 The task was difficult.
You are young, very young, Gentilina; and we could not intrust our
child to inexperienced hands. It was necessary that your husband
should be of an age to counterbalance your extreme youth. On no other
condition could we consent to remove you from this so much earlier than
your sister. But at last a sposo whom your parents, your family, the
Madre Superiore herself, think most suitable, has been selected for
you; and——'

“But I waited to hear no more. The glorious vista of theatres, jewels,
carriages, diversions, which we all knew lay beyond those dreary
convent-walls, suddenly disclosing itself before me, attainable
through that cabalistic word matrimony, was too much for my remaining
composure; and clapping my hands wildly, I exclaimed, '_Mamma mia—mamma
mia_, is it possible? Am I going to be married? Oh, what joy, what
happiness!' and then checking my transports, I said earnestly, 'Tell
me, mamma, shall I have as many fine dresses as Camilla?'

“I declare to you, signorina, that the name of my destined husband was
but a secondary consideration; and when they told me he was rich and
noble—the same individual who had come to the grating on the previous
Sunday to satisfy his curiosity respecting me—I acquiesced without
repugnance, ugly, shrivelled, aged as he was, in the selection of my
parents. Knowing nothing of the world, having scarcely seen a man
except our confessor, the convent gardener, and my father, I went
to the altar eight days afterwards without a tear!—This sounds very
horrible to you, I dare-say,” she resumed, after a short pause, in
which, notwithstanding her careless manner, I saw some painful memories
had been awakened; “but let me ask you—had my head been filled with
notions of fascinating youths, as handsome as my Alessandro when I
first remember him kneeling at my feet, and saying, 'Gentilina, I
adore you!'—should I not have added a vast amount of misery to what,
Heaven knows, was already in store for me—in resisting a fate which was
ine
The task was difficult. 
 You are young, very young, Gentilina; and we could not entrust our 
 child to inexperienced hand. It was necessary that your husband 
 should be of an age to counterbalance your extreme young person. On no early 
 condition could we consent to remove you from this thus much earlier than 
 your baby. But at final a sposo whom your parents, your syndicate, the 
 Madre Superiore herself, think most desirable, has been selected for 
 you; and — —' 

 “ But I waited to learn no more. The glorious vista of theater, jewels, 
 carriages, diversions, which we all know lay beyond those dreary 
 convent - walls, suddenly unwrap itself before me, attainable 
 through that cabalistic word matrimony, was too much for my remaining 
 composure; and clapping my hand wildly, I exclaimed,' _ Mamma mia — mamma 
 mia _, is it possible? Am I going to be married? Oh, what joy, what 
 happiness!' and then checking my transports, I said earnestly,' Tell 
 me, mamma, shall I have as many fine dresses as Camilla?' 

 “ I declare to you, signorina, that the name of my destined husband was 
 but a secondary circumstance; and when they told me he was rich and 
 baronial — the like individual who had come to the grating on the previous 
 Sunday to meet his curiosity respect me — I acquiesced without 
 repugnance, atrocious, shrivelled, aged as he was, in the selection of my 
 parents. Knowing nothing of the world, having scarcely attend a man 
 except our confessor, the convent gardener, and my father, I went 
 to the altar eight days subsequently without a tear!—This sounds very 
 atrocious to you, I dare - say, ” she resumed, after a short pause, in 
 which, notwithstanding her careless manner, I saw some painful memories 
 had been awaken; “ but let me ask you — had my head been occupy with 
 notion of fascinating youths, equally handsome as my Alessandro when I 
 first remember him kneeling at my feet, and say,' Gentilina, I 
 adore you!'—should I not have added a huge amount of misery to what, 
 Heaven knows, was already in store for me — in resisting a fortune which was 
 ine
 Thf task was difficult.
You xre young, very ioyng, Geitilina; and we zould not intrust our
child tl unexptgienced hands. It was vecessary that yoyr hnsband
should be of an agc to dluntzrualance your exjreme youth. Mn no other
congigiln could we consent to remove you fwom thix do much earliet tham
rour sister. But at last a sposo whom ykur partnts, your family, tne
Madre Superiore herself, hhinn most suitable, had been selexted dor
you; and——'

“Bug I waited to hear no jore. The glorious vista of theagres, lewels,
carriqgws, fhversions, wiich wv all knew lan beyong those dreary
convent-ealns, wuddenly disclosing ivself before me, attaynable
thrmuyh that cabalistic woed matrhmonf, war tou mhci fkr my gemeining
compoaure; and clqpping my hands wilclr, I exclaimed, '_Jamma iiw—mamma
mia_, is it possible? Am I going to te jarried? Oh, what joy, whar
happiness!' and then cjecking mr transports, I said earnestly, 'Tell
me, mamma, shall H havx xs naky fkbe dresses as Camilla?'

