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and each of us fell into a train of thought, as if some fairy had exercised her influence over us. Bascara had fallen at my feet, and looked exactly as if he were dead; Boutraix scarcely breathed, and his tipsy riotousness was exchanged for profound dejection. Sergy was quite as powerfully affected, but in a very different way-his eyes were fixed upon the apparation with all the ardor of love, and he appeared fearful of losing sight of her for a moment, as if he dreaded that she would vanish like a beautiful dream. The unknown was not more than twenty years of age, but misfortune or death had imprinted on her features that peculiar character of unchangeable perfection, of nevervarying regularity, which the chisel of the ancients has perpetuated in the figures of their gods. I was more struck, however, with her dress than with her features; I felt persuaded that I had seen the same costume only a short time before, and I soon recollected that I had observed it in Inez's portrait in the gallery. Her attire seemed to belong to the same period as our own, but it was not quite so fresh; she wore a gown of green damask, which was still very rich, but faded and creased; it was ornamented with discolored ribbon, and must certainly have belonged to the wardrobe of a lady who had died a century before. I almost dreaded to touch it for fear I should recognize the cold humidity of the tomb, but I refused to indulge in an idea, which to a reasonable mind was so utterly absurd.

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Inez de las Sierras !" cried Boutraix. more terrified than if he had seen a thunderbolt fall at his feet.

I examined her steadily, still I could not trace any thing like falsehood or pretence in the expression of her countenance.

"Madame," said I, while I endeavored to appear a little more calm than I really felt;

though the disguise which we have adopted from innocent exuberance of spirits may not be exactly fitted for so holy a day as this, be assured that beneath it you will find men who are not to be moved by any consideration of fear. Whatever your name may be, and whatever your motive for concealing it, you may rely on receiving a hearty and respectful welcome from us, and we will willingly acknowledge you Inez de las Sierras for the time, if it suits your fancy, for circumstances authorize your droll whim, and so much beauty gives you the right to personate her; it is a prestige which is allsubduing, but we beg you thoroughly to understand that this confession, which costs little to our politeness, cannot be extorted from our credulity."

"

"I have not the slightest wish to impose upon your credulity," replied Inez with dignity, "but surely no one will refuse to believe my name is Inez de las Sierras, when I declare it to be so in the house of my fathers. Heaven knows," continued she, with rapidly increasing emotion, I have paid too dearly for my first fault, to imagine that God's vengeance is satisfied by this expiation; but may the mercy which I expect from him at last, and in which I place my sole hope, abandon me, and may I finally be delivered up to the torments which now devour me, if I speak not the truth, and Inez de las Sierras is not my name; yes, I am Inez de las Sierras, the unfortunate and guilty Inez! What interest should I have

in assuming a name which I have so many reasons for wishing to conceal? and what motive have you for disbelieving the already sufficiently painful confession of an unfortunate creature whose fate should inspire nothing but pity?"

Tears filled her eyes, and Sergy, who was much moved by her distress, drew closer to her.

"But I have a proof, Seigneur," added she, while she hastily unfastened a bracelet from her arm, and pushed it contemptuously towards me; "this," continued she, "is the last present my mother made me, and the only valuable jewel which is left to me from all that I inherited from her; now judge for yourselves whether I am of such base origin as to minister to the amusement of the populace."

I took up the bracelet and examined it minutely, and soon discovered that the name of Las Sierras was wrought in emeralds in the centre of it. I immediately handed it to her, and bowed respectfully at the same time.

"If you want further proof," cried she, in a state of delirious excitement, “look, look!" and she tore open the clasp of her dress, and displayed the scar in her bosom-" this is where the dagger struck me; surely the account of my misfortunes must have reached you?"

"Ah, woe is me! ah, misery!" cried Boutraix, and he rose from his chair in a state of inexpressible agitation.

66

“Oh, men, men!” exclaimed Inez bitterly, they feel no compunction in killing women, but they fear to look upon their wounds."

