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Herman sat listening in silent astonishment, and Pedrillo continued: It is lucky for you, Senor, that her Highness of Navarre selected me in this affair. They are few who have patience and perseverance enough→ to say nothing of the address, tact, and knowledge of the world requisite to dive, as I have done, into the secret rec recesses of men's minds, and brought up their hidden secrets. You see I am already better acquainted with your family and affairs than yourself!'

name.

Our readers, of course, do not need to learn more of this adroit and useful Spanish rogue, with whom they made acquaintance in the earlier part of the tale. Herman, in the meanwhile, kept closely to his quarters, impatiently waiting for the intelligence which he expected from the Queen's clever emissary. A good description of the French capital occurs here, as Paris might have been seen, in all the filth, misery, and inseearity of the reign of Francis and his brother, and, indeed, until a much later date. One night Herman, worn out with waiting, took a ramble through the dark, desolate, unpaved streets, where the wolves acted the part of scavengers. On returning to his inn, he was told by honest Fritz that the schelm Pedrillo was seeking him :**Pedrillo!' exclaimed Herman, joyfully, anticipat-once by the King and the Cardinal, the prudent church

ing a termination to the wearying suspense he had endured for the last three days.

Ya, it is that blackguard, sure enough,' said Fritz, not altogether pleased with his master, for the welcome he seemed disposed to give their ancient enemy.

"Now, this Durochet St. Ange is a clever fellow, who knows the world better than-some others I could He has wisely resolved to play the jackal, and help the lion to hunt down the prey he could not seize alone. The lion he has chosen is sufficiently strong, being, as I told you, the Abbé Duprat, who, already named for the next red hat that may be vacant, is of course looking, like all other cardinals, towards the papal crown.' Now, the road to Rome being a very expensive one, money is necessary; and as France cannot directly and conveniently supply the great demands made on it at

man is obliged to cast about for indirect means of supply, and, of course, eagerly prepares to grasp the booty held out to him in this affair. Since a conviction of felony obtained against you, the property belonging to you is confiscated to the state, and naturally falls into his hands.' "Herman hastily entered, and found Pedrillo stretched "This is all nonsense!' said Herman, who had out and fast asleep on a wooden settle in the anti-room of his apartment, no longer arrayed in his handsome uni-hitherto listened in silence. 'I may be-I am ignorant form, but covered with a tattered suit of byegone finery, of the mean trickery and dirty artifices which you say men which had once belonged to a gentleman. As Herman even of the highest rank resort to here to ensure success roused him, he exclaimed, Ha! Senor caballero! I am to their plans. But I know well that the property of my glad you are come, for I am wasting precious time. Not mother can never be confiscated by the rulers of France, indeed that a little sleep will do me any harm. I have being as it is situated in and belonging to the empire of had none these two nights past, so busy I have been in Germany.' your service, camarado!

*** Your garments have got a little seedy in my servies,' said Herman, prudently resolved not to take of face at the impudent familiarity with which he was ad

dressed.

6

"O! por Santiago he replied, it would not do to visit some of my friends with a good coat on my back, unless I had made up my mind to go home without one. But let us to business, Senor; for, by all the devils! we have no child's play before us, nor a baby to deal with. We have opposed to us neither more nor less than a man more powerful than the King. We must fight the King's minister and master, the Abbé Duprat. And I have had a hint,' he added, while a sullen shade clouded his face, that, if we are beaten in the contest, I shall run the risk of being discarded from a good and profitable service. Then, on the other hand, I am promised great things when we get our kingdom of Navarre. At present, you know, we have only the title, your imperial master kindly regulating its affairs, and receiving its revenues for us. My royal lady will move heaven and earth rather than give up the cause of any one she undertakes to protect. "This is strange,' said Herman. What interest ean the minister have in this affair? Is his love of justice so stern that

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"Justice!' interrupted Pedrillo, with a mocking laugh. By the holy innocents, to whose company you belong, hermano! you seem well acquainted with this sinless city, and the doves which build their nests in it. But you will know better by and bye.

"Do you know in what degree of relationship you stand to the house of St. Ange?"

"No,' replied Herman. I know my mother is allied to them, but very remotely I believe, and we have never had any intercourse with them.' *** But you know one of them?'

"Your mother is a subject of Francis the First,' said Pedrillo doggedly, somewhat nettled by the tone of A woman folcontempt with which Herman spoke. lows her husband's class and country. When she married a Frenchman, she became a Frenchwoman, and, though the property in Germany may be safe, all that is here will be forfeit to the crown.'

