 more desirable union: heiress
of Villa-Franca, virtuous, affectionate, beautiful, and accomplished, Virginia
seemed calculated to make him happy. She sounded her brother upon the subject,
though without mentioning names or circumstances. He assured her in his answers,
that his heart and hand were totally disengaged, and she thought that upon these
grounds she might proceed without danger. She in consequence endeavoured to
strengthen the dawning passion of her friend. Lorenzo was made the constant
topic of her discourse; and the avidity with which her auditor listened, the
sighs which frequently escaped from her bosom, and the eagerness with which upon
any digression she brought back the conversation to the subject whence it had
wandered, sufficed to convince Agnes that her brother's addresses would be far
from disagreeable. She at length ventured to mention her wishes to the duke.
Though a stranger to the lady herself, he knew enough of her situation to think
her worthy his nephew's hand. It was agreed between him and his niece, that she
should insinuate the idea to Lorenzo, and she only waited his return to Madrid
to propose her friend to him as his bride. The unfortunate events which took
place in the interim, prevented her from executing her design. Virginia wept her
loss sincerely, both as a companion, and as the only person to whom she could
speak of Lorenzo. Her passion continued to prey upon her heart in secret, and
she had almost determined to confess her sentiments to her mother, when accident
once more threw their object in her way. The sight of him so near her, his
politeness, his compassion, his intrepidity, had combined to give new ardour to
her affection. When she now found her friend and advocate restored to her, she
looked upon her as a gift from Heaven; she ventured to cherish the hope of being
united to Lorenzo, and resolved to use with him his sister's influence.
    Supposing that before her death Agnes might possibly have made the proposal,
the duke had placed all his nephew's hints of marriage to Virginia's account;
consequently he gave them the most favourable reception. On returning to his
hotel, the relation given him of Antonia's death, and Lorenzo's behaviour on the
occasion, made evident his mistake. He lamented the circumstances; but the
unhappy girl being effectually out of the way, he trusted that his designs would
yet be executed. 'Tis true that Lorenzo's situation just then ill suited him for
a bridegroom. His hopes disappointed at the moment when he expected to realized
them, and the dreadful and
