Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/36

 "And whom do you love?"

"Alas! A young man."

"No doubt of that, Elmira," returned I with a forced laugh; "by the stars! you are very unfortunate."

"And he is a person accomplished too.—"

"The sadder still."

"Don't sport with me, Carlos, for my passion is unrequited,"

"That's the worst of all —But you should hope, Elmira; what influence soever I may have over him, I'll bestow it for your sake. But who is it? What's his name?" With all the rapture of eager expectation I kissed her hand, and hoped instantly to hear myself named. But what was my disappointment when she whispered in a serious tone:

"It is Don Antonio, your friend! Exercise for my sake all the influence you possess over him—but spare my honor."

This confession was a thunderstroke to me. My former loves had only been a struggle between caprice and vanity. The ladies had always more than half way met my advances,