Piety! You talk of piety!" said the captain with a sneer.

"Under your favour, noble captain," said Leopold, "I do not talk of piety in my own person; I only mean to say that you are one of the most impious and mischievous incendiaries that ever got within the walls of a college, to the ruin of foolish young fellows: not that you ever did me any harm; for, although I am not vain, I do think myself a match even for you in almost all shapes of wickedness. I mean, however, to take up, and mend; and as the first step towards it, since my pipe is out, I'll empty the bottle, and away to my truckle-bed.'

"What, thou turned sneaker to!" said the captain; "thou flinch from thy liquor, like a shoemaker's 'prentice, who fears a drubbing from his master!-Nay, then, if thou goest, all good fellowship is gone."

"Why, look ye, soldier," said Leopold, "I like drinking as well as another man; and I have been trying for the last five hours to see you under the table, without being able to make the least impression on you. By all the gods of antiquity, I think that every hair in those black mustachios of yours acts as a conduit-pipe to carry off the fumes of the wine you drink, or you could never stand it! Now, I am as decently drunk as any gentleman could wish to be; while you sit there with your imperturbable ugly black face, and, saving that you look more stupid, you are, for aught I can see, as sober as when you begun."

"You do me honour, most learned flower of college wit," replied Schwartzwald; but, if I'm not so drunk as you would have me, I am no less a good fellow: I'll join you in any plan of rational amusement you like to propose. Shall we take a walk? Shall we storm the governor's

house, and run away with his nieces? Shall we break into St. Ursula's convent, where the blue-eyed girl is going to take the veil, and prevent her locking up so much beauty from the world? Any thing that is mad and wicked, and I'm your comrade."

""Tis All-hallows Eve," said Leopold. "Hark how the wind blows! the devil and all his imps are riding on the nightblast! Would you walk on such a night? Do let the dog be turned out," he added, as the animal again whined loudly. "I like to hear the wind," said Schwartzwald; and, as for the devils, surely you, who defy almost every thing in this world as well as in the other, don't pretend to care two straws for all the fiends that ever plagued the earth."

66

'Schwartzwald knew very well that the only thing that Leopold feared-if he feared at all-was the agency of supernatural beings; but he knew also that he would rather die than confess so much. The soldier had discovered this point in his companion's character, and he was resolved to persist in his attack upon it.

"Come," he continued, "if you really don't fear the devil, and would like to run the chance of meeting a pretty wench, take a stroll with me to the house of the old witch, Alice, and let us have our fortunes spelt.'

دو

"Will you go and have a peep in the old hag's magic mirror?"

"Have with you then willingly," cried Leopold; and, quitting the tavern, they sallied forth into the street.

'It was now twelve o'clock. The night was totally dark; not a star was visible through the thick black clouds which palled the heavens. The wind blew in fierce gusts; and, as it rushed through the ample sky, shrill sounds, which seemed horrible and unnatural, were mingled with its fitful blasts. The old houses shook, the signs creaked in the wind, chimneys were heard to fall into the silent streets, window-shutters flapped, and watch-dogs howled. The hoarse cry of the sentinels placed in different parts of the city were the only human voices to be heard; and these, as they mingled at certain intervals with the other noises of the night, seemed like the shouts of roving demons. Nothing could be more gloomy, nor oppressive to the spirits, than this weather; and Leopold, more than once, wished that he had never begun the adventure.

"We shall be sure to find company at the old crone's," said Schwartzwald: "the girls will be afraid to return home while the wind blows thus."

"A man need have some inducement to go out on such a night," replied Leopold;

"I mean something beyond that old woman's juggling. I look for some pretty wenches; and, if I find them, they shall pay for it. I won't take all this trouble for nothing; nay, if I should even find some of those fiends, which, as folks say, visit the old sorceress, provided they come in the shape of young and pretty women, I will boldly make love to them." Leopold said this merely for the sake of saying something, and for keeping up the character of a dare-devil, which he had got. He knew Schwartzwald was a man, who, if he gained the slightest advantage over him in the way of ridicule, would not fail to bring upon him the quizzing of all their companions.

66

"Well said, Orlando Innamorato!" replied the soldier; even such a cold wind as this, I see, cannot cool hot young blood; --but here we are at the gate." He gave the word, which, as an officer of the guard, he was acquainted with; and being, moreover, well known, he and his companion were permitted to pass.

"They quitted the town, and struck into a path diverging away from the road, which led them on to a barren heath. A quarter of an hour's rough walking brought them to a low hovel, the lights in which they had seen some time before they reached it. A loud sound of laughter, mingled with screams, was heard, but ceased as the soldier and the student approached. The lights, too, were extinguished; and, by the time the visitors were at the door, all was dark and silent.

