his eyes bent upon the earth; his imagination fearfully shrinking from the past, and wandering, in wild latitude, o'er the future. Not once did he pause, not once did he survey the grey spires of Valombre, for the exultation of success glowed upon his check, and the corroding influence of remorse was not yet awakened. It was twilight when he reached the dwelling of Ermissende; the moon had not arisen, but the bright star of evening shone resplendent in the heavens. Elated, he flew through the garden; he mounted the steps of the portico, yet did no gladsome sound salute his ear. He knocked impatient for admission; and when the door was opened, rushed into the hall, and hurried to the chamber of of Ermissende: but it was solitary-it was deserted; no cheerful blaze enliven ed ed the hearth, or indicated the return of its mistress. In vain he called upon her name, in vain he searched each separate chamber; Ermissende was lost, was fled; and racked with a thousand fears, a thousand fancies, the almost-frantic Montauban, summoning the servant, sought an explanation. "Twas then every warring principle of action rushed to his heart'twas then he waged eternal enmity to power and to justice-'twas then he breathed the dire imprecation of revenge -for 'twas then he heard, that two nights preceding, sanctioned by the royal signet, the shrieking Ermissende had been conveyed from her retreat. CHAP. CHAP. VIII. My thoughts grow wild, And let in fears of ugly form upon me. OTWAY. CALMNESS, meekness, temperance, reigned in the monastic cell of Valombre; but though the gust of passion was forbidden, though the principles of sublunary interest were nominally expunged, yet will Nature linger in defiance of severe decision-yet, to the latest breath of vital existence, will she maintain her pristine sway. The abbot St. Theodore, because the wild burst of first-violated feeling had subsided, had yielded to the soul-soothing influence of devotion, fancied that the world, and the world's once-cherished claims, held no empire o'er his heart, fancied that contempt and injury, sorrow and persecution, were alike powerless to wound. VALOMBRE wound. But alas! the apathy of indifference reigned but in idea, and the lambent flash of newly-awakened sensibility tinged his wan cheek, when his eyes, decyphering a letter sent by express to the convent, traced the well-remembered name of Ermissende. It was penned in all the delicate caution of friendship; yet did its contents, freezing the current of hope, strike as a deathblow to his feelings. It stated that Ermissende, still an alien to virtue, had returned to France; that no indication of remorse marked contrition for the past, or amendment for the future; that under the blind infatuation of outraged affection, she lived the mistress of Montauban, and now, in the transient absence of her seducer, awaited him at a villa, a few leagues from Taras con. Alas! Alas! how in one short moment did the actions of St. Theodore record the fatal return of interest!-how, in one short moment, did the worthless, the ungrateful Ermissende, arouse him from the lethargy of feeling! but still did religion, still did devout inspiration, tinge each ideal exertion: it was to tear her from infamy-it was to save her soul from perdition-it was to remove her from the dire infection of sin, that occupied every energy of his comprehenJ sive mind-it was not to see, but to save the woman upon whom he had once so fondly doted-it was not to persecute, but to reclaim the woman whom Heaven's sanction had given to his love. Deep were his reflections, firm were his resolves; they were formed, they were designed in the long and sleepless hours gifted |