her to a higher spot, while Rathallan, who had been foremost to assist among them, gave the exhausted Edith his arm to ascend. With the aid of water which they sprinkled over Constance, she revived; though it was with some difficulty that the impression of her sister's and Waldegrave's danger could be removed.

The suspense of this dreary evening being over, the spectators, to whom the vicinity of the perishing ruins was now fraught with peril, had removed to the height where the Vivians had retired to look on the last devouring flames which were still revelling on the black walls. Some gazed in pity, some in curiosity, all gesticulated and talked, and the sound of compassion for the unfortunate Larnos, and high encomiums on the intrepidity of the Misses Vivian, rose confusedly together.

Α groupe of persons stood among the crowd, whose gestures of grief declared them the luckless possessors of the devoted tenement. Not long did Constance remain inactive; "Take heart, good Larno," said she, approaching them, "you have kind friends still, and God never deserts the unfortunate."

"Oh! no, Signora !" said the poor woman, wringing her hands, "we trust in God; but to think of our living to see the day when this beautiful house, which my father-in-law built us with his own hand, should lie a heap of smoking ashes! Where shall my poor little ones now seek a home to guard them from the night wind?"

"Are there none here," said Edith, "who will give them shelter till we can arrange something for them? The Blevois seem to have turned out all their inhabitants on this unhappy spot to-night.

"I was just considering," said Constance, "where we

could best shelter them."

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"I will take them to my house, if you please," said Guiseppe Salmi, whom Waldegrave had not before observed; ""Tis not very large, to be sure, but they shall be welcome to the poor protection we can offer. Will you come, good woman ?"

"What! to the other side the water?" said Maria Larnos, with a mournful look, as if she had been requested to pass the wide ocean, "and leave my garden, and the beautiful vineyard," and her tears fell fast again.

"No, no," said Constance, "you shall go to Blevio ;"

then turning to the crowd, she addressed many of them by name, and succeeded in obtaining a promise of protection for Larno and his family.

Edith and Constance remained in conversation with the poor woman for some minutes, after which she appeared more tranquil.

They gave her as much money as they deemed prudent before so large a congregation, and persuaded her and her husband, who seemed stupified by the event, to quit the scene of their regrets.

After this, the sisters, anxious to rejoin their mother, lest exaggerated rumours of the disaster should have reached her solitude, walked home arm in arm, while the peasants dispersed to their several homes.

"As dead a mark as ever was shot," said Ruggiero Salmi, as he stood gloomily bending over the dark mound. "Poor creatures," said Guiseppe, "I remember, Signor, (bowing to Waldegrave) when that hapless woman whom they are leading up the hill, was the gayest bride of Blevio ; she had a hundred crowns for her portion, and her father-inlaw built them this house when they married; there was not such another in all the Blevois."

“And what trade does her husband follow ? said Waldegrave.

"Ours," said Guiseppe; "but when he will resume it again I know not; he has not saved a single net."

"Poor fellow," said Waldegrave, "what would it cost him to replace them ?"

"Eh! Chi lo sa ?" said Guiseppe, shrugging his shoulders; "six hundred liri perhaps."

"He has lost them all, you say," said Waldegrave. VOL. II.-8

"There is not a thread of them left," replied Guiseppe ; "all utterly perished."

"Better so than broken," muttered Ruggiero, as he stalked away.

"What said he?" asked Waldegrave, uncertain whether he had heard aright.

"Nothing to signify," said Guiseppe, looking after him ; "he is in a bad humour."

you were

“You have had a miraculous escape, Mr. Waldegrave," said Rathallan, joining them; "when I heard that enclosed in the lowest room, I gave up the hope of ever seeing you again. Montara and I were endued with almost superhuman strength as we pulled down that wall, and Mr. Belmore too," said he, observing that Edgar and the Marchese were approaching them, "I must not forget him."

"Nor Constance," said Edgar; "without her we should have done little; it was only she knew where to direct our labour, or the imminent danger of her sister and Waldegrave.

"It was a blessed chance," said Rathallan, "that you and Miss Vivian were together, or one had been sacrificed. Had you been long in that awful situation?"

"Probably not so long as it appeared to us," answered Waldegrave;" it could not have been many minutes, I should think."

"I thought," said Montara, "that Miss Vivian had made her way through the window before the great fall: what induced her to go back?"

"She went back," said Edgar, "solely to apprize Waldegrave of his danger, on finding that her sister was safe."

