Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/179

 But what sufferings did still await me?—The charms of Elmira began to fade visibly under the pressure of her languishing complaint. She was now become so extremely feeble, as to be no longer able to rise from her bed. I seldom left her even for a moment, and every care which marital tenderness could bestow, every skill which physical aid could display, were vainly lavished on her desperate case. In fine, a violent hemorrhage put a stop to the remainder of her suffering existence, hardly leaving her time enough to commend our little Amados to my paternal love, to embrace me, and kiss off with her last breath my sighs and tears.

The poor little babe too seemed, alas! to want my care no more. He had sucked in the mortal poison with his mother's milk. Lying constantly by her side on the bed, he had solicitously endeavoured to dispel the awful shades of approaching death, by his fond and innocent caresses. But when he found her tongue mute to his sweet prattle; when he saw her eyes closed to eternal sleep;