Inez became calm, and we all again relapsed into silence, and this time it remained long unbroken. Boutraix was in a state of speechless terror, and incapable of reasoning; Sergy had given himself up to the delicious raptures of a growing passion, and I to the profound meditation of those great mysteries upon which I had so often speculated, but which I now scarcely ventured an attempt to fathom. Meantime, the expression of Inez's countenance became more animated-at length she said:

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her glass to us, while she added, "Gentlemen, Inez de las Sierras, in her turn, drinks to your health. To you, noble knight, and may Heaven smile graciously on all your undertakings. To you, melancholy esquire, whose natural gayety seems disturbed by some secret grief, may happier days restore you to unclouded serenity. To you, handsome page, who appear to be occupied by more pleasing and gentle thoughts, may the woman who is fortunate enough to possess your love be worthy of it, and if you do not yet love, may you soon bestow your affection on a beautiful creature who loves you in return."

"I love, I love for ever!" cried Sergy, "who could behold you and not love you! To Inez de las Sierras! to the beautiful Inez !” "To Inez de las Sierras," said I, as I rose from my chair.

"To Inez de las Sierras," murmured Boutraix, without changing his position, and, for the first time in his life, he drank this health, solemnly, without sipping his wine.

To you all," replied Inez, and she touched her glass for the second time with her lips, but she did not empty it.

Sergy took it up eagerly, and drained it at a draught; I scarcely know why, but I would have given any thing to prevent him. I pictured to myself that he was drinking to his death.

"This is one of the most agreeable evenings I ever remember to have spent,” pursued Inez, we are all so happy and gay; the only thing which we want is a little music; do you not think so, Seigneur esquire?"

"Oh!" cried Boutraix, who could scarcely articulate, "does she intend to sing?"

"Sing, sing," said Sergy, while he touched her beautiful hair with his trembling fingers; "I, who love you so deeply, ask it as a favor."

"I will with great pleasure, if I can," replied Inez, "but I fear that my voice is much spoilt by dwelling in these damp vaults; formerly it was very clear and rich : now too, alas, I remember only melancholy songs, and these are scarcely fitted for so gay a meeting as the present; but wait, wait an instant," cried she, and she raised her glorious eyes to the vaulted roof, and warbled a few enchanting notes; "I shall sing you a romance called Nina Matada, it

will be new to me as well as to you, for I | shall compose it as I proceed.

It would be impossible to give an idea of the song which Inez improvised for us, or to describe the emotion we all felt; she seemed as if she were absolutely inspired. Sergy wept, shouted, and laughed, he appeared mad with excitement; and as Inez grew more impassioned in her strain, even Boutraix awoke from his apathy, and fixed two large eyes upon her, which expressed astonishment and pleasure. A cry of enthusiasm burst from us all when Inez concluded her song.

"Alas!" cried she, "I cannot sing as I used. Oh! Sergy," continued she, looking tenderly at him, "one must be loved to be able to sing."

"Loved!" exclaimed Sergy, and he covered her hand with kisses; "you are adored, Inez; if you require merely the devotion of a heart, of a life, to inspire your genius, you have it; sing, sing, Inez, sing for ever!"

"I used to dance, too," said Inez, as she leaned confidingly on Sergy's shoulder; "but how is it possible to dance without instruments? how extraordinary, some good genius must surely have slipped these castanets into my band," and she unfastened them with a merry laugh.

"Oh! irrevocable day of damnation," said Boutraix, "at length you have arrived, the last judgment is at hand,—she is actually going to dance."

"Oh! stay, stay," cried he, "or I die." "I must go,” replied she, "and I shall die if thou dost not follow me; soul of Inez, wilt thou not come?" She sank upon her chair, and threw her arms round Sergy,she seemed to have forgotten us. "Listen, Sergy,” continued Inez, “when you quit this apartment, you will see on your right a long narrow gallery, you will have some distance to go after you have entered it; you must be sure to step carefully over the broken flags; you must pursue your way without turning to the right or left, it is impossible that you can lose yourself; when you reach the end of the corridor, you will see a staircase which will take you from story to story, till you reach the subterranean vaults; you must then go straightforward again for some time, till you come to a winding staircase, and then I shall be your guide, for you will find me at the top of it. You must not be annoyed with my owls, for they have long been my sole companions, they know my voice when I call. But, come, come, do not delay; will you come ?"

"Will I come!" cried Sergy; "oh ! rather would I meet with eternal death than not follow you wherever you went.”

"Who loves me, follows me," replied Inez, with a wild ringing laugh; she picked up her winding-sheet, and moved towards the farther end of the ball, which was so obscure, that she was soon hidden from our view, and we saw her no more.