"So be it, we have none in France.'

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Humph said Pedrillo, it were better, perhaps, for you, Senor, that this were true, for then Monsieur Duprat would scarcely take the trouble to regulate your affairs, and interest himself in them so warmly as he condescends to do now. But these St. Anges were a wealthy, and once a numerous family. No less than three principal members of it fell at the battle of Pavia. The death of a paralytic old man and a feeble infant, which happened during the last year, has placed your mother and Durochet St. Ange next in succession to the large estates in Languedoc and Guienne, of which your wise relative consents to be satisfied with a portion, abandonBesides ing the rest to the lion for the use of his paw. this, as an additional stimulant, Durochet St. Ange is goaded on by either love or hate-I could not ascertain

which.

But there is some young female belonging to your family who has roused strong feelings in his heart, and activity in his brain, which ardently prompt him in his efforts to obtain possession of her person.

"Now, caballero, you better know your position: I leave you to judge whether I have been idle during the last three days, and whether you will not need the exertion of all my address, activity, and knowledge of the world, of which you appear to think so little.'

"The concluding part of this speech was not lost on Herman, for it bore the force of truth; and brought to his recollection the words of the Queen of Navarre, when she said he aided her as a better man neither could nor would,”

The affair had already made a great noise in Paris, and at an early hour the Court was crowded with a brilliant auditory. It was known that the Queen of Navarre took a warm interest in the case, and whispered that the Minister, who was known to be more powerful than Francis himself, was opposed to her :—

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We cannot show how the character of Pedrillo, scavenger wolves were again at their work, but they fled one of the best in the tale, is brought out. He at the sound of footsteps and voices." counselled Herman, meanwhile, to disguise himself, and shift his quarters. Very suspicious characters had been in quest of him, the supposed emissaries of Duprat. Next evening Herman and Fritz, both metamorphosed, secretly left the auberge where they had lodged. This leads to some strange and wild incidents and adventures, and introduces several new characters, and, in particular, Michelette-the presiding genius of a den of iniquity-who, formed for better things, is sunk into the lowest debasement, but is finally renovated and purified by the force of her last and strongest affection, maternal love, and the gratitude to Herman which that sentiment inspired. We can neither give entire, nor yet mutilate, or injure by abridgment, the powerful scenes which depict Michelette engaged to betray Herman into the hands of his enemies, but be

coming, through the working of her womanly

sensibilities, his most zealous and useful auxiliary.

The impulse of motherly affection, uncontrolled by reason or principle, had led her to undertake the commission of the foulest crimes against the generous young stranger, to serve whom she was now ready to lay down her life.

Meanwhile the day of trial was drawing on, and while the Queen of Navarre felt and lamented her want of power to cope with the Abbé Duprat, Pedrillo put every engine to work to counteract the plottings of the enemy. Many subsidiary scenes pass before us, in which the manners and characters of the period are revived and dramatised in the narrative. In the course of these scenes Herman discovers more of the intrigue set on foot to confiscate the family estates by the conviction of his mother.

Almost in despair, and unable to form any plan of action, he had one night thrown himself upon his couch, and, thoroughly exhausted, fallen asleep. But fate was hurrying on the events which involved all his hopes and fears.—

"Scarcely had he slept two hours, when he was roused by a loud knocking at the door. He arose and looked from the window, which, however, only allowed him to see the glare of lighted torches, and to hear the sound of men's voices in the street below.

"It was the untiring Pedrillo, guarded by a sufficient number of men to ensure his safety in traversing the streets at this late hour, it being now between three and four o'clock. He had returned, in obedience to instructions he had found waiting for him, to inform Herman that the preparations for the trial had been hurried on, and it was to take place at the Tournelles on the morrow-that is, on the day that would dawn in a few hours; consequently no time was to be lost.

"Moreover, he informed him that the accusation against himself and the other members of the family had been abandoned; why or wherefore he knew not; but Lady Felsenberg was alone to be tried. Surprised and agitated, to sleep again was out of the question with Herman, who arose, dressed himself, and, after a short consultation with Pedrillo, they set off together to the Sieur de Moleville, who was to conduct the defence of the accused.

"All was still as they passed along, the red torch-light throwing a gloomy glare on the mean and miserable huts of the poorer burghers, and on the dead and lofty walls which surrounded the dwellings of the higher class.

