merely in consequence of the injury I conceived he had done me, in his preference of the marquis of Almeria to me.

"The traitor Jerome was my confidant in this, as in almost every other instance through life. Through his means I was conveyed to the convent on Ferdinand's quitting the field to procure me that assistance which I required not; through his means my wounds were pronounced incurable; and lastly, a belief of my death excited.

"The readiness, however, with which he appeared to enter into my plans was, in reality for the purpose of furthering his own.

"He regarded me as one of the chief obstacles to the accomplishment of his ambitious views respecting you; were I removed, ways might be found, he flattered himself, of either enticing or betraying you into a marriage with his son.

"But a transient absence was not sufficient. He knew my disposition too well not to know what he had to expect if, on my return, I found he had availed himself of it to bring about such an event. Besides, he feared allowing the prosecution of my projects, lest the irremediable ruin of my family should be the result. Accordingly, on my journey to Lisbon with Sir Lorenzo, he had us both waylaid. Sir Lorenzo was fortunate enough to effect his escape, but I was overpowered and conveyed hither to be put to death by the ferocious Juan.

"Juan, however, hesitated about my immediate destruction. Distrustful of the promises of his employer, he resolved on ascertaining their sincerity ere he deprived himself of the power of being revenged on him in case of their failure. In a word, he resolved on receiving the reward promised for the perpetration of the deed, ere he in reality perpetrated it.

"This he had the hardiness to avow to me; nor

was he less backward in disclosing the real character of the execrable Jerome, giving me to see that I had been at once the dupe of the most consummate baseness and art.

"I need not describe to you what my transports were at the discovery. My reason yielded at times to their violence, now and then affording me a short respite from my sufferings.

my.

But if still greater, I should still consider them sufficiently compensated, in being allowed to wreck my meditated vengeance on the traitor Jerome, and his miscreant son. But I will not, cannot doubt my being so : Heaven is too just not to allow me to But to account to you for avenge my wrongs. intimacy with such a character :-Our acquaintance commenced in early life; we were educated at the same university, and for a considerable time after quitting it, engaged in the same pursuits. To this castle, now dreary, desolate, and the scene of the most dreadful attrocities, but then of festive hospitality, I frequently repaired with him, to enjoy the pleasures of the chace; and he, in return, partook at mine of the more refined ones of gay and elegant society.

"At length, a fatal catastrophe led him to embrace a monastic life, a life of all others he was unqualified for, from the natural licentiousness of his disposition, a licentiousness I unhappily gave him too amply the power of gratifying, from the situation I elevated him to.

nour,

"A grandee of the first rank fell in a combat with him, occasioned by the injury he had done his hoin the seduction of his wife, and which, through the treachery, or more properly speaking, perhaps, fidelity of a domestic, he being absent at the time on a distant embassy, was betrayed to him; and in ter

ror of the resentment of his powerful and exasperated family, he fled to a convent as a refuge from it.

"So artfully, however, did he conduct himself on this occasion, that to remorse I was led to ascribe what in reality was owing to cowardice; nor hesitated to assure him of my protection, for the unhappy offspring of this illicit connexion, which the wretched mother, soon after its birth, found means to convey to him, fearful of the treatment it might experience from her own family, if allowed to remain in their power, from the light in which they must consider it. "This promise I faithfully fulfilled: through my interest he was ennobled, and obtained a distinguished situation about the person of the king.

"But to return to the execrable father. About the period I conceived of immuring your mother, the superior of the convent of St. Ildefonso died, and I proposed elevating him to that dignity, on condition that he would aid me in it.

"'Tis unnecessary to say, he joyfully acceded to the terms. Yet still so blindly prejudiced was I in his favour, as to believe that nothing but an ardent wish to oblige me could have induced him to submit to them.

"His son, partly brought up beneath his care, and to whom, as soon as he was of an age to be entrusted with the secret, he revealed the ties that connected them, he rendered, by his instructions and example, as great an adept in the art of dissimulation as he himself was.

"For, except a proficient in it, it is utterly impossible his real principles, as now developed by the discovery of the actions he has committed, should have remained unsuspected.

"His having the presumption to raise his eyes to you, was no doubt owing to the instigations of his father, who, proud and ambitious in the extreme, wish

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ed for his still further elevation, and in whose heart I have now reason to believe he was the only being that ever excited the smallest degree of tender

ness.

"So artfully, however, upon that, as well as every other occasion, did the unprincipled Jerome conduct himself, that on my expressing the indignation which the discovery of this presumption inspired, I was led to believe he not only as deeply resented it, but was till that moment ignorant of it.

"For the deep interest he ever appeared to take in whatever concerned Rodolph, the discovery of their connexion no doubt at once accounted to you; as also that of his access to the secret passage of the castle, for the knowledge he obtained of your intentions."

"True," replied Elvina ; " and no doubt the mysterious warning I one night received in the garden, to beware of the supposed St. Valery, was owing to him, under a hope that if led to break with him, I might be induced to favour the addresses of his son; and also the secret intimation received at court, of Don Ferdinand's intended visit to me. One thing, however, still remains inexplicable, and that is, my attendants being so readily induced to leave me, ignorant as they were of the motive of my journey here."

"That is easily accounted for," replied the duke; 'they were doubtless in the pay of Jerome, for Juan has informed me, that finding it more convenient to be supplied, from my castle, with the luxuries requisite for his midnight orgies, than elsewhere, he found means of subverting the principles of many of the domestics; thus decending, through his agents, to meannesses, equal to the vices he committed in his own person."

"All that required explanation then, is now explained," said Elvina; "and it only remains to wonder at his consummate hypocrisy and wickedness, and pray for our final extrication from his toils.".

"Of that I have little doubt," returned the duke; Juan, who visits me every night with provisions, fearful of approaching me at any other time, lest the secret of my being in existence should be discovered, will not choose to risk his life, by refusing to conduct us to the outlet there is from the subterraneous chambers. But so impatient am I for revenge, that though I know, from the murder of the hapless Dorinda, an ignominious death awaits the miscreant son as well as father, I could not prevail on myself to defer the immediate accomplishment of it on Rodolph, now that I have recovered my sword," glancing as he spoke towards another part of the cavern, where, for the first time, Elvina noticed one, lying among some scattered pieces of armour," but for the fearful consequences I should leave you exposed to, if unhappily foiled in the attempt." Eivina shuddered at the bare idea, nor rested, aware of the impetuosity of his feelings, till she had extorted a solemn promise from him, not to attempt avenging their injuries, until beyond the power of those who had inflicted them.

Assured there was no danger of their being surprised, from Juan's noctural visit having been already paid, she could not think of quitting her newly-restored parent, till the approach of morning should render it requisite.

Seated beside him, on a projection of the rocky wall, she now gazed at him, with eyes suffused with tears of exquisite delight, now with an expression of wildness, that seemed to say, she yet at times doubted the evidence of her senses.

Endeavouring to sooth her, he proceeded to observe," that the first transports of his indignation and