Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/364

 who was uncommonly fond of me, believed all my assertions, promised to visit his daughter at Seville, and to keep up a diligent correspondence with her. He however bitterly complained, that she should have preferred a cloister to the paternal mansion. This deeply moved me; the reasons which I assigned for her retreat were, an inward debility, and an indisposition which nothing but loneliness could possibly cure.

Having finally settled the management of my affairs, I prepared to visit my friend Selami, who had by this time sent me an invitation to his seat near Toledo. My father-in-law had informed me, that the count left France very suddenly, because his proud spirit could not bear the mortification, which the revolution forced every privileged order to endure.

I was determined to surprise the count, by not letting him know of my coming. When I reached the terrace of his garden, the first object which struck my eyes was a tender child fitting on the green turf, playing with a large greyhound. The animal being one of