did he fail to invocate the former inhabitant of the cottage, who had shewn so much superhuman power in granting his first request. His adjurations were heard. One night, after the most intense labours, just as his hopes were raised to their highest, the crucible, in which his precious materials were contained, burst asunder-but, almost ere he could vent his anger and disappointment, the form of the old man rose from amidst the encircling vapours. "Still," he said, "O Na-' renor, you require to have your wishes granted, to learn their fallacy. I am permitted to teach you the humbling lesson.' Behold the stone, whose wondrous touch converts the baser metals into gold and silver. But there is a condition annexed to the precious gift. Whenever you shall make a wrong or dishonourable use of the money; which you obtain from its talismanic touch, that money shall return to the substance of its original metal."-" Bountiful Spirit," replied Narenor, "I accept your gift with rapture, secure that nothing base or dishonourable exists in the heart of Narenor." The shadowy form vanished with a smile of indefinable, yet peculiar, meaning, while Narenor hastened to make trial of the virtues of the talisman. They were in every respect answerable to his wishes. Once more he left his humble home, full of hope, joy, and confidence; at first, in disguise, lest he should meet any of the Countess of Ermengarde's household-but at length throwing aside the poverty of his appearance, and having purchased an equipage befitting the heir of unbounded wealth, he entered the city of Cronstadt in princely pomp and splendour. Established in a magnificent house, or rather palace, with trains of servants, he drew universal attention, and nothing but the rich stranger was talked of, from the parlour to the kitchen, throughout the buzzing city. But the grand object of inquiry was, "Does his birth answer to his apparent nobility of pretension ?"-for the inhabitants of Cronstadt were (in those days at least) as nice as the Ap-Shenkins in their pride of pedigree, and many of them could trace their origin as high as the Pre-Adamite Sultans. The old married ladies all said, without exception, "I must find out who he is, before I think of him for my daughter;" and the old unmarried ladies made the same wise determination on their own account. Dreadful would it have been to have tainted the blood, which had flowed unsullied from the Preadamites, with any ignoble mixture. There was one celebrated beauty, Lady Leonora Von Edelstein, to whom Narenor had been so fortunate as to render a trifling service, (her coach had been. overturned, and he had conveyed her home in his own in a state of very pretty alarm,) who was determined to fathom

the mystery. She swore by her white arm and arched eyebrow, that she would dive into his genealogy, "and then," she' said with a blush to her fair confidante, "Lady Wilhelmina, if I find him worthy, he shall not find me ungrateful." In the mean time Narenor moved in the first circles, for the hutnan heart is not proof against an imposing appearance. All eyes were upon him, and Lady Leonora, whose pretty oath had been whispered in confidence to-on the best computationeight hundred and sixty-three particular friends. When a young and beautiful woman is determined to make herself agreeable, what heart against which the battery is directed can withstand it? Narenor was in that season of life when, as Milton singeth,

"The young blood glows lively, and returns

Brisk as the April buds, in primrose season."

Besides, he was in search of a wife as determinately as Calebs. Lady Leonora saw and triumphed in her power. Already in anticipation she heard the avowal tremble on his lips-already she heard him confess himself the chief" of a long line of noble ancestors"-already she exulted in fancy: over the baffled malice of her friends, who began to see that her heart was not altogether uninterested in the question. Narenor, on his side, perceived that the Lady Leonora did not regard him with indifference, and seized the first opportunity of ascertaining her sentiments more unequivocally by a declaration of his own. As he knelt at her feet, and ardently pleaded his passion, the graces of his person, and the gallantry of his appearance, almost effaced from Leonora's mind the recollection that a cloud hung over his origin, which it was her task to remove. "He must be noble," she thought within herself. "That mien, which seems to dignify that splendid attire—that majestic brow-he must be noble." She sighed, she looked assent-but ere she had confirmed it with her lips,

"The world, and its dread laugh

Which scarce the firm philosopher can scorn,"

rose to her remembrance. Again she sighed, but with a deeper meaning-drew back-hesitated.-Narenor interpreted this confusion as any thing but unfavourable. " Why trembles my dearest Lady Leonora ?-May I-dare I hope? One little word!" At length Lady Leonora's voice found its way from behind the screen of her fan, (that graceful emblem of the female heart, so light, so airy-and so full of folds→ but, ah, how far more easily opened!) and, in becoming cadences, thus it murmured, "I am not insensible to the

honour done me by the most accomplished of men,-but"Oh crush not my budding hopes," he exclaimed, " by that cruel monosyllable, which was only meant for the cold, calculating lips of age! Let me arrest on its very threshold the yet unuttered objection!" "Alas," replied Lady Leonora, "would that I could yield to the dictates of my heart !—But we have a custom here, that may not be dispensed with. Each suitor must spread before the feet of his mistress the fair emblazoned roll of his armorial bearings, and the genealogical tree, whose branches must extend through centuries; and whose root must be deeply founded in years before the flood. Not that I doubt (continued the fair speaker in softer tones) of your being able to display a long line of noble ancestors→ but (pardon me) it has not been your pleasure yet to declare your precise rank-and-the world, in short, the cruel, malignant world cannot appreciate that tenderness of heart, which would overlook all, but the merit of its object. (Here Lady Leonora glanced furtively from behind her fan.) But, good Heaven! you are pale-you are ill!" "A sudden dizziness; (Narenor with difficulty replied, and with still more difficulty forcing a distorted smile). I am well-quite well now. Empress of my heart, you shall be satisfied. To-morrow, I will lay at your feet the tablet of my genealogy, and Leonora shall know that she is not solicited to unite her fate with the representative of a mean or inglorious ancestry!"

and, with a profound obeisance, left the apartment.

