people said from Venice, to escape from a marri age that was hateful to her. She brought this dog with her, but it being against the rules of the convent to admit any dog within its walls, an inquiry was made for some person who would take particular care of it, and my wife, who, if she followed her own inclinations, would make my little hut a Noah's ark, immediately offered herself, and I must own that we are as well paid for our care of it, as if it were a christian."

"I then inquired if she belonged to the Order." "Sancta Maria," exclaimed the villager-"it would indeed be a vile murder, to shut up sach a beautiful creature in a convent. She sometimes walks in the grove near the convent, and she has been known to attend the sisters on one of their charitable peregrinations-but then she is always dressed like one of the sisterhood, and wears so thick a veil, that her beauty cannot be seen-we are, however, going to lose her soon." "How so?" I asked.

The peasant then informed me, that it must be now about five days ago, a monk in the garb of the Carmelites, called at the convent.

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Right," said Leopold, "it was the Count Villano himself, I suppose.'

"The same," the fellow answered.

"At least," the peasant said, "that he was the lover of the lady, who had assumed that dress, for the purpose of more easily effecting his designs-for a monk, you well know, finds admit

tance every where. The counterfeit monk, however, departed the same night-and on the following morning, the lady sent for my wife, and told her, that she was very soon going to leave the convent, but that it would be in the most private manuer-and she was instructed to call again as to-morrow, to know when the dog was to be brought to the convent; and so I suppose, she will soon exchange the dress of the Grey Sisters, for the more pleasant one of the bride."

"Be it my task to prevent it," said Leopold; "my presence will, however, be required here for some time-but as soon as you have fulfilled your part in regard to my brother's death, hasten to the village, and keep a most observant eye on the actions of the convent-my joy is great that her retreat is at length discovered. There-in that purse is treble the amount I promised you, and it shall be again trebled, if you perform your part religiously let her not slip through my hands again-or

At this moment, a violent knocking at the door put an end to their conference-it was Adeline, whom no force nor persuasion on the part of Ortano, could restrain from seeking an immediate explanation of the fate of her father.

On her entrance, Leopold cast a keen and reproachful look on Ortano-and the expressions of joy which had shone on his countenance, from the discovery of the retreat of Orsini, on a sudden, gave way to a deep and thoughtless melan

choly. "My dear Adeline,”, he said, taking her hand, "this is not a proper place to communicate to you, the sorrowful intelligence which this messenger has brought."

"Is my father dead then?" Adeline cried, “0 tell me the worst-even that were better than this horrible suspense.'

Accompany me to the breakfast room, and there every incident shall be related to you."

"And why not here?" Adeline cried. Then turning to the messenger-" Is my father dead?" "Lady," said the hypocrite, with a mournful shake of his head, "it grieves me much to be the messenger of ill tidings, but my tongue cannot contradict what my eyes have seen."

The colour fled from the cheeks of Adelinethe lustre of her eye was broken-the bounds of her bosom were too narrow for its workings, and its wild motion fed the lustful gaze of Ortano. Pale as the lily broken by the storm, she hung her head, and fainting, was caught in the armns of her inhuman uncle. It was a scene which would have softened the most obdurate heart, it would have made the tear of sorrow trickle down the cheek, even of callous age. held it, just entering on a

Had the youth becareer of vice, he

would have shunned for ever the society of those, who, to promote their own criminal views, could heap such misery on the head of innocence, and wound the heart they ought to cherish and support, Unmoved, however, stood the spectators