"He, then, did escape?" asked Adeline, with a faint smile of joy.

Undoubtedly," replied the abbot," that is to say, his deliverance might have been voluntary on the part of the banditti-he might perhaps have purchased his freedom, or he might have been rescued; the manner of his deliverance is, however, a question, the solution of which is of very little consequence; suffice it to say that he was on his return to Niolo-when he stopp'd one night at the village, of which the honest fellow who has just now left the Castle, was an inhabitant. We must not censure him for his anxiety to reach his paternal home-it is a strong bias of our nature to look to that spot, where our infant years were passed, and therefore it must not excite our surprise, that with your father, all the dictates of prudence, and of self-preservation, were disregarded, and the advice of the oldest inhabitants of the village rejected. It appears, that your father arrived at this village at sunset."

Know you the name of the village?" Adeline asked.

"It shall be mentioned to you, hereafter, said the abbot: "be not so inquisitive, daughter, or you will confound me in my story. I had related, that your father arrived at the village at sun-set, and after having taken some slight refreshment, he expressed his determination to pro

ceed on his journey. The host of the inu, and several of the villagers, amongst whom was the messenger, endeavoured to dissuade him from his purpose, they depictured to him the real dangers which subsisted---the almost impassable state of the roads---the deep ravines which he had to cross---the avalanches which he had to dread, and the torrents which he had to cross rendered unfordable by the late heavy falls of rain-but he turned a deaf ear to all these objections, considered them as the mere exaggerations of pusillanimous minds, aud expressed his determination to proceed either with or without a guide. Self-interest, however, operates every where; in the highest and the lowest conditions, gold can make the roughest Alpine road smooth as the meadow on which the peasants hold their village gambols-it can make the ford passable, at which the wary traveller would turn away with terror-it can fix the trembling avalanche, and make the hermit's cell on the tottering cliff, a palace of delight. Thus the men, who had been most vociferous in the description of the different dangers of the road, forgot them all at the sight of your father's gold---each was ready to be his guide--all the dangers had vanished---and on a wild and tempestuous night, in which nor star nor moon-beam shone to light him on his way, did your father leave the village, to expose himself to all the dangers of the Alpine roads. He has suffered dearly for his temerity; let whatever VOL. 1. No. 14.

3 A

errors he committed, be, however, now buried in oblivion let his virtues only live in our remembrance."

"And he had many, holy father?" said Adeline.

They will meet with their reward," said the abbot, and he thus continued his recital.

"The travellers having surmounted many dangers, arrived at the monastery of the White Penitents, and your father was strongly urged by the guides to rest there until the morning broke, èspecially as they must necessarily cross the dangerous bridge of Guolfo. An infatuation, or a destiny, call it which you will, appeared however, to operate on your father, for he was not only deaf to all the representations of his guides, but actually lost that equanimity of temper for which he was so eminent, and in violent language, expressed his determination to proceed without their assistance. The guides, therefore, seeing no alternative, pursued their journey, and, as they predicted, on passing the bridge of Guolfo, which from the description which I have received, has no parapets, the carriage was overset, and precipitated into the foaming torrent beneath. The night was dark and tempestuous-and it was impossible to grant any relief, nor even to discern the particular situation into which your father was thrown. On day-light however appearing, the carriage was discovered at a considerable distance from the bridge,