to swear to the child she then saw born, of whom she has never since lost sight."trit

↑ Lady Deborah was deeply moved for some mo ments. A lengthened pause ensued after which, having apparently regained her presence of mind,

"Gentlemen," said she," you will easily believe that to discover that one whom I have so long cherished as my niece, and upon whom I have for so many years lavished all my affection, proves to be the bird of some strange nest, whilst she who is the real blood of my poor departed husband's family has been an outcast from her paternal hearth, and from these arms; you must grant me, gentlemen, that to make such a discovery as this, admitting the facts to be substantiated, must be to me most painfully embarrassing. On the one hand, I shall have a tender,—an exquisitely tender tie to break," and as she said so, she wiped her eyes; "whilst, on the other, I shall have duties to perform to one of whose habits, temper, and disposi tion, I am at present utterly ignorant. You will readily give me credit so far as to believe that, when the proof becomes convincing, I shall be the most anxious of all to do justice to her to whom duty will in that case demand, that my affections

shall be paid, whilst, on the other hand, I may be excused for feeling some lingering attachment to her who has so long engrossed my whole tenderness and care. But proof, irresistible proof, will be required, before I can believe a circumstance so extraordinary."

"I can understand your Ladyship's feelings on the present occasion," said Sir William, with a look that penetrated to her soul; "evidence shall not be withheld from you; and if you should wish to bring the matter to public investigation, I shall be most ready to indulge you; meanwhile, we shall take the liberty of leaving you for some little time to consider of what you have already heard, and we shall be at your Ladyship's command when you are pleased to require our attendance."

Upon this the two gentlemen arose, and, bowing to Lady Deborah, left her. Her eyes remained fixed on vacancy for a time; but she started on hearing the door of the inner chamber open suddenly, and looking round, she beheld,—the Dwarfie Carline!

The tiny figure stood proudly in the door-way on tip-toe, as if to make the most of her pigmy

stature, with her head thrown back, as was her common attitude, and her eyes, glaring fiercely on Lady Deborah, who sat petrified. She frowned silently for some minutes. Lady Deborah, though so much appalled, was the first to break silence.

"Whence come you ?-monster! of face and figure hardly human!-So many years have passed away since mine eyes have been cursed with the sight of those hideous features, that I had hoped they no longer blasted the earth. Comest thou to pour thy vengeance on me?-Yet what can thy weak wrath effect? Why should my bold heart quail before a thing like thee ?—begone!”

"Lady Deborah," said the figure with a harsh stern voice, " you must hear me ere I go. Know that the thread of your life hangs in these hands, and were it not for one who bids me hold them, thus-thus would I rend its fibres!" and as she said so, she snapped in twain a cord she held stretched between them.

"What mean ye, fiend ?" exclaimed Lady Deborah with considerable perturbation.

"Fiend! aye, fiend perhaps I would be,” cried she, with a laugh of mingled scorn and bitter

ness.

"To see the noble lady whose hours of recreation were wont to be devoted to the torment, the bodily and mental torment, of the poor orphan dwarf,-to see her dragged in some sorry cart to where the assembled vulgar should stand in one dense mass, gaping with idle expectation to behold the ignominious end of all her black adultery and foul murders, and brought to that by me, that would indeed be triumph!-And could I resist so great a satisfaction, were not my tongue tied down?-But why stand I thus in parley? If she, whose fair domains have now so long been held by your accursed spawn, shall not be righted ere another hour, my tongue will then be free and fluent. Shall I glad you with a brief rehearsal now, to prove how much I know? -The arbour where the willing minister of your wickedness was tutored to your scheme of foul assassination!-the murder witnessed!-and the murdered-____"

"Hold, hold, for mercy's sake!—all, all shall be restored!" cried Lady Deborah, sunk at once from the high pinnacle of dignity on which she had placed herself, by these dark hints of something so dreadful that she even feared to hear it

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repeated. "I see-oh horrible my fate is indeed in thy hands.-But have mercy on me !-oh have mercy!" said she, in a tone of the most abject and earnest entreaty, as she threw herself on her knees before the dwarf;" save, oh! save my name from eternal ignominy, and all shall be restored!"

A grim smile of ineffable contempt shot, like the lurid glare of a meteor, over the wild features of the dwarf. The soul of the wretched woman was humbled to the dust; she fell forward at full length on the floor, and lay for some moments overpowered by the poignancy of her feelings. Then, starting up, she clasped her hands, and again repeated-" Oh, save me !-save the name of my house from eternal disgrace!" But the Dwarfie Carline had vanished!

The Lady Deborah gazed around, oppressed by a kind of stupor. Her eyes wandered into every corner of the apartment, afraid again to encounter the figure that had so lately filled them with dread, and returned, relieved by their ineffectual search after it. She slowly recovered her self so far as to rise from the humiliating posture her fears had thrown her into, and reclining for