shall devour him. But what else did that dread voice predict? Tell me-did you not hear it? Ah, retribution!" she continued with a scream; " oh! there lies the pang! Retribution did he say? Yes; retribution or confess! It cannot be; it lies deep buried here," she added, frantically striking with both hands her breast, "and vengeance itself shall not draw it forth, I am determined."

To these or similar exclamations, long fainting fits would succeed, during which, sir Richard, despairing of her recovery, would traverse the apartment in wild agony, while the doctor and attendants lent their assistance. Exhausted nature yielded at length, after many severe conflicts, to the power of medicine, and the suffering lady sunk into a restoring slumber—a slumber disturbed, however, by occasional startings, and rendered frightful. by piteous groans. She slept, notwithstanding, throughout the day, and towards its close became more tranquil.

With returning reason, a fearful dread appeared to take possession of lady Courteney's mind, that in her ravings she had betrayed more than she would be willing should reach the ears of others. Under the alarm this idea produced, she request. ed sir Richard and the doctor would retire, and all the attendants leave her, except Kitty, of whom she eagerly demanded, as soon as the others were withdrawn, what were the purport of the words she uttered.

Kitty soon quieted her lady's apprehensions on this head, by assuring her, that whatever she had uttered was wholly unintelligible to sir Richard, who placed her ravings to the account of her son's unexpected death, and the anxiety which, as a tender mother, for the last few days, she had suffered.

This assurance brought such additional calm to the lady's troubled breast, as enabled her to partake of some slight nourishment; after which, demanding to

see

see the baronet, she expressed her thanks for his affectionate attention, assured him she was considerably better, and promised she would now endeavour to be more re signed.

These timely assurances removed an oppressive load from the heart of the fond husband, who, no longer dreading the greater evil with which he was menaced in losing a beloved wife, became more reconciled than he might otherwise have been to the loss of an only son. It is often thus that our Merciful Father chasteneth in us immoderate sorrow at inevitable misfortune, by proving to our repining spirit to what greater length might extend our cause for affliction. He who suffers might have still more to suffer, and to all sufferings but what flows from guilt, a patient disposition can bring alleviation.

Lady Courteney, with a tender solicitude about sir Richard's health, entreated him to retire early; and now considerably amended in her own, would suffer no attendance

tendance during the night but her faithful Kitty. Having, however, slept throughout the day, she was irresistibly led, though repugnant to her inclination, more to watchfulness and meditation than repose; and hurried away by painful doubts, her thoughts, on whatever object she tried to fix them, would still recur to the solemn voice she had heard, and on which she could only think with trembling and uncertainty.

That this voice was a warning from above she scarce dared any longer to question; for who but the Omnipotent Eye, that penetrates the secrets of all hearts, could discover in hers the covetous desire of the Plunkets' possessions? and who but the mighty Him that rules the destiny of mankind, could predict the death of her son so clearly?

Willing, however, to chase such unpleasant recollections from her mind, her ladyship tried to converse with Kitty; the effort was fruitless; these unwelcome

thoughts.

thoughts would unbidden obtrude, and unfortunately Kitty's agreeable talents for conversation were at this time most sadly obscured or absent. A certain soporific beverage, which she had recommended to her lady as a most useful anodyne to cure bitter reflections, having (while it only bewildered the brain of the latter) overcome her own so entirely as to leave her incapable of other response to the sublime music of lady Courteney's discourse than a base tenor, issuing through a nasal organ, that kept time to the querulous tone of the other most admirably.

It now approached the solemn hour of midnight; a chamber lamp burned on a small table, whose twinkling beams shed a partial light over the dusky apartment, and scarce penetrated the opening in the curtains of the bed. The door from the corridor, as if by magic touch, flew instantly open, and borne on noiseless feet, a tall figure, wrapped in a loose black robe

that