deeply this scene had dwelt on his imagination, how keenly it had heightened his interest in the trial of Lamotte; and, finally, with how much force it had been revived by the second marriage-day of his brother. “And now," added the bishop, “I may tell you that its hold on my dreaming fancy may have been lately strengthened by an event which I wished to suppress till after this day, lest it should damp the present by renewing your regret for the past. Only a few hours since, I was summoned once more to that fatal house in the suburb to see a dying sinner. I found old Mitand on his death-bed. He told me that he could no longer endure the horrible recollections which your wedding-day brought. He reminded me of his attempt to reach Therese's room when full of flames. At that moment no thought but her preservation had entered his mind; but he found her on the brink of the burning staircase with her casket of jewels in her hand. Miserable Therese! she had thought too fondly of the baubles; and he, swayed by a sudden, an undistinguishing, and insane impulse, seized the casket, not the hand that held it, and she sank. In the same instant his better self returned-all his habits of fidelity to his master, of love to his young mistress-but they came too late. He had thrust his dreadful prize under his woollen wrapper-it remained there undiscovered, while shame, horror, and remorse, prevented him from confessing his guilt. He buried it under the threshold of the garden house which his master gave him with a mistaken grati

tude which heaped coals of fire on his head. There it has remained with the locks untouched fifteen years, and from thence he wishes you to remove it when you can resolve to speak peace to a penitent."

Mitand died before morning, and the president's first act was to place this awful evidence of human frailty on the records of the parliament. Their decree against Felix Lamotte was not revoked, as its justice remained unquestionable in the chief points of his guilt: but the fatal influence of temptation over Mitand and the bishop of Beauvais was a warning more tremendous than his punishment.

THE RUIN OF THE ROCK.

A FRAGMENT.

Fate sits on these dark battlements,
And, as the portals open to receive me,
Speaks of a nameless deed.

"LOVERS, least of all people, ought to be dilatory," cried Don Cavallo, yawning." I acknowledge it," returned Don Pedro; "but could I avoid the delay? could I help the death of the old grandee, my uncle? and would you have had me left him and his doubloons to disappear by themselves? I am sure you would have thought the money at least worth looking after; and if you had sufficient honesty, you would confess that, in a like situation, you would have acted as I did. Then, could I foresee that the inclemency of the weather would force us to stop by the way? which, by the bye, was your own proposal." "Well, well," returned the other, "you need say no more: for I have a notion that we shall arrive as soon as the lady now; this stormy weather must have delayed her as well as us.But I would the wind did not drive these hail-stones

against us so; they are like cannon-balls, and upon the heath will take as much effect upon us, I am afraid, without we can find some place to retire to for shelter." "Travellers," interrupted Don Pedro, "must endure all things; -for my part, I should neither care for my own welfare or thine, could I be assured that Elvira was in safetybut, in such hurricanes as these, the vessel may be lost, or driven upon rocks, and the passengers perish; and with them my long hoped for happiness. While such reflections haunt me, every blast of wind strikes more forcibly to my heart than it can possibly do to your skin.” "It will strike to my heart too, before long," replied Cavallo, "without I can get out of the way-would I had some strong Maderia to keep it out; nevertheless, I wish as much for the safety of Elvira as yourself: St. Nicholas preserve her!-and I would that something would preserve me, before I am beaten to a mummy, by these plaguy hailstones, could we but see an old castle now, such as we took shelter in before."-"Wish and have," returned Don Pedro ; "if I mistake not, there is one before us.Now I see it again, as the lightning gleams against the battlements; therefore let us hasten to it." They now spurred their mules towards the place; but a thick underwood, which surrounded the castle, soon compelled them to alight, and pursue their way on foot. Having fastened their mules to a stake in the best manner that they could, they endeavoured to proceed; but, owing to the rough and uneven way, which entangled their feet, they made

but a slow progress; and only by the lightning could they discover that they had not strayed from the place that they were in pursuit of. Perseverance, however, brought them to the court-yard of the castle; and time had overthrown many obstacles which, in the unmutilated state of the mansion, would have opposed an effectual barrier to their progress. "Are there any inhabitants in this place, I wonder?" cried Don Cavallo, raising the massy knocker," I will try." The loud and solemn report of the knocker, as it reverberated through the hollow passages of the building, impressed them with awe and dread. They waited some minutes in silence. It is not reasonable," at length, cried Don Pedro, "to suppose that this desolated ruin contains any inhabitants, unless they are pirates or plunderers, in which case we may endanger our lives by gaining admission, even if it were possible, which I think is much to be doubted." Hazardous or dangerous," returned Cavallo, "I am determined to make the attempt; but you may choose whether you will accompany me or not, for this dreadful weather I will not bear if I can avoid it." "I am determined not to forsake you," replied the other; "therefore let us draw our swords and prepare for the worst that may happen." They now endeavoured to force the door, but without effect; its strength defied their united efforts, and the attempt was productive only of lassitude and fatigue. In vain they surveyed the time-worn edificethe windows were lofty, beyond their power to reach, and