(Taken from an Irish Paper.)
A letter with the following curious superscription on it was put in the
post office of Balbriggen.
“To Mr. John Winters,
Newtown Gore---county Leitrim, to be forwarded to Terence Sheanan,
or to John Owen, or Mary Sheanan, all brothers, in Corrocopel, or
elsewhere, near or about Newtown Gore, or somewhere else in that
country.” !!!
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Interesting History Of
THE PRINCESS DE PONTHIEU.
_Translated from the French._
(Continued from page 75.)
“This news was soon blazed through all Almeria, and fated ever to be
guilty of constrained infidelities, I was proclaimed and crowned Sultana
Queen, with a magnificence that would have dazzled any one but the
Princess de Ponthieu. During the whole ceremony, the image of Thibault
never quitted me, I spoke to it, begged its pardon, in short, I was so
lost in thought, that Sayda has since told me I had more the appearance
of a statue than a living person. As for you, my lord, I often
reproached your cruelty, that had brought me to the precipice in which I
found myself. There has not passed one day in the nine years I have been
married to the Sultan, on which I have not talked of my dear Thibault to
the faithful Sayda, with a torrent of tears. The Sultan has kept his
word with me, all his court thinks me a Renegada, he alone knows the
truth, and without reproaching me with my melancholy, has done his
utmost to disperse it. The same respect and complaisance has always
accompanied his actions, and you yourselves have been witnesses of my
power, by his granting me without hesitation your lives. I knew you
again the first moment I saw your faces, and should have discovered
myself yesterday, but had a mind to know whether my memory was yet dear.
These are my unhappy adventures; but this is not all I have to say: You
must, my dear Thibault, in order to regain your wife and liberty, expose
your life to fresh dangers: speak, do you think me worthy of so great a
testimony of your continued love and tenderness?” “You cannot make a
doubt of it,” answered he, “without being guilty of a greater offence
than all your distraction made you act----I swear to you, my dear
Princess, by the pleasure I had in obtaining you from your father, by
the felicity I enjoyed in being beloved by you, by my misfortune, and by
the joy I feel in seeing you again, that I never adored you with more
ardour than I now do----Fear not therefore to explain yourself, command
me, dispose of me as you please.” The fair Sultaness was charmed with
this tender assurance, and there being nobody present that she
suspected, she again embraced her much loved husband, and then told him
what she had proposed to the Sultan. “’Tis of the utmost importance,”
added she, “that you should gain his confidence by some signal service,
that my designs may the better succeed--he has already lost several
battles, through the ill conduct of his generals; but if you fight for
him I doubt not of the victory.--He cannot refuse you his esteem, which
will enable me to put my project in execution.”
The Count and Thibault approved of what she said; but the young Prince
begged she would contrive it so, that he might accompany his brother to
the army, his youthful heart burning with impatience to behold so noble
a sight; but the Queen told him she could not possibly gratify those
testimonies of so early a courage, though she admired them, because she
had given her promise to the Sultan, that both he and his father should
remain at court as hostages for the fidelity of Thibault. After some
further discourse, and renewed embraces, she ordered them to retire, it
growing towards the hour in which the Sultan was used to visit her. They
were scarce out of the room, before that Prince entered; and having
asked her if the valiant captain agreed with her intentions: “Yes, my
lord,” replied she, “he is impatient to express by his services the
grateful sense he has of his obligation to us.” The Sultan immediately
commanded they should all three be brought before him; and observing
them more heedful than he had done before, was infinitely charmed with
their good mien: the venerable age, and commanding aspect of the Prince
of Ponthieu, excited his respect; the beauty and vivacity of the young
Prince, his admiration; but in the noble air, and manly graces of the
accomplished Thibault, he fancied he discovered an assurance he would be
able to answer the character the Sultaness had given of him--The more he
considered him, the more he found to increase his love and esteem for
him.---“The Sultaness,” said he, “who has saved your life, will needs,
out of love for me, and respect for you, have you expose it in my
service.---I see nothing about you but what serves to convince me I do
not err, when I place entire confidence in you: therefore you must
prepare to set out to-morrow, I have in my council declared you general.
My subjects are fatigued, and heartless with continual losses, and
though you are a christian, my soldiers will with joy obey you, if your
valour does but answer their expectations, and the character they have
of you.” After Thibault had in the most handsome and submissive manner
assured him of his zeal and fidelity, that prince proceeded to give him
those instructions which were necessary; and retiring, left him, to
receive those of the Sultaness.
He was no sooner gone, than turning towards Thibault, “You are going to
fight against infidels,” said she, “tho’ you fight for one; but, my dear
husband! consult my repose as well as your own courage, and fight to
conquer, not to die;---remember I expose you, that I may the better save
you.” He thanked her for her obliging fears, and promised to combat only
to preserve his honour, and gain the opportunity to deliver her.---It
being time to retire, they quitted the Queen’s apartment, and returning
to their own, a slave brought up Thibault, a stately vest and sabre,
adorned with precious stones, a present to him from the Sultan; he put
them on, and attended that prince at dinner, who saw him with pleasure.
They discoursed on the different methods of making war, and the Sultan
found his new general so consummate in the art, that he assured himself
of victory: he then presented him to the chief men of his court. The
rest of the day was employed in reviewing the troops that were in
Almeria. As he was to go the next, he begged of the Sultaness by Sayda,
that he might be permitted to bid her adieu without any witnesses; the
fair Queen, who desired it with equal ardour, appointed night for the
interview:---so when all was quiet in the palace, he was introduced by
that faithful slave into the apartment of his dear Princess. Then it
was, that this long separated husband and wife, now more in love, if
possible, than ever, renewed their protestations of everlasting
affection, and, forgetting the rest of the world, gave a loose to the
raptures of being once more blessed, and the soft hope of re-uniting
themselves, no more to be divided. Thus the best part of the night
passed, and day would have surprised them, had not Sayda given them
notice it was time to part. The Sultaness wept, and Thibault was
extremely moved, but reason reassuming its empire, they embraced and
bade each other adieu, and begged heaven they might soon meet again. He
went not to bed, employing the remaining hours in taking leave of the
Count de Ponthieu, and the young Prince his son.---He recommended his
dear Princess to the former, intreating him to neglect no opportunities
of being with her. He then repaired to the Sultan, to receive his last
commands, and set out with a cheerfulness that seemed to presage
success.
(_To be concluded in our next._)
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