fore didst thou not return the gem together with the traitor's letter, accompanied by one from thine own dear self, reproaching him for his baseness?"

"Your Grace may remember, that in the letter which you tore just now, the Count professed an intention of absenting himself from Paris for a few days; and I feared, that by sending the gem and letter to his apartments, they might chance to fall into the hands of his lady the Countess, thus cause her much annoy, and breed dissentions."

"Kind hearted and considerate creature," whispered the King to himself. "Oh! Inez," he continued aloud,—“ little knowest thou the love I bear to thee. How dost thou persuade me to believe in all thou sayest or canst say. For this I thank thee-for should I ever know thee to be false-that thou, on whose fair panting bosom I've laid my head so oft, and been there lulled to rest-could be disloyal; I should tread down the diadem-a worthless toy-beneath my feet, or send it as a present to young Edward; and then, retiring from the world,

seek some lone solitary cave, wherein to hide myself from light,-mankind-from thee-and from myself. But that traitor!-the caitiffthat wretched creature-that Fiend, who-like another Judas, embraced his master and betrayed him!—He, he shall deeply rue the day on which he dared abuse his Sovereign's confidence. This instant will I order his arrest. -He shall not cross the barriers, lest he pollute my city with his presence."

"Oh, my dear Lord!" exclaimed Inez, starting up suddenly, and hastening to detain the King, already advanced half across the room, that he might order the arrest at Robert's arrival before the gates of Paris.Have a care of what do!" you

On Philip's assertion that he would order the Count of Artois to be arrested, and at the determination which he manifested of putting this threat into immediate execution, Inez began to be very sincerely and most seriously alarmed; and though she might have foreseen that this conduct, or something similar to it, would be a necessary consequence of her ac

cusation: she nevertheless does not appear to have been able to guard against it; and she now had to parry, with all the art of which she was mistress, against the new danger which presented itself.

"Have a care, Inez? said you so? have a care!"-exclaimed Philip, somewhat pettishly -of what?-Thinkest thou I will suffer such a wretch-a despicable thing-one who hath fawned around me, with all show of love that he might wound me in the tenderest point.— Shall I suffer him to use me thus-and shall I have a care not to punish him!—I'll go, this very moment-I'll have him locked within the closest tower of Vincennes.-Why should I hesitate wherefore dost thou detain me?"

Because, my good Lord, the action which your Grace contemplates is replete with danger. The Count is far too mighty to be thus used. He is descended from the same source as is your Grace; he is allied to you by marriage; he is beloved-not perhaps by his Peers, the great Barons of the realm, for they do envy him, but by that class next in degree,

the members of which look up to him as to the bravest and the most accomplished Knight in France, and who will assemble with their vassals around Vincennes and level it to the ground, sooner than not liberate their idol."

"Hast done, Inez? or hast ought more to propound? If the latter of these, here stand I ready to listen to the end; if the first, adieu -I go"-answered Philip, impetuously, and still moving towards the door.

"Oh yes! yes, yes!-stay, I do entreat, implore, beseech your Grace to stay, though it be but one instant more,-hear what I further have to say. Think of the Countess, your Grace's sister! turn your thoughts but for one moment on her! think into what an abyss of wretchedness the disclosure will plunge her! Oh! pause ere you take a step

so cruel."

"My sister, my sister, say you! think you, Inez, it is fit my sister should be thus abused, and she remain unweeting of the wrong? Thou'st made me still more clearly see the strong necessity there is for me to punish.

Hath he not willed to wrong my

sister-to wrong her in a manner the most sensible to her, the most injurious to his Sovereign? Unhand me, Inez; I'll straight to her and tell her on't."

Inez's agitation now became extreme; she found herself surrounded by that danger which all those, who meddle in such intrigues, must make up their minds to risk,—that of having the web of their deceit at once destroyed, and themselves laid open to public scorn and contumely. But Inez was not a woman to be easily quite broken; she did not give up the

contest.

"Alas! she replied, "I might have hoped your Grace would have spared me-me, your poor Inez, whom you have so often said you love; yet cast you such strong censures upon her conduct, that she cannot choose but

blush!"

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Why, Inez, what dost thou, or canst thou mean now? Who did cast censure on thy conduct? What findest thou in my words displeasing?"