"This is odd," said Leopold: "it seems we are just too late; the revelling is finished."

"We shall make them begin again," replied Schwartzwald. "After coming so far, and in such a night, we must enforce old Alice's hospitality.'

'He knocked sharply at the door with his sabre-hilt, and his dog set up a loud and disagreeable bark.

Immediately afterwards the door was opened, and the withered face of the wretched beldame, who called herself the mistress of the hovel, was seen by the light of a small lamp which she bore.

"How now, mother?" cried Schwartzwald; "are they robbers or goblins that you fear, since you are so cautious in opening your doors?"

“You are not alone,” mumbled the old woman, without replying to the soldier's observations, as she saw the figure of Leopold beyond.

"I am not,” replied the captain; "I bring a gentleman to visit you on this auspicious night; he wishes to see some of your- But, zounds! why do you keep us standing in the cold here?" be said

-

abruptly, as he pushed into the cottage, and was followed by Leopold.

The place exhibited the most desolate appearance. On the hearth were some scanty embers; on a table near it stood the homely food on which it seemed that the old woman had been regaling when her visitors interrupted her supper. This consisted of some of the coarsest bread of the country, and a raw onion. A starved black cat was lying near the fire, and was not disturbed either by the entrance of the student and the soldier, or by the black dog of the latter, with whom she seemed to be on very good terms.

'Leopold looked about in astonishment: he was sure that he had seen lights and heard sounds of rude merriment a few moments before; and he was sure too that they could proceed from no other place than the room he was in, which now was as dull and gloomy as a midnight tomb.

Aye! why not?" said Schwartzwald: "when were mad-cap girls to be frightened by bad weather from what they had set their hearts on ?"

"There is not a girl in all Gottingen," said Alice, "that would come out tonight, even if she were sure of getting a husband to-morrow by doing so."

"Come, come, my good old dame," said Leopold, "tell us where you have hidden these young ladies. I am sure that I heard sounds as I came along the heath, which could be no other than female voices. Beseech them to come forth now, my gentle Sybil; for, if you don't, I must begin to court you. I am pledged to make love to some one this night."

The old hag grinned, and shook her palsied head, swearing over and over again that there was no female in the house but herself.

"You have some wine hidden, if you have no women," said Schwartzwald: "come, produce that, mother, and then we'll talk about the other affairs; but the wine in the first place, for my walk and the night-blast have made me as cold as a corpse."

The old woman removed one of the tiles with which the floor of her hut was paved, and produced, from a hole which it covered, a large old-fashioned flask. She placed it on the table with glasses.

"Come, Alice," said Schwartzwald, "let us have a peep into thy mirror."

"What would'st thou see?" asked the old woman emphatically.

Nay, I care not for thy tricks," he replied; "but Meinherr there will like to view some of thy juggling; and I can tell thee also, by way of putting thee on thy mettle, that he has no faith in it--he thinks thee an arrant cheat."

The old woman looked angrily at each of her visitors; and Leopold, who thought that in his character of guest, and an uninvited one too, it would be the extreme of ill breeding to affront the lady of this noble mansion, disclaimed his friend's imputation, and assured the old woman that he had the highest opinion of her skill.

'The hag muttered some unintelligible words between her teeth, but in such a manner that Leopold did not know whether his compliment had appeased her, or whether she was still indignant at his want of faith in her practices. He therefore repeated his request that she would per mit him to see the mirror.

'Schwartzwald, in the mean time, seemed to enjoy mightily the old woman's anger, and Leopold's endeavours to propitiate "Come," he said at length, "produce thy charmed mirror, and let us see what is to be our destiny.'

her.

"The mirror is destroyed," said the old woman; "and, if it were not, you know it is against the laws to make use of it."

"Thou dost mistake, gentle Alice," said Schwartzwald, "it is not destroyed; and, when thou talkest of laws, for whom dost thou take us? Are we Philistines?* are we meek and hypocritical tradesmen? are we like the quaking citizens who come to consult thy art about stolen spoons; and who, if they cannot find them, would denounce thee, or doom thee to that singeing from which I once had the honour and the happiness to rescue thee?Come, come, my good lady, away with thy scruples; Meinherr is a gentlemanthe main-spring and life-blood, as it were, of college youths-true as steel, and secret as a father confessor. Produce, then-bring forward thy wonders, and without delay."

Leopold repeated his request that she would do so; for his curiosity was now highly excited, as well by the speech of Schwartzwald as by the old woman's evident reluctance to comply with their request.

