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Gaston smiled bitterly, with an air of defiance. Honorine continued: All the claims of your creditors, who have supported you in your unworthy life, I have collected in my hands; they give me the right to cast you into prison. I have a power over you, therefore, almost without limits.'

Gaston gazed upon her with alarm, and asked himself, if all were not a frightful dream.

But I will not be so inexorable,' continued Honorine, with more mildness; a means is left by which you may escape imprisonment, and obtain a portion of your fortune.' Can it be?' cried Gaston, his eye lighting up with hope. 'Yes,' she said, 'a means which has been suggested to me by my benefactor, by your uncle himself, on his death-bed; a means which I appreciated and welcomed with gratitude, for it responded to my own sentiments, to all my recollections, to the indelible remembrances left upon my mind, by years of mourning and of bitterness, by images of want and of oppression.' Well, what is it then?' stammered Gaston, anxiously.

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Honorine continued, in a voice which slightly faltered :

'M. de Varjese, for the space of five years, you must labor at a trade.' Gaston started with a gesture of surprise and terror.

For the space of five years,' repeated Honorine, you must labor at a trade; you must work in the shop of a carpenter, with whom I am acquainted. At the end of this time, if your conduct is noble and worthy

and I mean myself to be the sole judge-if the improvement in your character that I desire, that I hope for, is accomplished, you will find, again, your fortune and your enjoyments! But if you refuse, if rude and incessant toil affrights you-and it might well be so-if you choose a prison-then also, for the space of five years, you will remain there, and upon leaving it, frightful poverty will await you at the door. Choose !'

What?' exclaimed Gaston, sinking his head, for five years to labor— to labor without relaxation, with loathing, with horror-my hands lacerated by rude tools-beneath a scorching sun, or in a freezing atmosphere. After the toilsome day, to quit my chain, to be free for a few hours; but to drag onward with pain my aching limbs, and to have strength and thought for naught but sleep. To bid adieu to all grace, to all elegance, to clothe myself in coarse garments, from the touch of which the delicate hands of a woman would shrink. Oh, it is horrible!'

'It is horrible!' said Honorine,' and still it is the lot of millions-and that not for five years, but for a life time! But you, at the expiration of this period, can find fortune and pleasure. They can scarcely hope for aught but destitution and death.'

But these beings,' cried Gaston, they have not, like me, the image of the past, smiling in irony upon them to augment their misery.'

In truth,' said Honorine bitterly, they need not fear this painful contrast! They cannot look back upon days of opulence and festivity; these have never shone for them! But you can reflect upon the resolution which you will take. I leave you until to-morrow to decide.'

"To-morrow! so soon?'

'If your mind and your heart were less corrupt,' replied Honorine, indignantly, you would understand the meaning of this lesson, and you would not hesitate. But let us end this interview!'

So, then,' rejoined Gaston, in despair, you are pitiless!'

'I am just and kinder towards you than you are yourself.'

Five years! five years!' repeated Gaston. My good Jean,' said

Honorine, turning her head, 'conduct this gentleman to the carriage again.'

And Gaston quitted with rage the house which he had entered rich and powerful-which he left miserable, and a slave.

II.

Some time after the preceding scene, the following notice appeared in a journal:

Yesterday one of those frightful accidents took place, which are perpetually recurring, and which so deeply afflict the friends of the working class. An unfortunate carpenter, while at work upon a scaffold, fell back upon the pavement. His death was instantaneous.'

This carpenter was Gaston!

Submitting to the terrible alternative, which has been offered him by Honorine, he had chosen the life of a mechanic. He had resigned himself for five years to incessant bodily toil, and to bitter poverty-to thraldom of the mind, and to martyrdom of the body-those two constant companions of the poor! But the sad train of evils was not yet complete. The unhappy Gaston had not counted upon a third scourge, which descends upon the field of labor, and assumes various disguises to strike down its victims he had not counted upon-Death!

On hearing these tidings, Honorine was painfully affected. She had hoped for Gaston's reformation, and it was her wish to restore him a portion of his heritage before the time assigned.

To-day, mistress of an immense fortune, brilliant with youth and beauty, Honorine leads a life remarkable for its simplicity. The poor might, perhaps, explain this mystery. This conduct, and the manner in which, prompted by her noble heart, she speaks of the miseries and crimes of society, excite the most contradictory rumors in the world. Many say, ironically, that she is mad; some admire her, and believe her

a saint.

HEART JOYS.