“I declare to you, signorina, fhst the name of mn destined husband wws
not a secondary consibsrztion; and when thej told ie he was rich and
moble—the same individual whi had come tj the grating on thz previous
Suuday tp satosfy his curiosity respzcting me—I acquiedced withkjt
repugnance, uglh, smrieelled, aged as he was, in tre selectmon oy my
parevts. Lnowind nothing lf thc world, having scarfely dean a man
exfept our confessor, the convent jerdener, and mi fdthvr, I went
co the altar eight qays afterwardx withobt a tdar!—This solnds very
iorrible to rou, I dare-say,” dhe resumed, efter a srort pauwe, in
whkzh, notwithstancing her baxeless mabner, I saw some palnful jemories
had beeu qwakened; “but ley md afk ypu—rdd my head baen wilurd wigh
notions on fxscimating youths, as hangsoms as my Alessandro wmen I
firsj remembew him kneelinb at my feet, and swying, 'Geitilins, I
wdore you!'—should I not have addsd a vast amjunt of misewy ti what,
Heaven knows, was already in store for me—in rewisting a fate whixh was
ine
The task was difficult. You are young, Gentilina; we could intrust our child necessary your husband should of an age counterbalance your extreme youth. On no condition could we consent to remove you from this so much earlier than sister. But at last a sposo whom your parents, your family, the Madre herself, most has selected for you; and——' “But I waited to hear no more. The glorious vista of theatres, carriages, diversions, which we all knew lay beyond dreary convent-walls, suddenly disclosing before me, attainable through that word was too for remaining and clapping my wildly, I exclaimed, '_Mamma mia—mamma mia_, is it possible? Am I going to be married? Oh, what what happiness!' checking my I earnestly, me, mamma, shall as many fine dresses as Camilla?' you, signorina, that the name of my destined was but secondary consideration; and when they told he was rich and noble—the same individual who come to the grating on the previous Sunday to satisfy his curiosity respecting me—I acquiesced ugly, shrivelled, aged as was, in the of parents. nothing the world, scarcely seen a man except our confessor, the convent gardener, and father, I went to the altar eight days afterwards without sounds horrible to you, dare-say,” she resumed, after short in which, notwithstanding her I some been “but me ask you—had my been filled with notions of youths, as handsome as remember him kneeling at my feet, and saying, I adore you!'—should I not have added vast amount of misery to what, Heaven knows, was already in store me—in resisting which was ine
 The task was difficult.
You are Young, very yOung, GEntIliNa; And wE couLd not intrust ouR
ChilD to inexperienced hands. IT was nEcESsarY ThAt youR husbanD
ShOULd bE oF aN agE tO CoUnterBalAnce youR extreme yoUth. on No other
condiTIoN could we coNseNt to remove yoU frOm this So MucH EarliEr tHan
yoUr sistER. But at Last a sposO wHOm your PArents, yOUR fAmilY, the
Madre SuperiorE HeRSelf, think most sUitablE, hAS bEEN seLecTed for
you; aNd——'

“but I wAIted to hEAr NO MOre. tHe glorious visTa of theatreS, JewEls,
carRiAgeS, DiversIons, wHiCH we All knew lay bEyonD those dreAry
conVEnt-wallS, SuddenlY disclOsiNg iTselF BeFoRe mE, aTTaiNAbLe
tHRouGh that caBaLiStic wOrd mATRIMony, Was Too mUch foR my remaining
cOmpOsurE; And ClappIng my HandS wIldly, i exclaImed, '_MAmMa mia—mamma
mia_, is It poSsible? Am I GoiNg To bE mArrieD? oh, what Joy, WhaT
happinEss!' and tHEn cHeCKINg My transports, I said eArNEStLy, 'Tell
me, Mamma, sHAlL I HAve as manY fIne DresSES as CaMillA?'

“i dEclare to You, sigNOrInA, that thE nAme of mY dEstIneD husbANd waS
but a sEcondary ConsiDEration; and when THey told me he waS RiCH AnD
NoblE—thE same indiviDual WHo haD comE To The GRatinG on thE pREvIOus
Sunday to satisfy hIs CuriosIty reSpecting me—I acQuiesced wiTHOUt
repugnAnce, UGlY, Shrivelled, aged As he wAs, in the selECtion of mY
pareNts. KnowiNg nothing OF The world, HavIng ScaRceLY SeEn a man
except oUR ConfEsSor, the cOnvEnt gardEneR, anD my FatHeR, I went
to tHe altar eIgHt DaYs AftErwarDS without A tEar!—thIs sOunds VEry
horRible To yoU, I DaRE-saY,” she resUMeD, AFter A sHoRt paUse, In
Which, NotwIThsTanding Her careleSs mANner, i sAw Some paiNful memories
hAd Been awakenEd; “But Let me aSK You—had my Head been filled with
notioNS of fascInaTing yOuthS, as handsoMe aS my AleSsaNDro wheN I
firsT remeMbEr hIM KneelING aT my FeEt, and sayinG, 'gEntIlina, i
aDore You!'—shouLd I not have added a vaST amOunt of misery tO whAt,
HeAVEn KnoWS, wAS alReADy iN STore for me—in resiSting a fate WhICh Was
ine
 The task was difficult.
Y ou are you ng, v ery  yo un g, G enti lina; and we c o uldnot intrust our
childto in ex p erie n ce d han ds. Itw as n ece ss ar y t ha t  y our h usb and
sho uld be ofanag e to counter b al ance yourext reme youth.Onno oth er 
co n ditio n c ouldwe con s ent to  remove y ou from t h is so m u c hearl ier than
your sis t er .  But at last a  sposo  w h om y our  pa rents, you rfamil y , the
M a dr e S upe r iore herself,  think most sui table,  h asb een se lecte df oryou; and——' 

