replaced by thousands." Emily smiled, but it was languidly, and gently shook her head, as in silent dissent. The Countess continued:-"thou art young, dearest, and knowing as yet but one cause for anguish, thinkest it the most severe which can befall thee.-Mayest thou ne'er feel a worse!"

"Dear, dearest lady!" replied Emily, tears starting into her eyes, as she stooped to kiss the hands which enclosed and pressed her own; would, oh! would I might suffer thrice-ah! thrice three times the grief I have, so I thus could lighten that of my kind friends,―of my generous and noble benefactors!"

"I do, indeed, believe thee, Emily," replied the Countess, returning her embrace,-"I do believe thee.-Thou lovest us, I know: and I thank thee for't. Ah me! could'st thou but tell the many pangs there be in wedlock. How many terrors do arise to chill the bosom of a loving wife. How many apprehensions, baseless, perchance, but torturing, come over her, when he, the one she loves, is distant! How she doth wait the coming of each slow lingering

messenger, and start at every sound she hears, then tremble to behold him, lest he bring tidings which will crush her! *

"Oh, ambition, ambition! Were we not great enough? Why were we not content with that which Heaven's bounty did assign us? Alas! maiden, what have I not endured within these last ten days! nights passed in fevered sleeplessness days void of peace,-much fear of evil, small hope of good, uncertainty in all things; such, such, hath been my state. Ah me!"

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Oh! my dear lady!" said Emily, now drawing her stool still closer to the Countess, and addressing her with a voice of the tenderest sympathy," be you not thus cast down.-Ill doth it suit your dignity, and a bad barter is it, 'gainst that smooth brow of fearlessness, which you are wont to wear, and is so needful now:think not of dangers which do threat the Lord of Montfort, but of the hopes, the reasonable hopes, there be of his escape from them, and of the glory he will reap. Think of the strength of Nantes, its spacious moat, its high and massive walls, its thick redoubts, and broad bastions.—

Why, I have heard it ever said to be impregnable, when well defended; and you know, Dame, the Duke hath with him there his best and choicest troops. Think on all this, and be not clouded thus; 'twill but put fear in those around us!"

"Hast thou e'er seen me with the mark of

-

care upon my cheek, when I have gone amid our vassals, Emily? I trow not.-No! Then have I been gay of aspect as when giving prizes at a tournament, and shown forth hopes which were not in me, and inspired a confidence which myself I had not;-but 'twould be hard indeed, if, in this privacy, I might not vent my fears to one who loves me-unto thee. Thou art so gently kind and good, my Emily, and dost so seem to suit thy humour to my wishes, and thrustest such hope into my heart, that I am fain to unburthen it afore thee. But come, take up the virginal, and run me o'er the tune thou'rt wont to play: and add thy voice unto't,―thy song, perchance, will draw my spirits from their weariness."

Emily turned round to obey the command,

took up the instrument, and began to adjust its strings, by passing her fingers over them, and screwing the wooden pins by which they were fastened.

Whilst thus occupied, she chanced to cast her eyes through the lattice; when, perceiving a small troop of men approaching towards the castle, at full gallop, on horseback, she hastily dropped the virginal, and rising up—

Courage, Lady," she exclaimed, clapping her hands joyfully together," Courage! they come!"

"Where?-who?-Who comes?" enquired Jeanne, starting from the stool which, being lower than that of her companion, enabled her not, whilst occupying it, to look over the sill of the lattice-"Where?"

"There!" replied the maiden, pointing toward them;" the bringers of good news!"

They both bent forward, and continued silently looking at the small band of cavaliers, whose persons grew more and more distinct at every succeeding instant. Now the trampling of the horses' hoofs begin to be heard;-now

they approach so near as to be almost within call;—and now, suddenly turning round one of the salient angles of the fortifications, they enter a small grove of trees planted near it, and are lost from view.

"The banner was torn, and their shields and cuirasses hewed to pieces!" said the Countess, violently grasping her young friend by the arm.

"And no great marvel either, Lady.—Methinks they wended not to Nantes for pastime ; they have had hard duty there, and now return thence, quick and happy messengers of good tidings."

"Of good or bad!"-sighed forth the Countess.

Now was there heard a noise as of loud knocking at the castle's outermost gate. Jeanne turned round, intending to go down to meet them, but checking herself,-"No, no,” she said, "I will not-I dare not:-go you, dear Emily; descend into the corridor; look forth from the loop-hole there, and then come quickly back to tell me in what guise these men return." Ere the words had past her lips, the trampling of hoofs was again heard, and a clanking of