'The hag yielded to their united importunities; and, still muttering, while her aged frame shook with an increased agitation, she arose, and began to make her preparations for exhibiting the mirror. She first carefully raked up all the embers of the

fire into a heap, and covered them with a close vessel, so that the faint light which before streamed from them was now wholly obscured. She next went to a recess in one corner of the room, and, removing a quantity of rags and lumber which stood against the wall, she opened a door, within which was seen a black curtain. She then took Leopold by the arm, and, placing him directly opposite this curtain, she extinguished the lamp, and the room was left in utter darkness. "Now," mumbled the old crone," what is it you would see?”

Leopold had, in spite of himself, been in some degree overawed by the hag's manner, and the caution of her preparations. He hesitated as to what he should choose.

"I should like," said Schwartzwald, "to see the place of my burial, as, in all probability, when I visit it for the last time, I shall not be able to recognise it."

"Thank you for the hint," said Leopold; "it shall be so;-show me my grave."

The curtain was heard to be slowly withdrawn, and Leopold saw a small square mirror before him, which was perfectly distinct, and in which light seemed to be reflected, although there was none in the chamber. He looked again, and the surface appeared to be dulled, as if by some vapour passing before it. This soon cleared away, and he saw within the mirror a sight which rivetted his attention. A small square enclosure, surrounded by high walls, and thinly planted with cypress-trees, seemed to lie before him. The walls were like those of a cloister, and were covered with a climbing shrub: the branches of some acacia-trees, loaded with blossoms, hung over; and in that part which was opposite to him, and beyond them, he saw the spires of a building, which seemed to be either a church or a monastical establishment. Looking down, he perceived that the small enclosure. was thickly covered with graves, on each of which a small wooden cross had been placed, and flowers thickly planted. One grave was open, as if it had been just dug: he looked upon the wall against which this open grave was made, and he saw upon it a marble tablet, with an inscription. He gazed upon the tablet, and read his own name, Leopold Von Desterreich," in large and distinct letters. An emotion, for which he could not account, held him fixed to the spot: he rubbed his eyes, to be sure that he was under no delusion; still the silent burialground lay before him-still his own name seemed to be uttered from the marble on which it was written, and to ring in his

ears as well as to pain his eyes. A cold sweat settled upon his brow-his head turned round-and he would have fallen but for Schwartzwald.

The hag, who knew well enough, although she could not see, what was going on, called out, in an almost unearthly voice, "You have looked upon it onceof the third time beware!"

'A hollow and discordant voice, which he believed to be hers, then groaned, rather than sung

"Hither, hither, shall you come ; This your last and lowly home. Wheresoe'er your way you bend, Hither must your travel tend: Roam the earth, or swim the deep, Hither, hither, still you creep, In this dull cold bed to sleep." 'While this melancholy strain still lingered in his ears the curtain was again drawn, and the lamp lighted. Leopold felt sick at heart, and could not rally his strength so as to reply to Schwartzwald.

'Why, zounds!" said the soldier, "the old woman has frightened you indeed." 'Leopold heard the taunt, but he could not reply to it.

"Here," said Schwartzwald, pouring him out a large glass of wine, “ try this never-failing specific against the blue and every other sort of devils."

Leopold swallowed the wine, which was at once delicious and powerful: his spirits returned, his heart glowed, and even more than his wonted animation pervaded his frame. He felt a powerful excitement, and laughed aloud, all the fears which the sight of the grave had occasioned being forgotten.

Why, what matters it," said Schwartzwald, "where a man is buried? We shall all be in our graves some day, perhaps; and the knowledge where they are situated cannot bring them one step nearer to us. Drink, then; and, let Death come when he will, he shall find us properly prepared for the journey, as far as good liquor can prepare us."

Leopold filled his glass again, and, as he drained it, a noise like that of suppressed laughter was heard at the door. Old Alice opened it, and began to talk to some persons who were standing on the outside. It was soon apparent that the new-comers were females; and Leopold, who was now in very high spirits, leaped from his chair, and, rushing to the door, swore that, whoever they were, they should enter. Schwartzwald followed him, and they dragged in two girls, whom they found talking to Alice.

'The wenches struggled a good deal, and seemed very averse to entering the cottage: but the two gallants were men not to be denied; by main force the fair ones were

'Leopold pressed his suit very vigorously; he was going through the forms usual on such occasions, swearing all those oaths which he had found to prevail often before, and which your accomplished lover always swears, and never means to observe, when Schwartzwald slapped him on the shoulder.

:

Bravo!" he said, "you redeem your pledge bravely you said that you would make love even to fiends if they should come in your way; and who do you think our friends here are?"

"I think they are very true flesh and blood, and no fiends, but the daughters of some good Philistines of Gottingen."

