spirits in the lowest abyss of hell feel more horror. -Thou pray for me, THIRZA!-Thy rash vows are all superfluous-No; GOD will not hear thy prayers -he is just.-Now she retires from the grave of her husband, murdered by my hand. Dare I tread the same path ?-Dare I weep on the traces made by her feet?-No-Retire, barbarous fratricide !— Retire, bloody murderer! from the sanctify'd spot! -Fly, wretch !-fly!

Having thus spoke, he walk'd with hasty step; but suddenly stopping, he cry'd-O MAHALA! how can I leave thee!-How can I leave ye for ever, O my children! I will in the dust deplore my crime before you-before thee, MAHALA. Perhaps thou now shed'st tears of compassion for my miseryperhaps thou wilt bless me still.-But, what do I say? Curs'd of GOD, who will dare to bless me?— No; hate me, curse me! I deserve it-then I fly, abhorr'd of all, loaded with the curse of GOD, and of all nature. Misery extreme! anguish insupportable! I have no power to fly !—I come, I come, my dearest wife! to mourn before thee my guilt and wretchedness. I will weep at thy feet-I will implore thee to forgive my having chac'd peace from thine heart, and fill'd thy days with sorrow.Then-yes, then-I fly from thee, MAHALA-I fly from you, my children.

CAIN now pass'd at a distance from the grave, and advanc'd towards his cottage. He frequently stopp'd, as irresolute. At length he came to his dwelling; but stood long without, pale and trem

U

bling. Then, with tottering and hesitating step, he pass'd the threshold.

--

MAHALA was sitting on her solitary bed, gazing, with weeping eyes, at the pale moon, more pale herself than that star when envelop'd in clouds. Her infants were crying around her. At the sight of her husband she gave a heart-piercing shriek, and fell on the bed senseless. The terrified infants grasp'd the knees of CAIN, crying-O my father! help our dear mother! She is faint-she is sick with weeping for ABEL. He is dead-ADAM has put him in the ground, and cover'd him with dust. Why was you so long a coming home? You have work'd a long while. Dear father, comfort our mother!-Overcome by the conflict of his various passions, CAIN could give no answer to the little innocents. He embrac'd them. He hugg'd them in his arms, while his tears ran on their faces. Then, unable to support his anguish, he fell on the earth, at the feet of his wife. The children now redoubled their cries, which awaken'd MAHALA from her swoon. She saw her weeping husband on the earth.-O CAIN! CAIN! she cry'd, in a voice of despair, tearing her dishevel'd locks.-MAHALA! interrupted CAIN-my dear MAHALA! forgive me -pardon the murderer of thy brother! This once allow me to weep before thee-this once let me cast myself in the dust at thy feet! Ah! I conjure thee to grant me this feeble consolation-this last hope of a misery that has no equal-only abstain from cursing me! Curse me not, O MAHALA! I

come to deplore before thee my misery and my guilt: then I fly far from thee for ever. I will hide me in the deserts. Curs'd of GOD, follow'd by his wrath, I fly. O curse me not! curse not thy wretched husband!

Ah, CAIN! she reply'd, penetrated with the tenderest compassion, tho' thou hast kill'd the best of brothers-tho' thou hast heap'd inexpressible miseries on my wretched head, yet I forget not that thou art still my husband. I pity-I weep for thee. CAIN answer'd, casting on her a look of tenderness, a look that express'd the bitter anguish of his heart-Fatal moment, when a dream from hell deceiv'd me! These little ones appear'd before me as slaves to the sons of ABEL. To save them from misery and bondage, I kill'd him—curs'd moment! I murder'd the best of brothers, and the bloody deed will for ever haunt my mind, and fill it with infernal horrors. My punishment is eternal. Yet, O MAHALA! I would escape thy curses. Curse me not, my dearest wife!-curse me not in my misery! This hour I fly-I quit thee for ever-I quit ye for ever, my beloved children! I fly from ye, cursed by GOD and man.

The children lamented round him. They rais'd their innocent hands in agony. MAHALA Sunk on the earth, and reclin'd on her husband-Receive these tears-receive these expressions of my sincere forgiveness and compassion! she said, while she wept over him. Dost thou fly, CAIN, dost thou fly to the desert regions? How can I dwell here, while

thou art solitary and abandon'd-while thou art miserable, far from me! No, CAIN, I fly with thee. How can I suffer thee to be destitute of all relief in the deserts! What cruel inquietudes would torment me! Every breeze I heard would fill me with terror. Perhaps he is now, I should say to myself-perhaps he is at this instant in the agonies of death, without succour, in some barren wild!-She was silent, and CAIN, with a look of astonishment, cry'd-What do I hear! Is it thou, MAHALA!-Is it thou thyself, or does a dream again deceive me! It is—it is my dear, my virtuous wife! Thy words, MAHALA, -thy consolating words, have soften'd my despair. Thou dost not hate me!-thou dost not curse me! It is enough. No, thou courageous, thou affectionate wife! thou shalt never share in the punishment due to my horrid crime-thou shalt not suffer for me the chastisements of heaven. Remain in this abode, sanctified by virtue, where dwelleth the DIVINE benediction. I will not render thee miserable. Forget me, MAHALA-forget thy wretched husband. Abandon'd by GOD, I shall wander without place of rest; but mayst thou be happy! mayst thou be blest!—No, CAIN, if thou art miserable, I cannot here be happy, reply'd MAHALA. I fly with thee-with thee I wander-I will be desolate with thee-I go with thee to the desert regions. Our children shall go with us. I will there share thy misery-I will try to assuage it-I will mix my tears of compassion with thy tears of penitenceI will kneel by thy side-My prayers shall ascend

to heaven with thine-Our children, prostrate round us, shall join their voices with ours.

GOD will not

disdain the penitent sinner. I fly with thee, CAIN. Without ceasing we will pray-without ceasing we will mourn before GOD, till a ray of his grace il

lumines thy benighted soul, and justifies our confidence in his mercy. Hope in GOD, CAIN! He will hear the prayer of the penitent sinner.

O thou! cry'd CAIN, by what name shall I call thee? Thou art to me as a gracious angel! A beam of DIVINE Consolation has darted into the obscurity of my soul! O MAHALA! O my wife! now I dare embrace thee. O that I could make thee sensible of what I feel! but words cannot express my gratitude-cannot express the tender emotions of my heart. At these words he press'd her to his breast; then, suddenly quitting her, he embrac'd his children: but soon return'd to his wife, and again clasp'd her to his heart.

Now this tender mother, this heroic wife, sooth'd her infants, and wip'd away their tears. She took her youngest child to her breast, another little one held by the hand of his father, while ELIEL and JOSIAH, full of life and gaiety, tripped before them. They left their cottage. MAHALA, with weeping eyes, beheld the dwellings of her parents and of THIRZA.-Be blest, be blest, said she, O desolate family, whom I abandon! Soon will I return from the place of our habitation, to supplicate your blessings for me-for my dear, my penitent husband. I will solicit for him a pardon. She