Now Narenor had a strong suspicion that, even in the virtuous town of Cronstadt, any thing was to be had for money; and, though he at first gave way to feelings of despondency, yet the comfortable idea soon occurred, "I may buy, though I have not a genealogy." So he hastened to the herald's office, and begged to speak with Peter Breslau," Garter King at Arms" of that city. Mynheer Peter was a little "round, fat, oily man," with a visage as plump, and as red, as a crimson cushion; and a cushion it was, whereon care had never sate long or heavily enough to leave one crease, or wrinkle. Whenever he spoke, he smiled placidly, deranging not the smooth expansion of his cheeks, with a good-humoured twinkle of the eye, and a courteous wave of the hands, which seemed to imply the utmost readiness to oblige. And now he stood before Narenor seemingly prepared to acquiesce in the most impossible request that could be made him. At length, finding that Narenor spoke not, he said, with alacrity," If your

Lordship will be pleased to step this way, I will shew your Lordship a most beautiful piece of blazonry; Argent on a cross sable, five etoiles Or, between four lions rampant, regardant gules vulned in the shoulder, with a beviled spear azure. Perhaps your Lordship would be so condescending as to give me an order to have your Lordship's arms executed in a similar manner." Narenor followed his little bustling guide into an inner apartment, and there informed the astonished Peter that he did not merely require his coat of arms to be emblazoned, but invented, Peter was somewhat staggered; he certainly had heretofore given scope to fancy in tracing the ramifications of an heraldic tree; but to cause one to sprout forth, branch upward, bud and blossom, from a merely imaginary root, seemed almost beyond the powers of even his creative genius. He put his hand to his forehead, where, for the first time, a wrinkle made its appearance, and mused awhile in unwonted perplexity-but soon a returning ray of joy serened his countenance; he flew to an old iron chest in a corner of the room, and drew forth from its dusty depth a piece of parchment of the most satisfactory length, and duly adorned with seals and blazonries. "Is not your Lordship of the family of De Senliz! (he exclaimed.) That noble family has been indeed thought for many years to be extinct-but the cast of your countenance-all declares that it revives in you.' "Oh, certainly! (replied Narenor,) and for so happy a discovery allow me to present you with this purse of gold. Complete the genealogy, for I am in haste, and concentre all the beams of its glory in the person of Narenor, Baron De Senliz."

With this irresistible addition to his merits, the newlycreated Baron waited upon the illustrious Lady Leonora. "How vexed the spiteful creatures will be; (she thought to herself,) poor Adeline will die of mortification. She, who smiled yesterday so bitterly with anticipated triumph!" Then, with the sweetest expression of countenance, she gave Narenor to understand that she was all his own; listened with an air of the most engaging modesty to his rapturous expres sions of gratitude; and, after a good deal of very pretty and proper reluctance, allowed him to reduce the ante-nuptial period-from a year-to six months-to three months-to one month-to a fortnight-a week-a day; and finally (as there was no good reason to the contrary) it was settled that the marriage should take place on the following morning. ("Dear me!" methinks I hear a gentle voice exclaim, "There was not time for Lady Leonora to have her lace night-cap made." "My dear girl, remember that Narenor

wielded the magic wand of wealth, and he had only to wave it to make the sky rain lace night-caps.")

Fair dawned the sun on the nuptial morning, and shone brightly on the gay and busy streets of Cronstadt. The news of the wedding had spread like wild-fire-after Lady Leonora had communicated the intelligence to her dear friend, Lady Wilhelmina. Bells were ringing, garlands waving, tapestry was hung from the windows, and white ribbon displayed in the utmost profusion. Narenor had bought the acclamations of the mob by setting a river of wine afloat over the town, and giving orders that a few score of oxen should be roasted whole; so the air rang with shouts, and all were rushing, and scrambling to get a peep at the bonny bride, and munificent bridegroom. Lady Leonora was dressed in a robe of white satin, girdled with one broad cincture of oriental pearls. Her dark locks were confined by a wreath of artificial orangeblossoms, also wrought in pearl, and nestling among leaves of emerald. Already had the procession begun to wind along the flower-strewn streets;-when suddenly murmurs arose from a distant quarter of the crowd, and, like gathering thunder, rolling nearer and nearer, at length burst in audible sentences around the very chariot of the hymeneal pair. "He is an impostor—a swindler-a thief! Seize on him. Drag him to justice." In vain the postilions brandished their whips-in vain Narenor raved against the unaccountable delay. The horses' heads were seized, and the doors of the chariot forced open, by the enraged populace. Narenor soon perceived that the zeal of the mob was any thing but complimentary, and hastened to throw handfuls of money among them, as the huntsman tosses pieces of flesh to the hungry open-mouthed pack, which seem ready to devour him. But for once the universal panacea failed of its effect. "It is all forged! (they cried.) We will have none of it!" Entering at this critical juncture (as I once heard a schoolmaster say, who happened to pay me a visit while I was at tea) upon scene, appeared an official band, armed with batons of authority, who made their way through the yielding mob, and politely-though in a manner that there was no resisting— requested Narenor to give them the honour of his company. "There is some mistake! There must be some mistake!" sobbed Lady Leonora between the pauses of her hysterical screams. "No, my Lady, there is no mistake! We are sure of our man, (replied the head of the police.) Come, Baronor Sir. I am really very sorry to separate you from this Lady-but she may thank me one of these days."

the

Along those streets through which he had just passed in