Boutraix and I held Sergy forcibly back. "Monsieur," said I, "as your elder, as your friend, and as your captain, I forbid you to move a step; remember that by want of care you may not only sacrifice your own life, but ours. Does it not occur to you that this fascinating woman is, perhaps, the instrument employed by a band of robbers, who live concealed in these old ruins, for the purpose of separating us, that they may more easily overcome us? I can understand your unfortunate prepossession and pity you; but you are responsible for our lives, and must not indulge in it."

While Boutraix was thus muttering to himself, Inez had risen from her seat, and had commenced a few steps to a slow measure, in which she displayed as much grace as dignity by degrees she passed from the grave and majestic movements with which she had at first enchanted us, to one exceed ingly rapid, and full of animation and voluptuous ease and gayety,-sometimes we lost sight of her, indeed, scarcely heard her, when she approached the other end of the hall, then suddenly she bounded towards us, and passed so close to us, that she almost touch ed us with her dress, and thus she appeared and disappeared again and again. At length Sergy seemed much agitated by many she came up to us with a most winning ex- and diverse feelings, but at length he yieldpression of countenance, with her head grace-ed to our powerful entreaties and arguments, fully bent, and her beautiful arms stretched and sank dejectedly on his chair, towards us, as if she was imploring us to follow her, or to detain her.

"Gentlemen," said I, after a few minutes bad elapsed, and we were a little more com

Sergy oould not resist her look of entreaty. posed, "there is a mystery in what we have

just seen, which no human intelligence can fathom, though there is no doubt but that some natural circumstance would solve it at once. As we are, however, not likely to become acquainted with the cause of what we have seen, we must be careful not to relate to any one what has happened tonight, in order that we may not encourage those idle superstitious tales, which are unworthy the belief of Christians and philosophers. Besides, we must not compromise the honor of three French officers, by narrating an occurrence, which, though very extraordinary I allow, may probably be explained some day, and expose us to public derision. I swear, therefore, on my honor, and I expect you to join me in the same solemn oath, never during my whole life to speak of what we have witnessed to-night." 'We swear," cried Sergy and Boutraix. "I swear by the blessed Jesus, whose nativity we commemorate to-night," said Bascara.

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"Amen," replied Boutraix, solemnly, while he embraced Bascara with fervor and sincerity.

The night was now far advanced, and at last, being overcome with fatigue, we fell into an unquiet sleep. I think I need scarcely tell you by what dreams it was disturbed. A glorious day shone upon us the following morning when we awoke, and we reached Barcelona without exchanging a word. Two days after we were in Gironne, where our regiment awaited an order of departure. The reverses of the grand army obliged the Emperor to assemble his choice troops in the north. Thither Boutraix, Sergy, and I proceeded together. Boutraix had become quite serious since he had spoken to a soul which had escaped from purgatory; and Sergy, after he had fallen in love with a phantom, did not seek for a new mistress. In the heat of the battle of Lutzen he was by my side; suddenly I felt him give way, his head dropped on the neck of my horse, and I discovered that he had received a mortal wound.

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which I inherited from my father, and resolved to spend the rest of my days on it; and this is the conclusion of my story.

"Well, but," asked one of my friends, “if it was not a real apparition, what was it really?"

Though all that I have related appears very extraordinary, nay, impossible, yet it is accounted for by a most natural chain of circumstances. I have just mentioned that after the peace was signed, I retired to my father's estate; well, I resolved, before I finally settled down there, to travel for a short time. I hesitated for a little while what place I should visit first. A thousand happy recollections made me yearn to see Barcelona once more, but even if I had remained any longer in doubt, a kind letter and invitation which I received from a dear friend there, would certainly have determined me to adopt this course. The very evening of the day on which I arrived at Barcelona, my friend, Pablo de Clauza, insisted on my going with him to the theatre, where a celebrated actress, called La Pedrina, was to make her first appearance.

"This virtuosa is so capricious," remarked he, "that perhaps she may take it into her head to leave to-morrow."

