"Oh dearest lady Theodora, and think you that I would willingly give you pain, or occasion you the slightest cause for displeasure! Oh could I do that, I were the veriest wretch in nature !”

To which lady Theodora answered in a peculiarly gentle and softened accent.

"I do not mean to chide you, or add to those anguished feelings which, it is but natural to suppose, you must suffer; but for heaven's sake consider my situation and be more cautious; reflect on the sacrifices I have made for your sake; and for your'

"The voice of lady Theodora here died away to a whisper, and I could not distinguish the latter part of her sentence; till she again addressed her apparently weeping companion."

"Which doubtless was the accursed Italian ;" exclaimed Adolphus.

"Be calm I conjure you." cried Edmund.

"At this moment it was impossible for me to conjecture whom lady Theodora was addressing, for the sigh; the convulsive hysteric sob; the soft mournful accent seemed wholly feminine. I could then have sworn that they proceeded only from a woman." "A woman!" exclaimed Adolphus. Edmund proceeded.

"In a more elevated tone I then heard lady Theo. dora resume her discourse,

"It is true,' uttered she, that I am now sole mistress of my actions; to no human being am I accountable; but, trust me, there are those who will not scruple maliciously to call them into question, pure, as I now call attesting angels to witness, they Alas! the misjudging world may not deem

now are.

them so! Reflect therefore on your situation; reflect also on mine, and be on your guard. Avoid discovery and you are safe; and in a few days your safety will be doubly secure.'

"Yes,' replied the same sobbing mournful voice, in a few days I know I shall be far distant from all I hold dearest in this world's earthly space. O lady Theodora! do you not pity me! do you not feel for a wretched'

"Here the voice was broken and interrupted by the most violent emotion. At length it murmured"But I obey your injunction; I will be cautious: and though broken hearted, I will be silent too!-Yet not one look!-one parting look!'——

"Retire and compose yourself,' cried lady Theodora, the voice of duty must be imperatively obeyed.' "But the voice of nature !' added her sobbing companion.

"Ascends to heaven!' replied lady Theodora in a voice that penetrated my very inmost soul, the most resistless prayer of human homage.'

"At this moment the door unfolded. I beheld a figure glide rapidly, but cautiously, from the apart ment of lady Theodora Percy. Adolphus, it was Antonia-the young, the mysterious Antonia! 'Lost infatuated, misguided Theodora!' exclaimed I; and hardly conscious of what I uttered, I found myself in a few minutes seated in her ladyship's chamber."

CHAPTER XLVIII.

"I as mechanically seated myself beside lady Theodora as I entered her apartment without knocking (an omission which the rules of good breeding, and even decency, by no means prescribed), and was at a loss what apology to offer for this once having departed so strangely from them; at the same moment that I felt shocked and disgusted at the discovery, which, I then imagined, I had just made of the impropriety and levity of her conduct towards the mysterious young foreigner; and I waited in silence to see what visible effect my sudden appearance had upon her feelings before I attempted to enter into an explanation which might lead to any discussion of an unpleasing nature. But judge of my astonishment, and my increased disgust towards the conduct of the unblushing lady Theodora, when, looking at her countenance, I could not perceive in it the slightest symptom of embarrassment or confusion, much less could I discover a consci ousness of that innate diffidence and timid apprehension which is sometimes produced by a sense of impropriety; in the countenance of lady Theodora no such distinguishing signs were in the least apparent; but all was serene and mild as spring-tide flowers; except indeed, that a more than usually playful smile dimpled her roseate cheeks while I pronounced, perhaps with peculiar expression and energy,

"I was authorised lady Theodora to wait on you by the commands of Sir Mildred Austincourt to inquire