"She could not know," said Rathallan, "that there was any risk of being shut in; consequently she only acted conscientiously in endeavourng to rescue a fellow-creature from death."

"Particularly," added Montara, "having ascertained her sister's safety, and feeling that she had been the cause of Mr. Waldegrave's peril."

This was not particularly acceptable to Waldegrave, who saw no necessity for thus describing the action which had filled his heart with happiness. Anxious, however, to see Edith again, he proposed to Edgar that they should proceed towards Viviana, while Montara and Rathallan lingered behind with Ruggiero.

"If you have entertained any doubts," said Edgar, as they pursued their way, "respecting the strength and disinterested fortitude of Miss Vivian's character, this night must have dispelled them. Such self-devotion as those two girls displayed I never beheld. Had the men been endowed with half their courage, I think the mischief would have been prevented."

"And if it were not for those fatal lines to Villanza which are too well warranted by the extraordinary intimacy between him and Edith, hope would have arisen again in my breast. Oh! Edgar, in the moment which she believed her last, she was strangely thrown off her guard."

"Whatever that inexplicable conduct can mean," said Edgar, "if she has ever shown you any regard, believe in it, speak to herself, but let me implore you to employ no third person. If I mistake not, that deep blush which suffused her face this morning when we met, was not merely the effect of surprise; the melancholy expression of her eyes, when fixed on yours, has convinced me that she is reading as painful a riddle in you, as you are labouring to solve in the contradictions of her conduct. You have told me that Lady Hermione was cunning as she was malicious. Bent as she seemed on Edith's ruin, is it impossible that she is at the bottom of some strange mischief between you?"

"So I might think," replied Waldegrave, "could I conceive that note to be forged. If there were but two strokes which were not so peculiarly her own, I would have trampled it to atoms before her enemy's eyes."

“And who can say whether it may not bear a construction that would alter the whole face of things?" said Edgar.

"Alas, alas!" said Waldegrave, "what device, however ingenious, could explain her acting a part with Forrester, or her unalterable fidelity to Villanza? Besides, I must not only suppose Lady Hermione the secret engine of evil, but Rathallan the deeper villain of the two. He is ignorant of the testimony I possess, yet every word he lets fall, confirms it in the most cruel manner.

"Still," said Edgar, " in spite of the most suspicious combination of circumstances, I own I cannot doubt her truth. Hers is not the manner or look of deception. Speak to her yourself; trust no other human being. There is something so gloomy in Rathallan, the habit of suspicion has

perchance warped his power of judging. Besides, he seems entirely under the influence of that Montara, for whom certain facts to-night have inspired me with a most repelling aversion. During the early part of the fire, he danced about like a mad fiend exulting in the scene, and now he looks like the demon concentrating the horrors of his soul into some resolve of deadly revenge! Rely on no one but yourself; let not Rathallan guess at your intentions. Explain yourself to Miss Vivian without reserve; trust to her goodness. Such an interview will at least end your suspense, and give you the satisfaction of knowing that she has not willingly deceived you."

"Such an explanation, desirable as it were," said Waldegrave, "is not so easy as you imagine; the dread of Forrester's fate would almost annihilate the power of articulation."

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Though I have advised against employing a third person," said Edgar," am willing to undertake whatever commission you would give me, though I still think you would do better to speak to her yourself. Since there are probably so many trifling causes of misunderstanding, with the details of which I ought to be acquainted."

"I thank you sincerely, Edgar, for your kind offer, and I believe you are right; I must speak to her myself. I will abide by your counsel, without letting Rathallan into my confidence. I will seek an explanation with her.”

"I repeat it," said Edgar; "if I can in any mode serve you, I will do all that lies in my power this very night; or I will stay here to-morrow, if I can thereby serve you." Stay here to-morrow!" exclaimed Waldegrave; "surely you were not thinking of going hence so soon?"

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"Unless I can be of use to you," said Edgar, “I shall return to Milan to-night. I have seen much of Constance," added he with a sigh; "enough to know that there is no other being like her on earth but her sister. Our renewed acquaintance is only strengthening that affection which can only be the source of fresh affliction, much more when she is another's." The tears, which Edgar dashed away for a moment, impeded his speech. He continued, however; "Yes, she is formed for happiness; she has a strength of mind and excellence which, in every vicissitude of life, must bestow durable felicity on her. I am content; nor should I shrink from the dangerous contemplation of her virtues