"No, but his friend has," was the reply. "And his name?" "Parker," answered the girl. "Well,-oh, very well," said the Jew, rubbing his hands; "better and better this is. But call her down: Sal-here, Sal-old girl, come and see your Solomons, come-Ah! this is good-ha! ha! ha !" Before he had finished speaking, a step was heard descending the stairs, and in a moment after a girl, older by some years than the one noticed before, made her appearance. "So you are come ?" she observed to the Israelite. "Yes, Sal, couldn't do without you. Oh, you are a clever girl.” "Come, come, no flummery," interrupted Sal; "you should have been here before." "No, I said ten o'clock—didn't I? I said, when it was dark—didn't I now ?" "I hav'nt seen him since," said the elder girl. "So Ciss told me; how is that, Sal? There is nothing gone wrong-nothing wrong, is there?" enquired the Jew, with apparent concern. "Oh, no!" returned the girl; "it will be all right bye-and-by. He is but a boy, and not used to it. I sent him a message to-night that will bring him here to morrow, I'll venture." "And then," continued the girl, sharply, "I've a scheme ready which will not fail,-only be you ready. And now, the sooner we part the better-so, good night." "Good night-good night, Sal. Oh, 'tis a clever girl-a clever girl;" and the Jew chuckled as he stepped into the street and turned once more upon his heel. Fitzherbert had opened a secret drawer of his writing-desk, and had taken from thence a lock of hair, so dark that it almost vied with the unrivalled jet. He gazed upon it a few moments, and then pressed it fondly to his lips. "And she perhaps is thinking of me now," he said to himself. "Poor Amy! oh, that for her sake I could alter my course, and become all that she would wish to see me. Alas! alas! deteriora sequor. Mine is an unlucky fate, that forces me to become an actor, where it is even disgraceful to be a spectator. Poor Amy!. tinued, concealing the locket, "here comes Parker.” -But," he con The door opened, and that gentleman presented himself. "What a wet night !" he cried. "Well, it's all settled, and you'll be ready to-morrow!" "Yes," sighed Fitzherbert, "to-morrow" *** (To be continued.) REGNER LODBROG'S DEATH-SONG.* WE hacked the foe with the sword We carved the food for the maws Of the wolf with the grizzled hide, And the hawk with the golden claws. The whole huge ocean gushed, Like one wide wound with gore,— "Twas so we fought in our youth, On the waves of the Eastern shore. We hacked the foe with the sword_ When Ifa's foam was driven. As the shields were cloven asunder. We hacked the foe with the sword- For cleaving the helms in twain. When we felled Britannia's race. We hacked the foe with the sword- The death-storm beat on the targe, They fled at the burst of the morn, 'Twas then that the steel bit proof,Such is the taste of the mead, Beneath the widow's roof. We hacked the foe with the sword- Red and blue the swords Shone on the golden mail. Blue for the steel, and red For the blood, that the maidens lamented,— 'Twas so on the Frisian shore, That we fought, and return'd contented. We hacked the foe with the sword 'Twas then that Herthiof won; 'Twas then that my best men fell, And Rogvaldur my much-loved son. See Mallet's Northern Antiquities, vol. ii. p. 230. We hacked the foe with the sword,- In the first red dawn of the fray. As Egill's dart came near Truly a son of mine own, For he never had tasted fear. To fall 'mid the hail of darts, And the clang of the arrowy sleet- To fly with a craven's feet, Curse on the dastard's rest, He bears no heart in his breast! We hacked the foe with the sword,- Since I fleshed* my maiden sword, Have I trusted myself alone. I have met with none that o'ercame me, Hail ye beakers of ale!— I laugh with my latest breath. I hold it shameful to repeat the rout With oaths, and curses, stampings, threats about In vain the splitter of the scull essayed To represent That two good halves might make a whole good head; Relent At all, though stagger'd by the argument. In short, they went to law. The plaintiff said, "He never need have hit him on the head "At all; he might have knocked him off instead, "Or done as I should do, "Dealt him a blow, or two "At most "But now, alas! the poor dead dog is lost." 66 And here he wiped his eyes; whereat the judge, Just in his cool official way, Asked what the joiner had to say To justify the grudge; And added, that he "should, instead, "Have struck him with the handle of the axe, "And not the head." Why, so I should have done in case the cursed Blood-thirsty dog had charged me but-end first; But, as it was, the shaft was no avail "He bit me with his teeth, and not his tail." |