Her waiting maid, also, proved so treacherous, that she was forced to
dismiss her, and wished "never to set eyes on her more;" and the
family, with whom she was living, displayed most detestable meanness.
Thus helpless, ill, and solitary, she could not even now enjoy the
mother's privilege. Yet she writes cheerfully:--"My present nurse is a
very good one, and I feel relieved. We must have courage but it is a
great care, alone and ignorant, to guard an infant in its first days
of life. He is very pretty for his age; and, without knowing what name
I intended giving him, the people in the house call him _Angiolino_,
because he is so lovely." Again:--"He is so dear! It seems to me,
among all disasters and difficulties, that if he lives and is well, he
will become a treasure for us two, that will compensate us for
everything." And yet again:--"This ---- is faithless, like the rest.
Spite of all his promises, he will not bring the matter to inoculate
Nino, though, all about us, persons are dying with small-pox. I cannot
sleep by night, and I weep by day, I am so disgusted; but you are too
far off to help me. The baby is more beautiful every hour. He is worth
all the trouble he causes me,--poor child that I am,--alone here, and
abused by everybody.
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