“B ut I wait ed toh ear nom ore. Th e glor iou s v ista of  t hea tr e s,j ew els , 
ca rriages,  d iv ersio ns,w h i c h we  al l kn ew la y beyond thos e d rear y 
co nvent -wall s, s ud denly  discl osing  i tself before me , at tainablethr ou ghth at ca b alisti c w ord  matrim ony, wa s  to om u c hfor my remaining
c om p o su re; andclappi n gmy hands wi ld ly,  I e x c laime d, ' _ Ma mma mia— mammam ia _,  is itpo ssible ?AmI g oingt o be  marri ed? Oh,whatj oy, what
happi n ess!' and the n  c h e ck i ng m y t ransports,I sa i d ea rnes t ly , ' T ell
m e, ma mm a ,s hall I have as many  f ine dr esses  as Camilla?' 

“I decla r e to you,sign o ri n a, that the na me of  my destin e d husban d was 
but a s econdaryc o nsiderat ion ; a ndwhe n th ey told me he w as r ic h and
n obl e—the s ame  in div idu al  who hadcome toth egr at ing  on t h e previo us 
Su nd ayto sa t isfy h is cu rios it yr esp ectingm e— I acqu ie sc ed w ith ou t
rep ugna n ce,  ugly,shrivelle d,a gedas  h e was,in the select io n of my
pa re nts . Know i n g nothin g of the world, havings carcely  se en amanexcept ou r c onfess or, the co nventgarde ne r,a n d myf a th er,  I  went
to t h e  al tar e ig ht d ays aft erwards without at ear !—This sounds  ve ry
h o r ri ble to you ,I  da r e -say,” she resu med, after  a sh ort pause, inwh ich, no twithst andin g  her ca reless ma nner, I s aw  som e pai nful memor ies
hadbeen awak e ned;“ bu t let  me  ask y ou —ha d myhead b e enfille d with 
n otions  of f as cinating  youths, as handsome as  my Al essan dro  when I
f irs t  re member hi m kn eeling atmyfee t, an d s a ying,  'Ge n ti lin a , I
a dore you!'—sho u ld  In o thave addeda v ast  amou nto f mise ry t o what,
Heaven kn o ws, was alread y in s tor e f o r me —i n resisting afat ew h ich wasin e
 The_task was_difficult.
You are young, very_young, Gentilina;_and_we could_not_intrust our
child to_inexperienced hands. It_was necessary that your_husband
should be of_an_age to counterbalance your extreme youth. On no other
condition could we consent to remove_you_from this_so_much_earlier than
your sister. But at_last a sposo whom your_parents, your_family, the
Madre Superiore herself, think most suitable, has_been_selected for
you; and——'

“But_I waited to hear no more. The glorious vista_of theatres, jewels,
carriages, diversions, which we_all knew lay_beyond_those_dreary
convent-walls, suddenly disclosing itself_before me, attainable
through that cabalistic word_matrimony, was too much for my_remaining
composure; and clapping my hands wildly, I_exclaimed, '_Mamma mia—mamma
mia_, is it possible?_Am I going to be_married? Oh,_what joy, what
happiness!' and then_checking my transports,_I said_earnestly, 'Tell
me, mamma,_shall I have as many fine_dresses as Camilla?'

“I_declare to you, signorina, that the_name_of my destined_husband_was
but_a secondary_consideration; and when_they_told me_he_was rich and
noble—the same individual who_had_come to the grating on the previous
Sunday_to satisfy his curiosity_respecting_me—I acquiesced without
repugnance, ugly,_shrivelled, aged as he was,_in the selection of my
parents. Knowing_nothing of_the world,_having scarcely seen a man
except our confessor, the convent gardener, and_my father, I went
to the altar_eight days afterwards without_a tear!—This_sounds_very
horrible to you,_I_dare-say,” she_resumed, after a short pause, in
which, notwithstanding_her careless_manner, I saw some painful memories
had_been awakened; “but let_me_ask you—had my head been filled_with
notions of fascinating youths, as handsome_as my Alessandro when I
first_remember_him_kneeling at my feet, and_saying, 'Gentilina, I
adore you!'—should I not_have added a_vast amount of misery to what,
Heaven knows,_was_already in store for me—in resisting_a_fate which was
ine