The Judges entered and took their seats. The officers of the Court placed themselves, and the Huissiers brought in the prisoner. Once again Herman beheld his mother. She was alone; neither Gertrude nor Blanche were with her. Once again, with grief and anxiety, he fixed his eyes upon her face. She was grave and pale, but calm and self-possessed.

"The Sieur de Moleville, her advocate, stood as near her as the regulations of the Court admitted, and towards him also Herman now tried to force a passage through the obstructing crowd, but did not succeed.”

The customary forms of criminal justice were gone through. The first point to be established

was that the prisoner, as the wife of De Sablons, advocate point blank denied the marriage, which was a subject of France. Lady Felsenberg's he challenged the opposite party to establish, either by authentic documents or credible wit

nesses:

of the Judges, who appeared to be somewhat embarrassed.
"Silence ensued, succeeded by the low tone of the voices
A joyful murmur ran through the ranks of the lady's
friends, whose voices brightened as they whispered to
each other. The blank countenances and discontented
silence of their opponents alike announced that the mar-
riage could not be proved. *
the long faces of the prosecutors cleared again, telling
At length
that an expedient had been found to overcome the im-
pediment opposed to their progress. A Huissier called
aloud, Henri, Baron de Montmorency, you are sum-
moned to appear."

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"A tall and noble-looking man arose, but an air of embarrassment and vexation marked his face: he seemed to hesitate, and, after a pause of apparent indecision, he reseated himself behind a number of persons, who crowded had been endeavouring to make his way out, when he was before him as if to hide his movements. It appeared he intercepted by the wardens, and brought back.

"Once again was heard the summons to Henri, Baron de Montmorency, to appear. Slowly, reluctantly, and with an air of chagrin, he replied to the questions of the Court. The first was, Were you acquainted with le Sieur de Hautecombe, a gentleman of Picardy?"

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To this he replied, 'I was.'

"Were you present at his marriage in 1505? "" This he also answered in the affirmative. "Look at the prisoner. Is she the lady to whom he was united?'

"Herman trembled when he heard his father's name mentioned, and now eagerly watched the face of the Baron, as he turned, in obedience to the command of the Court, towards the lady, whose pale face was now flushed with painful excitement, as her eyes met those of this most unwilling witness. His glance rested on her but an instant, when he said somewhat equivocally, I cannot recognise in this lady the slim and lovely girl who was the bride of le Sieur de Hautecombe.'

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You know that bride was Frances Gertrude, Countess of Felsenberg?

"I do,' at length came slowly and unwillingly from his lips.

"This was enough. The first marriage constituted her a Frenchwoman, and rendered her amenable to the laws of France.

"All obstacles to the trial thus removed, the witnesses were called. The first was Durochet. He related suc The cinctly but clearly all the circumstances attending the

career of the deceased, whose inseparable companion he had been, from their first introduction, by the Baroness Muhlhausen, to the prisoner, at the Castle of Felsenberg, until his death. He represented De Sablons as devotedly attached to the weman whom he had won by the extraordinary accomplishments, natural and acquired, which distinguished him.

.*** Eminently handsome in face and person,' said Durochet, manly, brave, and graceful, he might have won any woman's love. He had the misfortune to win that of the prisoner. It was a fatal conquest. With the same facility with which she had bestowed her hand, almost unsought, on my lost friend and relative, did she, by a caprice the most unaccountable, suffer indifference first, and then hatred, to supersede the affection she for a short time entertained for her husbund. Instigated by this feeling, and anxious to recover her freedom, she availed herself of her power over her servants, who were the only witnesses of the marriage, to deny it. My lamented friend learned her determination with grief and astonishment. But it was her will, and finding her inflexible, he gave way and ceased to oppose her, until he learned that his wife had given birth to a child. Paternal love, and the sacred duties of a father, then roused him from the apathy which had succeeded the sorrows of his blighted affection, and he followed her to England, where she had concealed herself under the name of St. Amand, determined to rescue his child from the power of a woman so unprincipled.

"He succeeded in removing the little girl, and placed her, with the servant who attended her, in the cottage of fishermen on the coast of Devonshire. Unhappily, this woman, his wife, whom he still loved, alas! too well, prevailed on him to let her take leave of the child ere he removed it from the country. I saw him, on the evening of the third September, leading the child towards the gate of Fenton Manor. On the morning of the fourth, I found his lifeless body on the beach, beneath the cliff en which that house stands, inhabited by the prisoner and her family.'

