ceiving him avert his countenance from her; do you then shrink from the condition on which my hand is to be given?"

"Shrink from it!" repeated the agonized Ferdinand, starting from his seat, and elevating his clasped hands towards Heaven-" No, if to prove myself worthy of it, 'tis requisite the blood of De Hara should be shed by me, even in your presence it shall flow-there shall he breathe his last sigh, but too happy, in my opinion, to expire before you."

66

Unhappy youth! though my foe, I cannot help pitying him," said Elvina, in accents indicative of her sincerity.

"Your foe!" involuntarily repeated Don Ferdinand, in a voice at once mournful and tender. Then suddenly checking the declaration that was about bursting from his lips-" and think you you can possibly have a foe?"

"Alas! in him too surely. Yet in vain I strive, by dwelling on the enmity of his house to mine, to overcome the reluctance I feel to proceed against him -nothing can subdue it. Still, however, am I solemnly determined on fulfilling my promise to my father. But oh, St. Valery! how shall I rejoice, when the dreadful task delegated to me is over!-how hail the hour, which again gives me to enjoy, without interruption, the delicious tranquillity of my native shades, with thee for my companion!"

"Delusive thought!" murmured Don Ferdinand, in the broken accents of internal agitation; then, unable longer to control his emotions, he was rushing from the spot, with a hasty adieu to her, when still more alarmed by his manner, she caught him by the cloak.

"You terrify me, St. Valery," she cried, " by the wildness of your gestures! Something, I am convinced, weighs upon your heart which you fear to dis

close. Let me not be tormented with anxiety: than my bosom, there cannot be a safer repository for any secret that may torment you: fear not to speak; rely on all that love or friendship can do to serve you."

"Oh, Heavens !" groaned the unhappy lover, "what a fate is mine! Elvina," in a voice scarcely articulate, he added, "most amiable and generous of human beings! how shall I answer you? All I can say is, pity me, and when you offer up your orisons for the afflicted, let not your lover be forgotten!" Then breaking from her hold, he darted from the spot, and in an instant was out of sight.

Olivia, who had walked to some little distance, in order not to be a restraint on them, now speedily rejoined her, and was at once alarmed and surprised at the disorder in which she found her-she eagerly inquired the cause, and was briefly informed: she did not deny, from what she heard, that there was reason to believe some secret, he durst not reveal, weighed upon the heart of St. Valery, and both became bewildered in conjecturing the nature of it.

In the midst of the conversation to which his mysterious conduct gave rise, their ears were suddenly invaded by a deep sepulchral voice behind them, exclaiming St. Valery is unworthy of being the subject of your discourse, unworthy of the place he occupies in the thoughts of lady Elvina-his vows, his affections, have long been another's-interest only leads him to her shrine. This warning comes from one who is an invisible witness of the actions of others, and admonishes the heiress of Osma to attend to it, as she regards her future weal!"

Starting from their seats, both hastily examined the spot from whence the voice proceeded, and which was a small opening amongst the trees, but without perceiving any one-neither did any sudden motion, or rustling amid the trees, announce the disappearance any one from it.

of

Seized with a sensation of terror mingled with reverential awe, they retreated to the castle where at length a torrent of tears restored the fair Elvina to the use of the faculties which agitation had nearly suspended.

She knew not what to think of the recent circumstance- "But be the voice I heard," she cried, "that of an inhabitant of heaven or earth, equally will I attend to it. The conduct of St. Valery justifies this determination-he must prove, beyond a doubt, the assertions against him unfounded, or from this hour all correspondence ceases between us."

It was accordingly decided, that the next morning, through his friend, father Anselm, he should be informed of this determination.

In the mean while, full of regret for not having been able to maintain a greater command over himself, Don Ferdinand returned to the convent, where his friend, Don Julio, waited impatiently to learn the result of his interview with his mistress; yet was he not without a faint hope that such a turn might be given to what had dropped from him, as to prevent any unpleasant inquiries in consequence; and also that from the tenderness Elvina had manifested for him, she might be induced to give him her hand sooner than she at first intended.

This hope, however, was annihilated by Olivia the next morning, who, in her way to the cell of father Anselm, met him in the cloisters, contrary to her expectations; and with the incident of the preceding night, communicated to him the determination lady Elvina had formed in consequence of it.

The explanation he wished to delay he saw could no longer be avoided, and maddened at the consequences likely to result from it, he started from Olivia, ere she had well concluded the communication she had to make him, destroying, by his contusion and

K

precipitate retreat, the hope she had indulged in, of his being guiltless of the charges brought against him.

That his accuser was either Don Rodolph, or some one in his interest, he had no doubt.: to know the quarter, however, whence the accusation came, afforded him no satisfaction, since he could not disprove it, without his renunciation of a name essential to his happiness yet a little longer to have retained.

But though agonized by this idea, he was not so entirely absorbed by it, as not to feel some anxiety to know by what means Don Rodolph had this uncontroled access to the castle.

On this subject, however, he was unable to obtain any satisfaction from father Anselm, to whom his inquiries respecting it were addressed; neither had he been more fortunate with respect to the affair of the tower. He had immediately, he said, acquainted the warden of the castle with it, and in return was informed that the key belonging to it had long been lost, and that he was so convinced the circumstance he alluded to was an ideal one, that he could not permit a forced admission to it.

Of the reality, however, of what he had seen and heard, Don Ferdinand was so thoroughly convinced, that but for the situation in which he at present stood, he probably would have made an effort for entering it; but in the prospect of losing Elvina, every other consideration became absorbed.

The approaching night should at least, he determined, terminate the agonies of suspense; as soon as it arrived, he resolved on repairing to the castle, and soliciting an interview with Elvina, for the purpose of revealing himself.

CHAP. IX.

Some unborn sorrow, ripe in Fortune's womb,
Now coming towards me, grieves my inmost soul.

SHAKESPEARE.

In the mean while the beauteous Elvina was a prey to the severest anguish. In the countenance of Olivia, the moment she re-entered her apartment on her return from the convent, she read a confirmation of all her fears, and her soul fainted beneath the shock inflicted by the circumstance.

To find herself deceived there, where she had treasured up all her hopes of earthly happiness, was a stroke that required a greater effort of fortitude to support than she was at present able to make.

"Yet think not, my dear Olivia," she cried, addressing her sympathizing confidant, as soon as she had a little recovered herself, "that I shall long be overwhelmed by these regrets; no, I should blush for myself, if I did not think that the knowledge of St. Valery's unworthiness would soon enable me to banish him my thoughts.

Olivia fervently hoped this might be the case, but at the same time, could not help fearing, that a passion deep-rooted as hers could not easily be over

come.

From the conduct of the supposed St. Valery in the morning, she was not a little surprised at receiving a private message from him, in the course of the evening, requesting a conference of a few minutes with her.