you be even more:"-he feared having said too much, and checked himself." I would but instruct me in that which-Alas, Emily!—you can but little know or guess how deeply-how dearly I―ay, we be both concerned in this!"

"We are, my Lord!" exclaimed Emily, surprised to almost fear, at the energy with which Robert's last words were uttered.

"Tell me, Emily," he said, half rising up, and then supporting himself upon a cushion, as he continued with a vehemence and velocity of speech which filled his listener with astonishment, and well nigh precluded her from rightly understanding his words :-"Tell me you were born in Hainault; that is, you come thence;you own no other for your country. The Baron de Bavay is not your sire; albeit he ever did entreat you as a scion of his house; and though his dame did nurture you, and love you as her own, -you came to live with them in very early infancy! Well, thus much do I already knowI have it from your betrothed, who, likewisewhen an untoward adventure did constrain us to break up the converse, and I have not since been

able to question him upon it; was about to tell me how I scarce now know what it was—much turmoil since then hath so bewildered me-how the Baron found you in the keeping of—what was it-of peasants, was't not?-and struck with your appearance, he having no offspring of his own, did take you to his castle and adopt you. Is this so? What hath e'er been told you of this matter? Doth not memory supply you with some tale of infancy?"

"Alack, my good and honoured Lord!" replied Emily, sighing, "I was so young-so very, very young,-when first I came to live at Bavay, that I now have no fixed and rooted knowledge of how all this befell. 'Tis true, I can remember me at least I seem unto myself to recollect -but this is all so vaguely, and with such little circumstance and detail, that were't not that I've oft and often heard the Baron and his dame recount the story, I should, in thinking on't, judge it to be some ugly dream, or phantasma of the brain, which came to scare my childhood;yet do I seem to recollect,-But first 'twas not with peasants I was found;-therein, my Lord,

you are in error,-I can remember something of my being seated on a mule or palfrey before my mother___”

"How know you that she was your mother, maiden?" the Count eagerly enquired.

"I guess it, Sire-who else should she be?" Emily replied, and continued the narrative."I sate upon a cushion, and she supported me in her arms, as we were travelling through a tract of land whereon grew many trees-a forest such as I have often since beheld.-Suddenly, a troop of fierce, ill-featured ruffians broke forth from a thicket by the way, and fell upon us.-Then I wept, and rung mine hands, and hid my cheek within my mother's bosom.Then came another party of cavaliers out to aid us, and being more numerous than the first, soon routed and put to flight those losels.More can I not remember; and even this is blurred in such black colours on my mind, that often when I turn my thoughts within, and gaze upon the picture traced thereon, I find it nought but darkness and confusion; and should be now unable to explain it to myself, had not the tales

which have been often told me thrown a light upon it."

"Great God!" exclaimed Robert mentally, as shifting his position on the couch, in order to conceal an agitation which nevertheless escaped not Emily's notice. Emily! where-in what forest?-but stay; first tell how many years old are you?"

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Ay, Sire! you do forget that is a query to which for lack of learning may I not reply.Who," she added with a sigh, "could have told me this?"

"True, true!" replied Robert-" that did I overlook. Yet, maiden, you may know how long ago this chanced to you."

"Ay, Sire; 'tis just on fourteen years ago.— I have often heard the Baron say it was three days after the Fête Dieu, that, returning from Tournay, he heard my mother's shrieks, and came to our relief."

At each answer Robert appeared more and

more agitated.

"Now then, tell me in what

forest did this happen?"

"It was in that of Rombiers!"

or have

"Rombiers!-Do you remember of yourself, you e'er heard, whether you were accompanied by friends and companions of your mother, that is, of her you deem your motheror by armed followers, such as might have belonged to some great Seigneur ?"

"I do remember well that we were escorted by men on horseback; how many, or what their bearing was, I cannot, from mine own knowledge, tell: but have often heard the Baron say, he counted five, who, wearing a like livery, were stretched upon the ground, having been slain by these cruel caitiffs."

"Five!" Robert repeated to himself," the number just!—their livery?—know you aught of its colour?"

"Ay, my good lord! 'twas green, as I have heard related both by the Baron and the henchmen who were with him."

"Gracious heaven!" Robert said within himself. "Have I then found her.-Oh! Jeanne -Jeanne! why art thou not here to increase my joy, by sharing it!-Five!-yes, it must be so.-Five-Jacques, Anselme, Alaise, and