world, by the spirit in armour, with the streak of blood down its left cheek, before the morning.

Of the thoughts of Rosalind, when her head rested on her pillow, the spirit in armour had by no means an inconsiderable share. Her mind reverted to the occurrences of years gone by; she recollected the voice which had called to her father, "to spare her," when, in the chamber where her mother died, she was sinking at his feet, overwhelmed by the cruelty of his commands to give her hand to Lord Rufus, and forget her Edward. What interceding voice that was, she had never been able to learn; she now fancied that there had been a resemblance between that voice, and the one which she had heard pronounce her name a few weeks before on the ramparts of her father's castle still this idea afforded her no assistance in solving the enigma which appeared to encompass her.

One consolatory reflection alone arose

out of the mass of ideas which crouded her mind. The voice had been a friendly one, and if the voice and the appearance therefore were one, she could have nothing to dread; if they were not, if any ill were haunting her, she had still this consolation within her own breast-that she had not one evil action to reproach herself with, and that innocence has never any cause to fear!

At that hour in the morning, at which · the message Lord Rufus had sent her, by Alwin, on the foregoing evening, had taught her to expect his coming, he entered her apartment.

He moved into it with a slow step and sorrowful countenance, his eyes bent towards the ground.

Rosalind was standing by a window: he approached her, and making an enquiry after her health, in scarcely audible accents, he led her to a chair, and placed himself in one by her side.

Rosalind shuddered at his touch; never

had

had she regarded him in any point of view but that of dislike. The narrative of the unfortunate Eloise had now heightened her aversion, almost to an insupportable pitch.

Lord Rufus spoke thus-"The most unpleasant moment of my life, Lady Rosalind, is now arrived. It is impossible for me to express to you how ardent has, for a long time past, been my desire to convince you, that when I first rendered myself hateful in your eyes, by the profession of that love which swelled my heart-when I first ventured to ask, as mine, the only hand which could have blessed my life, I was urged into the declaration of my feelings by your fatherwho, instead of informing me that there were prior claims on your affection, induced me to believe your sentiments congenial with my own. This encouragement, given to the fondest wish of my heart, made love the tyrant of my soul; and when I found my hopes deceived in you,

that master-passion of the human mind poured an inflaming madness through my veins, that led me blindly into a conduct, of which the cause alone can be the apology."

He hesitated, as if expecting that Rosalind should acknowledge, for truth, the avowal he had just made.

"Proceed, my Lord," said Rosalind; "the past has lost its power to wound; it is the present that I wish you to speak of-Proceed."

Briefly then," continued Lord Rufus, "believe, that I have, for a length of time, most sincerely repented, that one so excellent, so deserving of happiness as yourself, should, from her first knowledge of me, have dated her acquaintance with sorrow; that every moment of my latter years has been employed in plans for proving to you that repentance, and, as far as lay within the limits of my slender ability, restoring you to comfort. From this avowal your father's changed opinion

of

of me has debarred me; no opportunity was given me for entering your presence, or imploring your forgiveness, and I al'most began to despair of ever having it in my power to make confession to you of my penitence. At length-Oh! blessed chance the hour arrived at which it was given me to serve you. The lawless ruffian, Allanrod, besieged your father's castle, and Heaven made me the engine of your rescue from brutality."

A pause ensued. Lord Rufus rose from his seat, and moved to the other side of the apartment, apparently overpowered by the emotions of his heart; in a few moments he returned to his seat, and proceeded thus

"Oh, Lady Rosalind! I once loved, but the esteem, the reverence I now feel, points out to me, that there is a greater joy in giving happiness than in receiving it. Oh! had my feelings then been what they now are! Had my kind genius whispered to my heart- Receive thy bliss

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