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ducted me in,........hastily led me out again..........and when we reached the streets, he whispered to me, that no uninitiated person could be permitted to remain longer in the room,, as, the sacred rites were about to begin................I gave a sigh of regret....envied the chosen few.....and went homewards, with a full determination to leave no means untried which might tend to constitute me one of the elect.

The Stranger suffered me to lan9 lil es 7 guish....the whole of the remaining 1: FOID OY morning......with with an ardent lònging

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to see him alone; and to confide in him all that, was passing in my agitated soul.

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I longed in vain.......I traversed the city all day long......No friendly, slave No reverend Stranger....I returned home in the evening, full of disappointment, and found the following letter..

It is not permitted me to speak

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"to thee at présent.......We shall "meet at the appointed hour.....Re"turn to Parium, and await the arri"val of him who will guide thy un"certain footsteps."

As my hopes were, thus, cut short at Pergamos, I hastened to set off for Pitane, and thence to Mytelene.

I had a dreary wood to pass, which I was told would require the assistance of a guide........I requested my landlord to procure me one, which he did......A countryman,,....to whom he said, every track in the wood was familiar.........that he was returning to his cottage on the other side of it;......and would take pleasure in my company to enliven the tedious jour

ney.

The man's physiognomy pleased me........and we set off, attended by my faithful old servant......... We We proposed......by beginning our journey at

a very early hour........to be beyond the wood at sunset, but we were out in our reckoning.........We found ourselves in the midst of the wood, surrounded by cross paths in every direction.......and in this labyrinth, night overtook us.....I thought our intricacy seemed to increase, but my guide constantly assured me we were right. I had no distrust of my conductor... he was positive in his assertions........I could not contradict him....so I tamely followed his direction.....He had been some time silent....At last, stopping.... - he began to fear he had mistaken the road..... "And yet," said he," how can "that be possible, when I am perpetually passing this wood back"ward, and forward? Certainly some superior hand has led me astray !" "What, my good friend," I replied, "do you apprehend some Sylvan Deity has bewildered you?"

"That is not impossible".....he answered with composure......" Evil spi"rits wander every where." "And do you fear them?"

"Certainly not.....Their evil inten"tions always operate to the good of "well disposed persons."

It was too dark to look him in the face, or I should certainly have studied his countenance as he uttered these last words.

"It would be pleasing enough," I continued "if this same wandering spirit.....meaning to lead us to some quagmire.....or some frightful precipice......should unconsciously con"duct us to a snug retreat, where we might enjoy a good supper and a "comfortable bed!"

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"You are a bit of a Prophet, mas"ter!" he replied".." Yonder...I think "I can distinguish a light....Look........

VOL. II.

"between those trees....Do you not "see it?".

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"It is merely" said I, "some va➡

pour, or jack o' lantern......unless it "should be the moon beginning to "rise.

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He made no reply...The moon soon rose above the trees, and we with pleasure saw the forest open before us..... We now came to another and wider path.......My guide rubbed his hands with joy, saying, "Now, Sir, I am perfectly satisfied we shall fare com

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fortably for the night, as I know "this track as well I know my own

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We went on merily......and in less than a quarter of an hour we were on the borders of a fine cultivated plain, and discovered here and there a cottage among the trees.

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Ah, ha!" cried my guide, "Who "is right now?"

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