a sum of money, with large promises of future support and preferment, were to be the perpetrator Corvino's: in effect, the scheme was but too well laid, but too well executed; and it must appear an extraordinary concatenation of events, that it was on the fatal Eve of San Pietro, when fate closed the life and sufferings of the unhappy de Cleance; for, after returning from a solitary evening's walk, where the beauty of the weather had tempted him to ramble farther than was his wonted custom, he received a poniard at his heart; and ere his eyes could distinguish his murderer, his spirit fled, and death sealed them up for ever.

ELOISE, in the mean time, had prepared their frugal repast; and having placed the room in order against her father's

father's return, seated herself by the lattice, and with her eyes unconsciously rivetted on the distant prospect, continued to meditate and reflect, till the approach of darkness recalled her scattered ideas, and reminded her of her father. It was much beyond his usual hour; yet, as the evening was mild and refreshing, he might have been induced to stray beyond his cus tomary bounds; the distant conventbell, however, chiming another half hour, filled her with alarm and uneasiness. She looked from the window, but saw him not; she listened at the gate, but the sound of his well-known footstep struck not on her ear; half distracted, yet unknowing whither to seek him, she tied on her hat, and hav ing dispatched the servant one way, was preparing herself to leave the cottage, when something like a litter, borne

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borne by two men, chained her in horror to the spot. They approached; their air and habits were familiar to her; and in a few minutes the glim-. mering light they held, shewed the well remembered features of Moraldi. A sickening sensation struck cold to her heart. "My father! Oh, my father!" was all she uttered, as tottering to the door, she fell against its porch. Moraldi instantly raised and bore her into the apartment, while Corvino deposited the still bleeding body on the bed. When somewhat restored to sense and composure, the former related, in the most tender and delicate manner, the particulars of the sad accident which, he said, had once more brought him under that roof, from whence the harsh commands of her father had severely banished him. With well dissembled tears of sympa

thy

thy and distress he entered into her sorrows, assured her, through the world he would protect her, against all the ills of life he would be her guardian and defence. He then proceeded to inform her, that from the time de Cleance had forbidden his visits he had unceasingly hovered round the spot where she resided; and while his honour recoiled from urging her to see him privately, his only consolation was in breathing the air she respired, in tracing the path she had imprinted ; that this evening he had wandered through the roads leading to the cottage, and hearing suddenly the cry of distress, had flown to the place from whence it issued, just time enough to receive the last sigh of the murdered de Cleance. "In death," however, continued the villain, “he did me justice; for he bade me comfort and proc 6

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up

tect his daughter. His torn and mutilated garments convinced me he had fallen a sacrifice to some mercenary and remorseless plunderer, whom his gallant resistance had incensed. Most opportunely, Corvino, whom I had desired to bring my letters from the city, came with me at this moment, and assisted to convey home his beloved and everto-be-regretted remains." He stopt; a low howling of the wind sounded like the last deep groan of the dying de Cleance, and struck fearfully to his conscience. In the proper time the body of this unfortunate man was interred in the cemetery of the adjacent monastery; but his memory long was cherished in the bosom of his hapless offspring.

FOR Some months after his decease the visits of Moraldi were seldom and respect