Other witnesses were examined; but on the first day of the trial nothing occurred materially to criminate the prisoner, who was carried back to the Châtelet under a strong escort, as if a rescue had been apprehended. Next day, among the first witnesses examined was Father Guiseppe, one of the monks of Fenmoor Abbey, who, having knowledge of surgery, had early seen and examined the body of the murdered man, whose death he believed to be owing to a contusion on the skull.

**Were there no traces of poison on the stomach, or signs of it on the body?

None,' replied the witness to this question of the Court. 'Death was the result of the fractured skull, which might have been done by a fall from the cliff, or a blow from some blunt instrument. My own belief is, that he was destroyed before he was flung over the cliff.' "A low murmur ran through the Court at this deelaration, but subsided into a silence the most profound as he proceeded.

***The clothes of the deceased were in such disarray, torn and displaced, as to show there had been a struggle. There were rushes, and a sprig of rosemary in his shoes, and this was within his vest.'

"The article produced was a lady's stocking, made of fine brown cloth, embroidered with gold thread, and laced with a ribbon with golden tags. From the quality of the eloth, it was decided to be the produce of an Eastern loom, Europe at that time fabricating none but coarse woollen goods.

"The second witness, Hannah Binks, was now recalled, and again questioned through an interpreter (Father Guiseppe needed none). She readily, and at once, recognised the stocking as belonging to Lady Felsenberg. She had seen that, and others similar to it, often in the hands of Esther, Lady Felsenberg's woman, she said, for the

ribbons often broke, and were replaced with fresh ones. Once a pair was lost, and a terrible fuss was made about it; for Esther declared that no tailor, either in England or France, knew how to make a lady's stocking, and Ma-, dame St. Amand would not wear one that had the shadow of a wrinkle. She could throw no farther light on the subject, and was again dismisssed; and there was a pause in the proceedings.

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This continued some time; something seemed to go wrong with the prosecuting party. An embarrassment evidently existed, from the frequent little consultations among them, carried on in a voice so low as to be inaudible beyond the immediate vicinity of the speakers. A whisper ran through the Court that an important witness had disappeared, and could not be found. Nearly an hour of this suspense and anxiety to both parties passed. "At length the gloom on the faces of the discomfited prosecutors began to clear up. A little bustle took place, and the long-waited for appeared. He was a man of middle age and ordinary appearance, except that his countenance bore an expression of what might be called ferocious cunning, and a singular twinkling of his small black eyes. He was dressed as one belonging to the middle class of Frenchmen, one of whom he declared himself; by name Jean Marie Boutonnier, by trade a merchant, trading with foreign countries, but not in the most direct or open manner, as appeared on examination. He was, in fact, a smuggler."

this witness stated, that while resting himself After relating many preliminary circumstances, amidst the fearn and heath, near the orchard wall of the Manor-house of Fenmoor, he saw a man in the dress of a monk let himself into the orchard,

"He went on to state that he saw no other person, or heard any unusual sound, till half an hour after the curfew tolled from the Abbey, when his attention was again aroused by hearing a key grating in the lock of the door, followed by a sweeping sound, as if something was trailing on the ground. His curiosity being excited, he half rose, and moved nearer; but, in doing so, the slight noise he made seemed to alarm these persons, whoever they were; for they instantly retreated within the orchard, leaving the burden they were drawing without. On ap proaching, he discovered it to be the body of a man, and,, on farther inspection, knew it to be the same person he had seen enter an hour or two before. Finding that he was dead, he was induced to search his pockets for papers, or something that might serve to throw light on an affair' so mysterious. In the pocket of a leathern vest he found a document, which he now produced. Scarcely had he secured it when the door again opened, and two persons came so hastily forth that he had scarcely time to throw himself down among the fern; which he did partly from fear, being alone, and partly from a wish to see what these people were about. But, almost immediately after he had done so, the signal he had been waiting for sounded, and he was obliged to go.

"He was now questioned with regard to the persons he said had been occupied in trailing the body of the deceased on the ground: were they men or women? He declared he could not say positively, but he thought one of them was a woman-a lady, for he heard the rustling of silk.

"It was suggested it might have been the serge of the monk's frock which occasioned this sound. "No, no,' he replied; the night was still. It was the whispering sound of a silken garment.'

