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 early age to the Count of that name, who died three months after their marriage. The old Count de Ncvers, two years after, saw Valentia, and, struck with her beauty, offered her marriage; she rcfused to enter again into matrimony, but acccptcd of him as a lover. Soon after this conncxion she found herself pregnant, and before she had an opportunity to makc known her situation to the Count de Nevers, he was obliged to go to the south of France, where he soon after died. On his death, Valentia hastily quitted France, accompanied by Nicholas Flamcl, her unclc, to England, where he took a fcigned name, and under the charactcr of a rich merchant, he passed for hcr husband till after the birth of her child; when they left England, they proceeded to Venice, and again he changed his name. Her daughtcr Adelgonde’s education was supcrintended by hersclf, and all her care was cxcrtcd, to implant those seeds of virtuc in her breast, which had never bcen sown in her own. Nicholas Flamel's benevolent heart often led him to the haunts of poverty and distrcss, and one of the objects of misery he relieved was Marcel's sister. A thought struck him, at the time he wished to countcract the designs of the King of Navarre and Marcel, to introduce her into the family of this factious magistrate, by pretending that Adelgonde was the daughter of his sistcr.

Madame de Montfort’s zeal to be useful made her willingly adopt the plan. They went to Marcel's—Adclgondc as Alice, the daughter of his deceased sister, just come from Venice, and Madame dc Montfort as Fittoria. The energetic character of her daughter, contributed as much to their succcss, as the treasurcs and other means devised by her uncle. Adelgonde, by accidcnt, discovered a miniaturc, which she was informed was her brother; but the instinct of love made her doubt this assertion; and without daring to examine this