both the lover and the person loved-that undying impulse of attachment that moves the life-flood like a whirlwind-that union of thought, feeling, and existence, by which two persons are bound together, that lasts with life and never knoweth change. I mean

"Enough!" exclaimed Lady Julia, interrupting me; and then, in an undertone, remarked, "I understand your meaning.

The manner in which these words were expressed convinced me that I had awakened a powerful interest in the bosom of the beautiful countess. Of this feeling I was resolved to take advantage. Her beauty was of too fascinating, too seductive a character, not to have made a sensible impression upon me. Passion was again exerting its influence; and, as I gazed on those dark lustrous eyes, that met mine full of fond and exquisite meanings, the intelligence they conveyed stirred up all the burning ardour of my spirit. I loved her. Yet my affection was not the pure and gladdening feeling so recently directed towards my devoted cousin; it was an unhallowed desire, a feverish thirst of the soul for forbidden pleasures.

I now saw, by the frequent repetitions of Lady Brambleberry's glass directed towards me, that my absence had been discovered, and my situation known. As I took my leave, Lady Julia held out her hand-I pressed it warmly.

"The countess is a glorious creature!" observed Mephistophiles, as we were returning to our own box.

"She is an angel!" I exclaimed with rapture.

"She is better than that-she is a woman!" said he, in a tone that sounded much like sarcasm.

"She is beautiful enough for anything!" I replied,

"And what is more to the purpose, she loves you. Nay, do not start!" continued the tempter; "there is nothing extraordinary in the affair. Her ladyship is an enthusiast and a sentimentalist. She has hitherto been kept in her present position more by a sense of propriety than a knowledge of virtue. Passion, poetry, and philosophy will make her your own."

I had no time to hazard a reply to these observations as we entered the marchioness's box. Her ladyship was evidently dissatisfied with me. She flirted with my companion till we retired from the theatre, without honouring me with

her attention. Dora regarded me with the same affectionate interest; but I felt too much engrossed with my passion for Lady Julia to heed her kind and gentle solicitude.

CHAPTER III.

Dora acquaints me with some extraordinary circumstances relating to the latter portion of her life.-Mephistophiles exasperates me by his degrading suspicions of my cousin's sincerity, which I afterward see reason to believe. I become jealous.-My uncle's liberality, and its consequences.

I was not surprised at receiving in the early part of the next day a letter from Dora, acquainting me with my uncle's arrival in town, and his desire to see me immediately; but there were some portions of the epistle that I could not help considering very extraordinary. The style was as affectionate as ever. However, I did not, I could not at that time, appreciate its fondness; for my whole soul seemed filled with images of the more seductive Lady Julia. The following sentences were those I considered so singular :

"I am going to confess to you what you will consider an unpardonable weakness. During the latter part of your residence at Göttingen, I have been continually haunted in my dreams, and in my waking thoughts, with the visible presence of a fearful form whispering every variety of temptation, endeavouring to lead me into sinful desires, and attempting to frighten me out of my confidence in religion. I knew that these sights and sounds were merely the creation of fancy, yet they seldom failed to exert a terrible influence upon my fears; and never till I had well strengthened my heart with prayer would they entirely vanish. Alas! they only departed to return again. No one had the least conception of the tortures I experienced. I did not like to inform any one of the circumstance, from the conviction that I should only get laughed at for being superstitious. The person of iny shadowy tormentor was seldom visible

I can

to me, but his features were always distinguishable. not attempt to describe his countenance—it was like nothing I had ever seen. I could not imagine it to belong to anything good or holy. So frequently was it before me, that its impression on my memory is not likely ever to be effaced. I never expected to see such a face belonging to any human form. Judge, then, of my horror and astonishment, in discovering the perfect fac-simile in the features of your friend, the German prince! Although I tried to reason myself out of my terror, I did not succeed. I felt assured that it was all the effect of imagination, yet I still found myself trembling with apprehension and disquietude; and it was not until I had sought the protection of the Divine influence that I recovered sufficient composure to proceed in your friend's society. Do not be offended with me, dear Vincent, for being so foolish; for I cannot wholly divest myself of the idea that there is something dark and dreadful in this matter. What it is I cannot imagine. Your friend may be a very good man, for aught I know, and it is very uncharitable of me to think otherwise; but what strange features he has! I never saw looks so fearful! And it is very singular that there should be so exact a similitude between them and those of my vision. However, it is possible that I may be deceived; I may be suffering from some optical delusion. Then how wrong I must be to judge of your friend from his appearance! Poor man! he cannot help his looks. I will endeavour to think more favourably of him."

