me on my preservation, praising God for having made them instrumental in my restoration to life.
"Thank God, Countess," one of them began, "that you have been rescued from the cruel hands of that barbarian, and are now in the company of more humane beings!"
"From what cruel hands?" I replied, with astonishment.
"From those of your pretended lover, the Marquis Carlos of G******."
"Be silent, vile reptile," I exclaimed, "and dare not to asperse the name of a man whom I adore!"
"Don't put yourself into a passion, my Lady," she replied coolly: "You will be of our opinion before many days are elapsed. We are members of a society whose sole business it is to make the sufferer forget his sorrows, and to restore the unhappy to happiness. Indeed, Countess, we flattered ourselves to deserve, at least, your gratitude."
"What
