But this is false reasoning. I confess to you, my
friend, that I love you and that in my airy dreams of futurity you
have been my constant friend and companion. But it is your
happiness I desire as well as my own when I declare to you that our
marriage would render me eternally miserable unless it were the
dictate of your own free choice. Even now I weep to think that,
borne down as you are by the cruellest misfortunes, you may stifle,
by the word `honour,' all hope of that love and happiness which
would alone restore you to yourself. I, who have so disinterested
an affection for you, may increase your miseries tenfold by being
an obstacle to your wishes. Ah! Victor, be assured that your
cousin and playmate has too sincere a love for you not to be made
miserable by this supposition. Be happy, my friend; and if you
obey me in this one request, remain satisfied that nothing on
earth will have the power to interrupt my tranquillity.
"Do not let this letter disturb you; do not answer tomorrow,
or the next day, or even until you come, if it will give you pain.
My uncle will send me news of your health, and if I see but one
smile on your lips when we meet, occasioned by this or any other
exertion of mine, I shall need no other happiness.
"Elizabeth Lavenza
"Geneva, May 18th, 17--"
This letter revived in my memory what I had before forgotten, the
threat of the fiend--"I WILL BE WITH YOU ON YOUR WEDDING-NIGHT!" Such
was my sentence, and on that night would the daemon employ every art to
destroy me and tear me from the glimpse of happiness which promised
partly to console my sufferings.
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