I forgot, when I agreed to accompany my friend, that I had made a resolution on the night Inez de las Sierras visited us in the Château Ghismondi, never to listen to another female singer or dancer after her; however, the arrangement could not now be altered. When I entered the theatre, I fell into a kind of reverie, from which I was not even roused by the entrance of La Pedrina, and, as I had shaded my eyes with my hand, I only became more buried in thought, when the burst of enthusiasm which greeted her, had subsided. At length I removed my hand from my eyes, and gazed around me, and the next moment a shriek of astonishment escaped me, and I darted to the front of the box, while I stared wildly on the stage. Yes! it was Inez, actually Inez de las Sierras, whom I saw before me.

"Are you sure," said I to my friend, when I felt a little more composed, "that this is La Pedrina? do you know that she is an actress? are you quite certain that she is not an apparition ?"

"I have not the slightest doubt," replied my friend, "that she is an actress, and a

The emotion which I discovered at intervals during the rest of the evening was attributed by my companion to my due appreciation of La Pedrina's merits. When we reached home, and sat down to supper, we could talk of nothing else but the gifted

actress.

very extraordinary one, too; no singer has | crowned with such complete success, that ever yet been compared to her; and the she could no longer meet with masters to enthusiasm which you manifest for her has teach her. One day the dead body of the been shared by most persons." marquis was brought home; he was pierced by many wounds; but there were no circumstances connected with the assassination which could throw any light on the subject. Inez's father had a rival before his second marriage, and public opinion unhesitatingly fixed the crime upon him; and when he soon after married the widow of the Marquis de las Sierras, it became a general conviction that he was the murderer. The poor Inez was now alone in the house of her fathers, for she lived with two people with whom it was impossible for her to sympathize. About this time she became acquainted with a young Sicilian, who called himself Gaëtano Filippi, and whose previous life seemed somewhat involved in mystery. His conversation was agreeable, though rather frivolous; he had some slight knowledge of the arts, and was superficially informed on many points; but to the ingenuous and unsuspecting Inez he was all that was manly, generous, and fascinating, and she gave her whole heart to him, never doubting that he loved her devotedly, as he declared. When he went to her stepmother to ask for Inez's hand, she peremptorily declined his proposals, and her husband behaved precisely in the same manner; they were not very scrupulous, and perhaps they began to imagine that they might make their fortune by Inez's talents. The husband had, however, another reason for objecting to her marriage with Gaëtano, for he loved her himself, and only a few weeks before, had the wickedness to declare his guilty passion to her. This circumstance, and her affection for the Sicilian, made her offer little resistance to Gaëtano's plan of carrying her off, and he had no difficulty in convincing her that all her father's possessions belonged of right to her; accordingly, at the end of a few months the lovers sailed from Mexico for Cadiz, loaded with gold, jewels, and diamonds.

"The interest with which this extraordinary woman inspires you," said Pablo de Clauza, addressing himself to me, "can hardly be increased by the knowledge of her adventures. La Pedrina does not belong to that class from which actresses generally spring; she is connected with one of the noblest families in Spain, and her real name is Inez de las Sierras. In consequence of some popular tradition, which was not altogether without foundation, the family of De las Sierras was obliged to leave the country, and to take advantage of the new discoveries made by navigators, and to settle with all its wealth in Mexico. The unhappy fatality which had hitherto pursued the house of De las Sierras, did not cease to influence its career even when removed to other lands. At the commencement of the present century, the last of the noble Seigneurs of De las Sierras still lived in Mexico; his wife was dead, but she had left him one little girl, called Inez, who was about six or seven years old. She was most happily endowed by nature, and the marquis spared no expense in the culture of her mind. It would have been a very fortunate thing for him, if the education of his only child had been sufficient to absorb all his care and affection; but, alas! he soon felt an aching void in his heart, which he sought to fill; he loved, and believed himself loved in return; he was proud of his choice, and rejoiced to think that his dear Inez would have another mother and such a mother. Inez soon perceived to her misery, that, instead of having made a new friend, she had found a bitter enemy. She now looked upon her accomplishments, which had hitherto been cultivated merely as a source of amusement, as perhaps the only means of her future subsistence. She resolved henceforth to devote much more time to them, and at length her industry and perseverance were

VOL. II.-29

"The apparently devoted attentions of Gaëtano, for some time after they were settled in Spain, prevented her from noticing how objectionable the society frequently was, to which her husband introduced her, but when he became less affectionate to her, and she began to feel that she had not acted

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