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How painfully did these words recall to Herman's recollection the events of that terrible evening, when he too, in the solemn stillness of the air, had heard the whispering of the silken garment.' The paper was now read aloud which had been found on the person of the deceased. It was an acknowledgment of the marriage of Lady Felsenberg, signed by herself and her two servants, Johann Barneck and Esther Griffindale.”

One might fancy the case closed here; but Scarce had the buzz of the Court subsided no. when Barneck, the faithful old servant of the

Countess Felsenberg, arose in his place, and aloud ' proclaimed himself the murderer.

"Herman looked at him with astonishment. This truth-loving, upright old man, with a calm face uttering deliberately the most decided falsehood! Too well he knew he was not guilty. Unable to decide whether his intellect was shaken by grief and anxiety, or that he had resolved on sacrificing himself to save his mistress; he, however, strove to soothe him and keep him quiet. Sit down, my good Barneck,' he said gently.

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'No, sir,' he replied. I must not sit down till I have finished what I have to do. I killed this man,' he repeated loudly.

"A murmur of surprise ran through the Court, and every eye was turned towards him.

"You, old man? said the prosecutor, you killed him, at the instigation of the prisoner? you poisoned him?' "No! he replied firmly, not at the instigation of the prisoner, nor by poison. I killed him with a blow: I hated him; I wished him dead, and I killed him!'

"Herman, now convinced that his reason had given way, tried again to keep him quiet, but he did not succeed. The Court appeared but little inclined to listen to him, but he persisted in declaring that he alone was guilty.

At length he was placed at the bar and questioned, With what instrument were you armed?'

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hand.'

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None! I had no weapon. I struck him with my

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You, old man? again said the prosecutor, weak and infirm! The deceased is described as a strong man in the prime of life. How then could you have destroyed him, unless by poison?'

There is always means to do a thing you wish to do. I have said I hated him, and wished him dead, but I did not poison him. Did not the reverend physician, Father Giuseppe, declare he did not die by poison? If only a young and strong man could have killed him, how could the Grafin-a lady-a delicate lady, have done it? As I hope for mercy-not here, but hereafter, my lady never, in any way, instigated me to do the deed! neither by look nor word.'

"Again a murmur of astonishment ran through the Court as Barneck, in his strange patois of mingled French and German, which yet, by dint of the energetic earnestness with which he spoke, he contrived to render intelligible; while he continued thus to plead for the accused, and against himself, he was listened to with the greatest atention, and a warm interest in the fate of this singular old man was created in every good heart that heard him. By order of the Court he was now examined, occasionally by an interpreter."

It is needless to follow the old man's false but well-connected story. At one point he blundered, and then refused to speak more. He had 66 fessed his crime," he said, and was ready to

suffer for it. He had no more to say.

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"Herman now turned his eyes, from the face of Barneck, to that of his mother, to see what effect this tale would produce on her. Her head was bent down, and she appeared to be weeping. At this moment a little bustle took place near one of the entrances, and Esther Griffindale was brought in. The face of Barneck visibly changed at sight of her, and he said in a loud voice, Esther Griffindale knows nothing of this. I never told her, or any one else, that I killed the Chevalier de Sablons. "Esther looked pale, and trembled as she entered; but on hearing these words, her head was bent down, so that no one could see what effect they produced on her.

"They were about to interrogate her, when the Countess arose from her seat, wiping the tears from her eyes, her face alternately flushing, and fading to a death-like paleness. After a pause, during which she seemed to have subdued her emotion, she addressed the Court. Every eye was fixed upon her, with the keenest, the most intense interest, as she now stood, dignified and graceful, the very prototype of a lady. Her face was now again pale, but her dark eye sparkled with excitement,

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"A tremor of hope and fear seemed to take possession of her friends, and almost to subdue her enemies, as the voice of this handsome, and still young-looking woman, arraigned for murder-the murder of her husband-broke on the awful stillness of the Court, and she said, in tones sweet and clear, but tremulous with emotion, Oh my Judges and Gentlemen of the Court, let Barneck be removed from the bar! The faithful, the devoted old man, is no criminal; he has but accused himself in the vain hope of saving me, who alone am guilty. I acknowledge that the Chevalier De Sablons was my husband, and that I destroyed him.'

"She paused, struggling for composure, while a shiver of horror seemed to pervade the whole mass of auditors, as she made this dreadful confession. She then continued, I will not strive to palliate the crime, by dwelling on the vices of my victim. But I owe it to myself, to my family, and the friends unhappily but too much interested in my fate, to explain the circumstances that led to this fatal, but unpremeditated deed.

