She admitted having formerly, and at her first arrival at Paris, been on terms of some intimacy with him; but altogether denied his having been in any manner instrumental in procuring her present situation with the Count of Artois.

Far from having been thus useful to her, she said that he had known her to be suffering the extreme of want without once offering to relieve it, or even so much as bestiring himself to obtain her a situation.

Having, however, at length, by good fortune got a place in the household of that Prince, and being paid munificently for her services as a copyist of papers, her prospects began to look more favourable; and as she now made a better figure in the world, Martin, who for a long time previous to her advancement had ceased to frequent her society, attempted to recommence an intimacy, and had proceeded so far as to propose marriage: but that she felt so disgusted at his former neglect, that she at once refused the offer, and forbid him to appear in her presence.

Enraged at this, he left her, muttering as he went something about revenge; this she had not

much heeded at the time, though she now imputed the falsehoods he had uttered, to a desire of gratifying the malice he entertained in consequence of her refusal.

She altogether denied the power ascribed to her-of counterfeiting the writings of others; and maintained that her sole occupation in the Lord of Artois' family, was that of copying papers, which she could do better than the other secretary whom the Count retained in his service; but that sometimes having to transcribe writings of a private nature, a retired chamber, apart from the rest of the household, and where she was not liable to be disturbed in her occupation, had been appointed her.

She was, she said, one morning alone in this room, and employed in the manner described, when Martin, entering abruptly, and without giving her any notice, seated himself, and after some previous conversation, began to enquire if she had not been employed by her Lord to counterfeit certain signatures, and affix them to a deed.

Surprised at the strangeness of the question,

she had answered negatively, and that then, Martin sounded her as to her willingness to assert the having done so.

To this question, Devion, not rightly understanding its object, but holding the questioner in suspicion, contented herself with simply replying that she could do nothing without the command of the Count, but that as to counterfeiting signatures, she could not do it, even though he himself should bid her.

After a little more conversation, Martin, she said, left the apartment. She had not seen him since that time, (about three or four months ago) and had thought but little of the matter afterwards, till her introduction into the chamber where she then stood.

Such was the account which Devion gave of the affair, and it was not easy, between the contradictory evidence, to infer which of the two, Martin or she, spoke truth.

CHAPTER IV.

HAVING finished speaking, Devion felt so exhausted with the mental exertion she had undergone, that, closing her eyes, she staggered --and would have fallen to the ground, had she not been upheld by the two huissiers standing on either side of her. It was then that Otho, who had maintained perfect silence throughout the trial, first addressed the King.

"On coming hither, my most gracious Liege, I made and so did I at first give out-a vow of yielding without strife or struggle-I hoped too to have done't without a sigh-the lands for which this great contention is, provided always that the Lord who claimed, should shew a better

right than I who hold them; but this he yet hath failed to do.

"I would, my Liege, this contest ne'er had been 'twixt Devion and yon man; but being, 'twould be cruelty to leave unseen on whose side truth doth lie, as if we know not this for sure, there is not one of us now present here, who will not mentally accuse the Count of Flanders of malignity, or else Lord Robert of the most degrading of all crimes.

"Now for mine own good part, my liege, though doubtlessly much loth to lose my land, yet would I liever fling it to the dogs, and give my life to boot, than that such stain as this should rest on chivalry. If D'Artois fail-. D'Artois the just-the generous—the noble and the proud-if D'Artois fail, who then shall stand?-What truth is there in man, or who may trust his kind?

"But I fear not this, and rather do believe there is within this matter, that which-whilst we see it not, we guess not of: a collusion 'twixt some wretched and designing losels, who for their private ends have worked and kneeded