"Could Mephistophiles be seeking her for a victim?" thought I. "It is scarcely possible. He dare not!" I exclaimed. At that instant Mephistophiles entered the

room.

"What now, my noble master?" he remarked, in a halfjocular, half-respectful manner. "Doth not your fair cousin approve of my delicate physiognomy? 'Tis a pity that because she is occasionally visited by nightmare, she should father her indigestion upon my innocent countenance. My face, to be sure, is not particularly prepossessing; it is not admirably chiselled' here, and beautifully expressive' there; but I ask nobody to admire it. I have never allowed my portrait to be taken. I have never had it engraved to adorn shop-windows and ladies' albums; it has not been

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modelled into a bust to ornament a pedestal: yet, little as it may be admired, it possesses one recommendation of which very few human faces can boast-it is the same at all times. You see the worst and the best of it at the same moment. There is no deception practised upon you, as there is in some particular case I could point out."

"What mean you?" said I; for his sentences were delivered with a certain significance plainly expressing that more was meant than met the ear. "What mean you?" said I again; for I began to suspect that he knew something of Dora which he either wanted to exaggerate or conceal, for no good purpose towards either her or me. He was still silent. "What mean you?" I inquired a third time, with considerable impatience.

"Nothing!" he cried, with provoking indifference.

"If you have anything to produce against my cousin, you had better strengthen it with good proofs," I exclaimed, with that restless anxiety which a man feels who expects to hear something that will destroy his confidence in the excellence of those he has long loved. The only reply I received was a loud laugh. I felt annoyed.

"By the power I hold," I exclaimed angrily, "I will force you to explain the meaning of this strange conduct." "Most noble master, I am your slave!" observed my companion, with an humble obeisance. "What would

you?"

"Tell me what you have remarked in my cousin's conduct differing from that innocence in which to me all her actions appear clothed ?" said I.

"As you entered the Marquis of Brambleberry's library, the day on which you gained from your cousin a confession of her regard for you, did you not observe a man making his exit at another door?" he inquired.

"I did!" I replied, as I recalled the circumstance to memory. "But what of that?"

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Nothing!" said he again, in the same tantalizing tone. "If you mean to insinuate that my cousin is deceiving me!" I exclaimed fiercely, "I can only tell you that you have commenced a vain experiment." This observation was followed by another laugh louder than the first.

"This is not to be borne !" said I, in a rage I could not suppress. "Vile slanderer! you attempt to torture me by

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suspicions. Your allusions are false." I walked with hasty strides and swelling bosom up and down the chamber. Mephistophiles sat perched on the back of a high armchair smoking his meerschaum. He remained silent for some time, apparently enjoying the mischief he was creating. 'Lady Julia's a fine woman!" he at last exclaimed, as he gravely watched a wreath of smoke he had just liberated from his mouth. "What eyes she has! Such a fascinating enthusiast! So full of intellect, passion, beauty, and grace! How she looked at you last night! Then her husband is rather stupid, and very good-natured-and he's considerably too old for her. Then she loves modern philosophy, and she could be prevailed upon to love a modern philosopher, if”

"If what?" I exclaimed hurriedly, feeling more interest in his observations than I chose to express.

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Nothing!" he replied.

This was beyond endurance. I snatched up a chair with the design of knocking him off his elevated seat; but as I struck at him, he gave a somerset in the air over my head; and when I turned round, I saw him hastening out at the door, giving utterance to a roar of laughter that seemed capable of shaking down the house. I was in no mood for visiting Lord Melcombe. In spite of my assertions to the contrary, I did not feel quite satisfied with Dora's conduct. A suspicion began to work its way into my mind, which, as rapidly as I destroyed it, arose with increased power. I could not account for the stranger departing from the library at my entrance. It was strange. Who could he have been? Not the marquis certainly not-perhaps the young viscount. From so slight a foundation as this there presently arose a superstructure, which grew, and grew, and grew, till the whole fabric of jealousy was completed a fabric it would be difficult to raze. I began to fancy my cousin deceitful--doubted she was as good as she appeared to be, and questioned if she had ever been sincere in her professions of attachment. When we once begin to doubt, there is soon no belief existing; for there are no bounds to incredulity. I turned away from the contemplation of suspected treachery to the consideration of undoubted love. I thought of Lady Julia-her beauty, her genius, the tempting ripeness of her lip, and the melting lustre of

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