THE disappointments that did drape my youth
And heavily upon my spirit lay;

The bitter fennel that entwined my way

And cast upon my heart the shades of Ruth;
The many failings I have known of truth,

And Love, and Friendship-gnawing cares,
Toils, tears, bereavements-inward aches of years,

That teach me life's realities, in sooth

All have not banished from my bosom Hope,

Or drank the freshness of its youthful bloom-
There are some feelings grief cannot entomb-

Joys that to common day-beams never ope

My spirit feeds on inborn blessedness,

And still hath faith in Truth, and Love and Happiness.

CHALCAHUAL.

CHAPTER II.

UPON the evening after their visit to Lesa, Cortes and some of his officers were long at their evening feast; it had been unusually prolonged, and they had done full justice to the delicacies the Aztecs provided them with. They had feasted upon the most delicate game, and upon fresh fish which had swam in the Gulf of Mexico the day before, and which had been brought to the capital by swift-footed carriers, who were stationed at different posts all over the land; and who, as their distance to run was short, and their numbers great, kept up a system of intercommunication, equal in its effect to our steam made-use-of facilities of intercourse and interchange. This game and fish, as well as meats of various kinds, were prepared in various and highly acceptable ways, and kept hot by chafing dishes, while there were not wanting sweetmeats and pastry. There, too, was the delicious chocolate, which is described as being "a potation of chocolate, flavored with vanilla and other spices, and so prepared as to be reduced to a froth of the consistency of honey, which gradually dissolved in the mouth." Then there was, beside, the intoxicating pulque and fruits in abundance from the most opposite regions.

Rejoicing in plenty, astonished and delighted with the wealth and plenty everywhere seen, the Spaniards talked of their distant Spanish home and of the various wonders of their present abode. Some that day had visited the market-place and the great temple, and the recital of all they saw was eagerly listened to by others. Throwing away care, they seemed only to rejoice in their present ease, as if it could endure forever -as if there were no enemy to fear, no courage to revenge indignities already inflicted upon the Indian, as well as to avert those they meditated. But with Cortes it was different; his mind was ill at ease, and the recklessness of his comrades only made care eat into his peace the more. He saw that his followers were rapidly sinking into sloth and a feeling of security, which he knew to be the security of those who tread upon a snare; to him the sky was filled with clouds and strange signs; he knew that his rude lawless soldiers would soon bring about anger, strife, and quarrellings among the people into whose very midst they had thrust themselves, and he keenly felt the daring of bringing as their allies the very foe of the Aztecs, the Tlascalans; and he saw that, seeing this foe in the very heart of their proudest city-nay, even caring for their wants as guests, would set on fire the blood of the Aztecs. He had brought with him about seven thousand of these Tlascalans, while the number of his own white men amounted to about five hundred. Even could they live thus quietly, the ambition of Cortes would be far from being satisfied. His ambition was to rule over this proud nation, to gain their treasures, to make them slaves of his will; but upon the evening I speak of he allowed no frown or anxious wrinkle to show his disquiet; he buried it deeply, for he felt the necessity of maturing some plan before he roused his sleeping warriors, and he thought it likely a rest was perhaps what they most

needed, though his iron nature and his iron will asked no rest. His laugh was free that night, and no one appeared more at ease; no one seemed more like one who had no care upon his thoughts; but Mariva came in, and, going directly to Cortes, whispered some moments in his ear. Instantly the assumed appearance of thoughtless gayety was gone, a black frown came upon his face, and starting up he asked where the woman was. Mariva returned answer that she had gone, and her eye flashed fire as she said this, for the evening before he had quite neglected her, and his eye had sought Lesa's the most; she was jealous of the beautiful daughter of Montezuma. Cortes' keen eye had seen this, even while he was in the presence of Lesa, but her beauty had taken captive his wisdom; but all the next day he had striven to remove this new feeling from Mariva's mind, knowing the danger there would else be, as he knew well they were all in Mariva's power, who, as interpretess, might ruin them, had she the will. When he saw that her eye flashed, he hastened to re-assure her-" Nay, Mariva, not to admire her foolish beauty as we did somewhat last night, but to bind this proud Lesa to the rack, to torture her that she might confess more, and tell us where they bestow their treasure; she was but the flower that pleased for the hour; and hark ye, Mariva," he continued, smiling, "I shall begin to think my Mariva is jealous of this girl if her eye flashes so; do you think we would love the flower sooner than the star ?" "And now my brave cavaliers," he said, after he had watched Mariva's exit from the room and exchanged a smile with her, ere she disappeared-" And now my brave cavaliers," rang out his voice again-" we must to action; fling away this ease, and ho! for glory! ho! for war!"