"I need not relate how the intelligence reached me: I will only say, that not more than three months after this ill-fated union, I received proofs the most convincing, that the person to whom I had bound myself, in the full faith of his being a man of honour and a gentleman, was baseborn, vicious, and unprincipled. From what he had already done to others, I was too well prepared for what he would endeavour to do to me and mine. I knew he would ruin and disgrace us. I knew too certainly that the man I had made my husband was, and would be, my worst enemy, and that I must guard against him as such. I was unhappy, but I thought not of denying his claims, till the death of the priest who married us. No sooner did this event reach my ears, than I resolved to deny the marriage. Rashly and imprudently did I form these fetters, rashly and imprudently I determined to break them.

"Blinded by false reasoning, I believed it right and just to use the same weapons as those which had been emI boldly outraged truth, and declared ployed against me. Baffled and depublicly that he was not my husband. The God of jusfeated in his plans, he vowed revenge. tice aided him, and punished me: I gave birth to his child-secretly and unknown even to my other children; and to avoid his schemes of vengeance, I quitted my home and took refuge in England. He found me out, came into the neighbourhood in disguise, seduced my servants, and stole my child. In the first burst of my grief, he came to me secretly, acknowledged that the child was in his power, forced from me a confession that she was my daughter and his; and offered to restore her to me, on condition of my signing the declaration which has been read. I consented, but not till he had bound himself by oaths the most tremendous, not to take her from me again. He left the paper and returned the next evening, the fourth of September, bearing under his cloak, asleep, my-my little Betta. I took her from him, and did not notice that

he locked the door by which he entered.

"I laid the child down, and when he had again repeated the oaths, by which he bound himself to leave us unmolested, I gave him the paper, signed by myself and the two witnesses. As soon as he had secured it, he turned to me with a sneering and scornful laugh, and said, "Now, Madam, we have got through the ceremony of swearing, you will find I shall keep my oaths, at least as well as you did those you took at the altar." He then took up the child in his arms, and drawing a key from his pocket, unlocked a door at the other end of the room.' The lady paused, put her hand to her forehead, sighed heavily, and then went on.

"God only knows how agonising is the pang that fills the heart-how fearful the frenzy that seizes the brain of the mother about to lose her child! God only, who created them, knows how powerful are the ties by which they are united! He was quitting the room. I flew to the door by which he had entered to call for help to seize him and rescue the child. It was locked, the key gone. I took up a footstool from the floor and struck him with all my strength-on the head. He fell

"Again she stopped, and put her hand to her forehead. "I know not,' she went on, once more breaking a

ence so profound that a pin might have been heard to drop. I have never known whether he died by that Low, or whether I repeated it. I have tried to recollect what followed. I think there must have been a struggle; but it is all vague, dim, and indistinct. This is all I can

tell, all I know of the terrible transaction.'

A question was put by the Court, to which no answer was returned; the prisoner had fainted. Senseless and motionless, she was borne out by the officials.

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She placed herself before him, and said gently, Take courage, Herman; all is not yet lost!"

Long explanations of past misunderstandings followed; both were soothed, reassured, and fortified, and Blanche even ventured to speak of hope. The Queen of Navarre was a true and powerful friend; and the death of De Sablons, unpremeditated, could not by any one be considered a murder.

The horror and indignation which her confession had at first excited, subsided as she proceeded in her narrative; and now, at its conclusion, sentiments of pity and regret alone seemed to reign among her auditors." Esther, the loyal maid, was now examined, and no doubt remained of the guilt of the prisoner; but sentence was deferred till it could be read in her presence in open court. All hope had expired, but Herman in desperation was once again about to consult the advocate, when he encountered PeThe Queen of Navarre was deeply concerned drillo on the stairs. The ci-devant roguish and at the result of the trial; but did not desist from impudent muleteer was now a changed man. He her good offices. The crime she regarded as one had become respectful and sympathising. At committed by a frantic mother in a moment of this time he had to communicate a plan for the frenzy, and she believed that Lady Felsenberg's scape of Madame Felsenberg; and he produced death would be a judicial murder. She consulted a monk's dress, and an order for the admission with Count Laval on the best means of rescuing the of Father Grégoire St. Simon to her prison cham- victim of the avarice and intrigues of Duprat. She ber. With great peril and difficulty Herman, owed Herman a large debt of gratitude; and assuming the disguise provided for him, made his now her feelings were as deeply interested for his way to the chamber of his hapless mother, who mother, about to die a felon's death, and she a was found sunk in the deep torpid sleep which queen and sister of the King of France, unable to follows great mental exhaustion. protect the unhappy lady, or even to procrastinate her fate, till the pleasure of the absent king should be known. For the execution was to be precipitated lest the arrival of Francis might wrest the victim from the minister who was to profit so largely by her death. The Queen, almost in despair, inquired of the Count if nothing could be done even to delay the intended mockery of justice.

