Guards, he cast his eyes round in every direction, to observe whether there was any one in sight. He then addressed me by my name.

"You know my conditions," said he "They must be rigorously observed. This," placing a paper in my hand, "is at once an earnest and a pledge of my intentions to fulfil them on my part. The same sum shall reach you at the expiration of every three months. Return. If you have any misgivings-if you have the shadow of a wish to retract-there is time for renouncing your present disposition to go on. One word, the day after to-morrow, in the same paper-the single monosyllable 'No'-puts an end to the business between us; and what you have is your reward for what has passed. If no such word appear, then, in the evening of the day after tomorrow, the lady will arrive at your house. Remember-indiscreet curiosity is the only rock on which you can split, as long as He paused, and his voice became tremulous, as he added, "AGNES MANDEVILLE is treated with undeviating respect and kindness."

"

I was about to say -I know not what-for the situation in which I was placed confounded me; when my companion cut short all reply, by pointing towards the palace and exclaiming, "Good night. We part now. There needs no other answer here."

"Nor will there elsewhere," I said, as I bowed and obeyed his injunction. I looked back when I had proceeded a few yards, and could just discern that he remained motionless on the spot where I left him. I did the same several times

to see if he were following; but he was no where visible.

Engrossed as my thoughts were by this mysterious interview, I could not resist examining, by the first lamp I came to, the paper he had placed in my hands. It was a hundred pound bank note, enclosed in a blank envelope. This, I thought, looked indeed like being in earnest, and I returned home with feelings inflamed to the highest pitch of excitement by the extraordinary character of the business in which I had engaged.

My family, at that time, consisted of my wife and two daughters, the elder in her twelfth year. Hitherto I had said nothing to my wife upon the subject of the advertisement, of my having answered it, or of the consequences of that answer. I did not mention the second, because I expected she would try to dissuade me from it, and I was resolved not to be dissuaded; so why give my beloved Jane unnecessary trouble? And I kept the third to myself, till I saw what became of those consequences, that nobody might laugh at me but myself, if it should turn out I was befooled. As it was necessary now, however, that I should admit her into my confidence, I did so. I hardly knew what turn matters might have taken, when I came to that part of my narrative which announced the coming of AGNES MANDEVILLE; for though my dear Jane knew me to be the most faithful of husbands, still it did not seem to me that she was sufficiently convinced of the utter impossibility of my ever forfeiting that character. And I grieve to say, the appearance

of the hundred pound bank-note, with the intimation that we should regularly receive a visit from one of the same family every three months, had more effect in reconciling her to what she considered a dangerous experiment, than all my assurances of invincible fidelity. Mortifying as this reflection could not fail to be to a man of unimpeached and unimpeachable conjugal constancy, I bore it meekly, under the influence of pretty nearly similar considerations to those which produced the auspicious change in my dear Jane's View of the affair.

The expected evening came, and it was ar ranged between me and Jane, that I should receive our mysterious visitor alone. Every requisite preparation had been made for her reception, and long before dark I took my station in the drawing-room, listening to each footfall, to each sound of carriage-wheels, with a nervous trepidation which I was wholly unable to control. I had settled, in my own mind, the precise way in which I would accost her; how I would conduct her to a seat; and what I would say to the tall thin gentleman in black; whilst my wife had rehearsed her part several times during the day, with additions and improvements at each rehearsal. My busy fancy, too, had pictured all sorts of persons as the probable resemblance of the high-born but unfortunate lady. Was she young? Was she old? No-that could not be, I thought; but then, was she middle-aged? And was she handsome? had sorrow blighted her beauty? What effect also had sorrow produced upon her character and

Or

disposition? Had it made her sullenly taciturn, or despondingly interesting? I don't know how it was, but I could not help hoping, and secretly believing, that she was young, lovely, and drooping to decay, like all angels of romance, under the withering anguish of unmerited affliction.

It was nearly ten o'clock, and I was getting irritably impatient, when I heard a coach stop at the door. I absolutely burst out into a cold perspiration, and a sort of shiver ran through my veins. Unfortunately I had forgotten to settle, among all the other things which I had determined to do, whether it would be better to answer the door myself, or let the servant appear, but I was now in such a flurry, that I could not make up my mind either way. I rushed to the top of the staircase, intending to order Jennet back to the kitchen; but before I could speak, the door was opened, and I hastily retreated to the drawingroom to take my station in the very place, and with the exact attitude, which I had fixed upon as suitable to the occasion. How my heart beat, and my eyes strained themselves, as I heard steps ascending, but not a word uttered!

Jennet entered; with a countenance on which were visibly depicted amazement and intense curiosity. She was followed-not by the tall thin gentleman in black-but by an aged female in black, leading by the hand another female, of a slender and graceful form, the upper part of whose person was shrouded from observation by the thick folds of a mourning veil. Having conducted her to the sofa, where she seated herself in silence, she advanced towards me, (for I had

:

done nothing and said nothing of all I intended to do and say), and gave me a letter. I offered her a chair she declined it, and without speaking, but with an air which denoted the habitual observance of the manners of elegant society. I opened the letter, and read it. It was in the same disguised hand as the former one, and ran thus:

"Receive her :-obey her in all things. The bearer of this will visit her at appointed intervals. Let none else; save those you know, and know to be as discreet as I look to find yourself."

"You understand, Sir?" said the female, when I had finished reading this brief epistle.

Perfectly Madam; but-"

She placed her finger on her lips and withdrew, having first pressed silently, in both hers, the hand of the veiled stranger.

For a moment I

I was left alone with her. stood irresolute, whether to speak, or retire, and send up my wife. There she sat motionless-leaning back with her hands negligently clasped before her, and apparently listening to the sound of the departing carriage; but without saying a word, or offering to remove the long crape veil that continued to conceal her face. I have acknowledged myself a lover of the mysterious; but I became chilled and fearful almost, as I gazed upon the being in whose presence I then was. There was something awful in her stillness, -her shrouded form-her unbroken silence!

The day had been sultry: the evening closed in with every appearance of a gathering storm. Suddenly, a loud peal of thunder burst upon our