mise therefore that she exacted, was that he should not mention the matter to any one, and above all, not name her as being the source of his information. The King, not perceiving the drift of this, readily passed his word to comply with her wish, and thus entirely put it out of his power to discover the intrigue carried on against his happiness, so that his sisterlike Robert-could obtain nothing but evasive answers to her queries. It has been said, that the Count of Artois sent a page to seek the stranger monk in all the streets and places of public resort in the neighbourhood. Some hours after receiving this commission, he returned, but it was without success, and he was obliged to inform his master of his not having been able to discover the slightest trace of him in whose quest he had been despatched. The Count, therefore, resolved upon giving up the design of again beholding him at Paris ; and thinking that he might perhaps be already VOL. I. on his return to St. Omer, addressed himself diligently to prepare for his own journey thither; so having in a few days put matters in such order as enabled him to leave town without prejudice to the King's service, he came to bid farewell to the Countess.. "God bless thee, dearest," she exclaimed, "God bless thee, and speed well our purpose. I do now begin to feel myself again, the suddenness of the shock almost o'erpowered my senses at the time. Knowest thou, Robert, wherefore this news doth glad me so? Not on mine own account-for to my poor thinking we be now full great enough,-nor is it altogether for our son's that I rejoice—for if he be but mighty as his Sire, 'twill suffice for him, and if as good, my vows will have been heard, it is because I know that it will smooth thy brow, and make thee-not indeed more kind to me-but less ungentle to thyself and others, -thou wilt, be more happy, thou wilt oftener smile." "True, it will surely have that good effect. I am not over much ambitious, nor have a grovelling appetite for wealth; and felt I not convinced that these lands of Artois did of clear right belong to me, I never should have craved investiture from Philip; - but when I've thought as I did daily, yea, and hourly of my wrongs-how I was robbednot only I, but thou too and my child, were robbed and plundered by Matilda, and how that she was holp in this by Philip, named the Long-whose power was stretched unto the utmost extreme of tension, so to make that dastardly and despicable crew-all supple to his will and suppliant of his favor—give their false perjured voices to an act of shame, and deck Count Otho in the rich spoils they plucked from me and mine, my blood hath boiled, and my head grown dizzy with much suffering, whilst rolling on my couch, I've cursed myself. Often and often have I said, that placing all upon a single die but then I've thought on thee-yes, then I've turned my thoughts to thee, fair Creature, and on our boy, and asked me what ye would do without me ;'-then have I been still again— still as death!" "Alas! thou shouldst not, Robert, have indulged in horrid fantasies like these,—had I already not enough to torture me—was not the loss of our dear child” 'Jeanne, Jeanne!" interrupted the Count, laying his hand upon her lips, "that subject is forbidden; thou dost but aggravate thy grief and render it less bearable by such constant reference to what is remediless." but 'Robert," replied the Countess, “thou dost mistake my feelings much, for it doth sooth my spirit thus to tell its sorrows; if thou wilt not, why be it even so! Now then at last thou wilt be happy, or wilt at least have that which thou so long hast coveted. Thou departest hence at noon, and how long guessest thou will be thine absence?" "That must depend on many circumstances which are not in my guidance, |