The Adventures Of Don Pasquale.

THE ADVENTURES OF DON PASQUALE .

BY THE AUTHOB OF THE " OLD , OLD STORY . " CHAPTER XI . Arma virumque cano . —VIRGIL . HINTED in my last chapter of an unexpected event , which would cast for a time

1 gloom and despondency OA'er the merry circle at Rome , and Avould break up that " fair fellowship " " pour le moment . " And so it Avas—and so it did . I mean the outbreak of the war in Italy in 1 S 4 S , Avhich led to the retreat of the Austrians , under Field-Marshal Eadetzky , to Verona , to several Austrian victories , to a short armistice , and then to the croAvniug battle at Novara in 1849 . When the events of 1848 broke outBechuerold soldier as he Avasand true Tyroler to bootat once took farewell of

, , , , his charmer , and hastened to his old ancestral castle , and p laced himself at the head of a fine corps of Tyrolese Sharpshooters , and joined " Vater Eadetzky , " as the Austrians liked to call their brave old leader , at Verona . Stanelli , though a Venetian , by birth , had already served in the Piedmontese army , felt that , inasmuch as he AA'as possessed of property in Piedmont , also felt that it Avas his duty to rejoin his colours , so he applied for and obtained a position on the Staff of the Piedmontese army .

Thus in a moment Avas the gay house of the Allegri family turned into a house of mourning . Eva and Anna , though they deeply felt the departure of their admireis , ( and many , no doubt , were the mutual vows of fidelity pledged ere the hour of parting came ) , yet , like sensible women , found no fault with the resolutions of their " young men , " and in fact I believe , though sad at separation , like true women too , secretly applauded their soldier ' s sense of duty , under all circumstances . Balthazar and Paesiello

did not feel that there Avas any call for them to mix themselves in the "hurly-burly , " the more so , as Don Balthazar sententiously observed , '' My fighting days are over—I leave all that to the young men . " Baron Puclmer-Priessler being a pure civilian , felt no military ardour at all , and I fancy was rather bored than otherwise , the more so as this grave trial of a separational , uncertain duration seemed to throw the fair widow more aud more into the . closest confidence with her capable and friendly adviser

, Balthazar . So Baron Puchner-Priessler sought for consolation amid the gloom of the Allegri villa in the conversation and sympathy of Madame Von Langentheiler , Avho abounded in both , and had an unlimited supply of either ready at the shortest notice , and Avith the best possible effect .

Still , poor Eva aijd Anna found not only the time hang rather heavy on their hands Avhen Stanelli and -Bechuer Avere reall y gone , despite the attentions of Compton aud Paesiello , bnt their fair faces often bore outward traces of their not unnatural herz-Aveh , as the Germans poetically call "heart-ache , " Avithin . Strange it is iu life how often those whom Ave prize little Avhen present and living , Ave deeply miss , Ave truly mourn for , when departed—when dead . Then there comes over us a tender memory of a living presence—of a kindly heart ; then there supervenes

a retrospect , affecting aud subduing , of pleasant hours and gracious scenes , of voices and forms , and hearts and sympathies , which all belong to our own dear buried past ! In the mean time the onward current of events had brought about again in Italy the stern arbitrament of war . Upon the triumphant , advance of Field-Marshal Eadetzky from Verona , and the sterling victories of Santa Lucia , Somma Campagna , Custozza , Volta , and before the walls of Milau , au armistice had been concluded on the 9 th of August , 1848 , between the Austrians and the Piedmontese , Avhich gave a sort of breathing-time to the combatants . But on the 12 th March , 1849 , a Piedmontese Major