"To see how a man may be imposed on, now! and a learned man too-a studenta sage that is to be! But I must undeceive you. Know, then, most renowned Bursche, that you have been gulled, and that you have fallen into a trap I have long laid for you. I thought that your daring impudence and rashness must at some time or other yield you into my hands, and that all the pains I have taken with you could not be thrown away. Once I was as you are; now it is my business to make such as you are what I am. Your profligacy and your audacity have made you an easy prey to me; and you have this night, by dabbling in forbidden, and, as you would call them, unholy things, sealed my power over you. Still I would rather be your friend than your foe; and, if you will give yourself up to me voluntarily, I will secure to you all the happiness that, in your wildest moments, you ever dreamed of. Refuse this, and it shall be my business to poison every moment of your life-to drive you to despair and to death by torments at which you now cannot even guess. How say you?"

He

'Leopold was stupified. The hellish potion he had drunk had bewildered his senses; the events of the night-the horror of the open avowal of Schwartzwald, or the demon, as he now seemed to be had shaken his reason to its very centre. looked around, and saw that the two supposed girls were as old and as ugly as Alice; and they all three now stood together in a group, with their sunken glazed eyes fixed upon him, waiting to know whether they should hail him as a brother or not. He gasped for breath, and, putting his hand to his neck, he opened his collar. As he did this he felt a small cross, which his mother, who was a very pious, but superstitious woman, had caused to be made from an unquestionable relic of St. Anthony's staff, and which she believed was a never-failing preservative against witchcraft and evil spirits. Upon this occasion it brought back to Leopold's recollection

subjects which he had but too long neglect ed. He thought of his mother-of the care she had taken in training his infancy to pious habits: he remembered the satisfaction he had once taken in the practices of devotion, and a ray broke in at once upon the dark despair that had begun to overHe grasped the cross; spread his heart. his courage revived; and with a great effort he said to Schwartzwald, "In the name of Heaven, and of the God of Heaven, I defy thee !"

A loud scream burst from the hags,

and Schwartzwald advanced to him with a

threatening gesture. Leopold drew his sword, and made a fierce lunge at him. The sword glanced off his breast; and the captain, or, as he should now be more properly called, the demon, seized Leopold by the throat. The youth felt his strength was unavailing: he struggled, but it was in vain; he fell, and saw the eyes of the demon glare exultingly over him. The power of sensation forsook him; he believed he was dying, and uttered a groan, with which, as he imagined, his spirit departed from him,’

He is discovered the next morning, apparently dead, by some peasants, and proper measures are taken for his restoration. His first care is to obtain an explanation from Schwartzwald, but the amiable captain has decamped. The curiosity of Leopold's companions is aroused, but he declines to gratify it further than by informing them that he had seen some dreadful sights at the old woman's hovel, in company with Schwartzwald. A long illness, both mental and bodily, afflicts him, on his recovery from which he seeks the society of his former friends, for the purpose of diverting the melancholy which still preys upon him. He

finds that their conduct towards him has undergone an extraordinary change. He has become an object of reserve, of curiosity, of fear, and even of detestation. He at length experiences an insult from a fellowstudent, whom, in return, he canes most unmercifully, and is consequently expelled the university. He then enters as a volunteer in the

French army: the gaiety and activity of a military life dissipate his chagrin, and almost efface from his memory the horrors of All-hallows night; and, on a beautiful summer's evening, when the officers of his regiment take up their quarters at Santa Croce, a convent of nuns, situated

'By all means" was uttered simultaneously by the whole party.

It is the cemetery," she said; and, calling to the gardener, she bade him unlock a door in the garden wall.

'They entered the burial-ground, which was one of the most striking that, perhaps, was ever beheld. The moon was now declining, and threw its broad light against one side of the square, while the other was in deep shade. Cypresses were thickly planted within the square, and the white marble pillars of the cloisters which surrounded it shone in the clear moonlight between their black trunks and their sorrowful motionless foliage.

"This cemetery," said the abbess, "is one to which I have almost become attached; and, weak as you may believe it, I should feel great pain if I thought that my bones were destined to rest in any other. The perfect tranquillity which prevails here-the beauty of the situation—

those eternal mourners, the cypressesall combine to make it, in my opinion, the soft broad gleams of the moon's light most fit for the calm resting-place of mortal bodies, until that change which is to transfer them to another sphere shall take place. This is, I know, a weakness, and you must think I am wrong to indulge in it; but, when you consider how much our lives are swayed by fancies, you will find some excuse for me."

6

Leopold assured the abbess that he thought her selection so good a one that it

needed no apology.

On

They had now walked down one side. of the quadrangle, and had passed under that cloister which was in shade. turning out of it a sight met Leopold's eyes, which fixed him to the spot with astonishment.

The moon, which was now at his

back, shone full upon the wall of the opposite cloister;-behind it arose the acacia-trees, loaded with their white streaming blossoms, and waving like plumes in the soft night-air. In the distance were seen the slender white spires of the convent, against which the moon-beams fell, and showed distinctly the richly-carved crochets which decorated them. In short,