Briefly detailing their danger, he held a counsel with them; many were the plans consulted upon-retreat was proposed, but Cortes thought that that was not to be dreamed of, it was infamous, it was cowardly; he declared it would seal their very ruin in the eyes of all white men, and cause them to be despised by the very Aztec who would, when fear was gone, have no scruple to crush those whose hand had been so high, and whose step had been so crushing and unscrupulous. Gradually ovз-coming the fears of the very bravest of his men, and when they believe with his pretended belief that retreat was not only cowardly, but even impracticable, Cortes proposed that they should even take Montezuma prisoner by fair means or foul, and rule through his orders. With such a pledge the Spaniards must be secure from the assault of the people, afraid by acts of violence to compromise the safety of their prince, and if he could be made to come, as if by his own wish or with his own consent, they would be deprived of all apology for rising against Montezuma's captors. As long as the emperor remained among the Spaniards it would be easy, by allowing him a show of sovereignty, to rule in his name, until they had taken measures for securing their safety and the success of their enterprise.

Cortes detailed this plan before his officers, as well as the pretext upder cover of which it could be done, for there must be some pretext, and his words were heard in utter silence by those to whom he spoke. The gayest of the gay but an hour ago-so thoughtless-so at their ease-in such security they now were pale with horror at their situation, and this plan, seemingly so impossible, and so like a straw for a drowning man to catch, so hopeless did it seem to the most of them. When Cortes had done speaking he looked at them, but heard no word, each one feared to accept it. Cortes waited a few moments, and with sneering tones he asked Are ye cowards, or madmen, not to accept your only means of

"

safety and of conquest ?" "Neither," said Pedro de Alvarado, proudly. "Neither; I accept it"-" and I"-" and I"-" and I," echoed those desperate, daring men.

Then came councils upon the minute details of the enterprise; this kept them in close council until it was late, and then all the rest of the night the soldiers might have been seen preparing their fire-arms, or going to the confessional; while Cortes, in his vast and dreary apartment, paced to and fro with heavy strides most fearfully, alone with his danger and his daring.

When Lesa entered the palace of Montezuma he had just risen from his siesta, and was already in his hall of audience, for it was the hour when he received ambassadors from foreign kingdoms, or caciques from his own states and cities; but upon hearing that Lesa had come, they were not allowed to enter, until he could talk awhile with Lesa alone. He greeted her affectionately, asked about the child, was sorry it was ill, and glad it was then better-sorry that he had had such a night of suffering, and glad that now he slept-alternating, as we all are, constantly from sorrow to gladness, from gladness to sorrow, for there is nothing on earth which has not its pleasantness and peace, and its vexation and sorrow. Lesa seized this opportunity to press upon Montezuma the importance of bribing the Spaniards to leave his kingdom; but she had scarcely commenced her earnest appeal, when the Spaniards themselves were announced as desiring an audience. A frown came upon Montezuma's face, followed by a resigned expression; and not listening to Lesa, who implored him to deny them that day, he said that it was well, they might immediately come in, as soon as some half dozen caciques were admitted to be in attendance. He ordered the slaves to bring refreshments in, and to bring in also a couple of fans of jewelled bracelets and chains, that he might deck them with the gifts the white men most seemed to value; then turning to Lesa, he said "Lesa, my bird, must stay with us-will she not?" The curtains of the doorway were drawn aside, and through the antechamber of the hall from the court the spirit-stirring music of the strange visitors was heard. Cortes and five of his principal cavaliers were ushered into the presence; they were all clad in complete polished steel armor, and seemed in a peculiarly friendly, courteous mood, jested with the emperor, and Cortes pleased him so much by what he said, that Montezuma, wishing to gain the friendship of these formidable people, even offered Cortes his daughter Linsta to be his wife; this Cortes playfully declined. Lesa heard Montezuma's offer with surprise; and she observed that although Cortes seemed even unusually gay, that some anxious glances were cast by the other cavaliers into the antechamber and court, where many white men seemed to be congregating. She began to fear she knew not what, while Montezuma, utterly unconscious that there was aught to fear, was loading his guests with presents, when Lesa's fears were changed into horror, into dread reality. Cortes changed his playful words into stern ones; his brow grew dark, and his tones fearful, as he told Montezuma that he had heard strange news from the south; that Quanhpopoca had most treacherously murdered two white men from his garrison at Vera Cruz; that a battle had taken place in consequence; that the Aztecs, of course, were routed, but that some seven or eight white men, with the commander of his garrison, had been killed; and that the Aztec prisoners had owned that the treachery was by the instigation of Montezuma. All this the emperor well knew; but with wellfeigned astonishment he declared his surprise and ignorance of the affair,

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