the blood of his fellow-creature, ever be fully laid open to mankind, could they for a moment enter into the agony of his heart, at those times when solitude permits the return of thoughts which society had banished, who is there that would dare to take that which he can never restore, to render his own fate and that of his victim equally irrevocable, and by sending another unprepared to his account, heap fire upon his own head for the weary term of existence? None, Charles, none that could think."

"But supposing even that all men ought to think so," said Mr. Melville, "from all I have understood, with you, Burton, it was a mere accident, for which it is injustice to accuse yourself.”

"It was indeed a mere accident," replied lord Burton. "I had determined not to return colonel Stanhope's fire; and I call Heaven to witness, that in raising my pistol, my sole intention was to discharge it in the air; and when, by my

glove catching the trigger, it went off, and I beheld him fall, my surprise was only equalled by my horror. I have often tried to reason as you do. But what am I to think now? This is no fantasy-now you have seen it as well as myself. Had that not been the case, you might have supposed that I was the sport of a diseased imagination, to start like a schoolboy at my own shadow, or be frightened at a casual moonbeam; and I too might have thought that my conscience, brooding in remorse over the death of Stanhope, presented his image wherever I turned. But now, Charles, the reality is forced upon my mind with confirmation that I cannot even suspect."

“But may it not have been some deception?" said Charles...

"Oh no," answered his cousin, “you have yourself ascertained that it can be none. Besides, no one has any inducement to practise a deception upon me. I.. am well aware, that wherever I go, the

ter;

same fatal occurrence is liable to overtake me; but yet I cannot make up my mind to remain where it has once happened. It will be painful for me to leave my sisbut under lady Anne's kind guidance, and your protection, Charles, I have no fears for her; I feel the fullest confidence in your honour and affection, and I hope that you and Mary may be happy, when I perhaps am at rest.”

Charles pressed his cousin's hand warmly-"I shall see you happy yet, Frederic,” he replied; "I am sure I shall."

"I am so shadowed with disappointment myself," replied lord Burton, "that I am almost afraid to wish for the good of any one, for fear the fate which attends all my hopes should follow them too."

"Oh, Frederic," said Charles, "do you consider the tendency of such feelings! Do they not appear like doubt of the mercy of that being, the immensity of whose works are right, though our mi

nute

nute and fallible senses cannot see the

fection of every part?"

per

"No, Charles, no," answered lord Burton firmly; " my reliance on him has been my consolation in all that has hitherto befallen me, and the last, the most dreadful sorrow, the only one which could overwhelm me with despair, would be the loss of that confidence, without which the cares of the world are cares indeed, but under whose bright influence life and all its wo becomes the transient passing of an uneasy dream, from which we shall wake to never-failing happiness, and eternal peace. But come, we have dwelt too much upon this painful subject. I must not let Mary see the effect it has had."

At breakfast the baron de S paid them a visit; and lord Burton took advantage of his presence to announce his intention of leaving Naples that day; on which Mary immediately proposed to accompany him. She was seconded by Charles and lady Anne, all of whom as

sured him that it would put them to no inconvenience, for that the luggage and servants could easily follow them to Rome. But lord Burton would not hear of it.

66

Nay, Frederic, dear Frederic," said lady Mary, "I cannot think, with any comfort, of your travelling to England entirely alone, after what has happened. It will make me very wretched indeed.”

There was a struggle in Charles's breast for a moment, which made the blood come and go rapidly in his cheek.-“ Frederic," said he, at last, "you shall let me go with you;" and he gave a glance at Mary, whose society he was about to sacrifice for her approbation..

"Said like yourself, dear Charles,” said Mary, holding out her hand to him; while a drop glittered in her eye, that told she entered into all he felt, and well repaid the effort he had made.

The baron de S, who had become almost like one of the family, perceived that something unpleasant had happened,

though