Lady Felsenberg herself declared to Herman that, since the crisis of her fate she had known more peace of mind than for many months. The burthen of secret guilt no longer oppressed her conscience. She had confessed her crime, and she had saved her faithful servant from the fate he coveted, to rescue her from shame and death.

"Beside her mother, sleeping too, lay Gertrude, but sadly altered that hardly would he have known her elsewhere. Her round, plump, Hebe-like form wasted and thin, her dark eyes sunk in their sockets, and surrounded by a livid circle, denoting extreme debility. Her cheek was hellow and wan; and a hoarse low cough slightly disturbed her from time to time, and was followed by a an, but without waking her. One thin, transparent and clasped that of Lady Felsenberg, the other was and her mother's neck, and tears were still visible on her faded cheeks.

For a while Herman gazed fixedly on this scene with heart-breaking sorrow. He believed he saw death written on the brow of Gertrude-the lovely, the gay, the Homing Gertrude; the playmate, the companion of his hildhood, his affectionate and steady friend-like his mother, she too was doomed. There was yet another Tom his sad heart sought, once-still dear; alas! too dear, as he felt in this hour of deep affliction, when the heart pines for sympathy and love.

"I know not, indeed, your Highness,' said the Count thoughtfully, and speaking slowly, unless-unless some impediment should arise, some accident happen, on the passage of the prisoner from the Châtelet to the Tournelles.'

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"Accident!' said the Queen, with a face suddenly changing from the grave and anxious expression, to one of cheerfulness and hope, readily catching the idea. Ah yes it is not impossible but some accident might delay the sentence;-I must go forth to-morrow. At what hour is the prisoner to be brought into Court? "At eight o'clock.' "Ah! we must also go forth at an early hour. We have pressing affairs to regulate.'

He turned his heavy eye around the chamber. Blanche was standing at a distance from the bed. At the and of an approaching footstep she raised her finger to bar lip, as an injunction for silence. She was harassed, Pre-worn, and thin, but appeared to be in tolerable health. He looked at her for a moment, and then turned "Oh no certainly not! We have far too much Away and retreated. The sight of her now seemed to respect for the laws. But among other things, we have produce none but the bitterest feelings in his mind. Al- a visit of ceremony to make, and must have a sufficient ready worn and weakened by what he had lately under-escort-a guard of honour,' replied the lady, with a tone ne, he was in no fit state to encounter such a scene as this, and the prospect of what was before him.

"We must not interfere with the officers of justice,' said the Count with a grave face.

'He seated himself at the end of the outer room; a ark and sullen shade clouded his face. His spirit sunk, la courage and his faith in a just and protecting Providence were gone. The fiend Despair took possession of him; he cursed his existence, and the Power that created hio. To suffer thus,' he muttered. I shall be a har; dishonoured, unallied, uncared for by any one. What had they, what had I done, to merit such a fate? Why should I bear it? why should I live?'

"He believed himself unheard, alone: it was not so. Flanche had seen the sullen shadow on his brow, his my eye, and trembled. Softly closing the door of the d-room, she went to him, stood near, and watched him. Absorbed in his own wretchedness, he heeded, he saw her

equally grave, but a sort of dimpling round her handsome mouth showed indications of a smile. If you commanded the escort, Count, and you knew our business to be urgent, would you not clear the way for us?'

"Assuredly, Madam! It would be my duty to obey your Highness's commands.'

"And if, in clearing the road for us to pass, a few of the lieges should be upset-how could it be helped?' now laughing outright, like a true woman as she was, delighted with the idea of at once defeating the plans of the minister whom she hated, rescuing his destined victim, in whose fate she was so warmly interested, and repaying thus the obligation she owed to the young Count Her

man.

"The Count de Laval, still trying to look grave, could not, however, prevent his mouth from exhibiting its

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