Saxon, kindle her expressiveness by appeals to her enthusiasm, or drink the melody of her song; when the wand of the enchanter was no longer visibly swayed, thou wouldst learn, by the rapid flight of time and the lingering of the soul's glow, that thou hadst been within the magic

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