The vain cold girl, who long deceived, and played the trifler's part, Deserved not the untiring love of a warm, honest heart. "I flung me down on the green bank where the marsh mosses creep, And dwelt upon old times, until I wept myself to sleep; Yet still I dimly marked the rise of grey cloudmantled morn, And felt so lonely that I wished I never had been born. "And suddenly the leaves were stirred, a thrill ran through the grass, The boughs gave way, and something seemed before my gaze to pass; A hand strayed 'midst my loosened hair, warm breath was on my cheek; But though I struggled to arise, I could not move or speak. A lava-tide rushed o'er my soul, of haunting memories, And once I deemed I clearly saw his dark and earnest eyes; Twas but an idle dream, mother, yet oh! how kind they were! My heart seemed breaking when I woke and found he was not there. "But I'd no time to sit and fret, for the red sun shone bright, And kissed the stream so lately dark until it gleamed like light; The cocks were crowing all around, the sky was deeply blue, And the wild heath and lady-fern were bathed in rosy dew. "I thought they'd know me at the farm, so came back through the lane, And in the sloping meadow met Dick Scoates and Robert Payne: I ran by them without a word-passed Uncle Matthew's door, And, ere the cuckoo clock struck six, was safe at home once more. But, mother, all the long, long day, that dream hath haunted me; I dare not think it boded good, nor pardoned hope to be; Yet 'twas perchance in mercy sent for me to muse upon, Now that I've wearied him at last, and he is really gone. "Wayward and wild, my own proud will it was which sealed my fate, แ And though my heart is contrite now, repentance comes too late; Could he but see my faded cheek he might forget to frown, But nought will mind him of my love in that far distant town. I've cost you many an anxious hour and many an aching brow; But that was in my thoughtless days-I am not self-willed now. ""Twould make you happy, mother dear, if I could love Luke Strong; I cannot, but I'll bear his name, though 'twill not be for long. And you'll not fret when I am gone, for Alice will remain; She is a better-hearted girl, who'll never give you pain. "But if he should return again when all these things are passed, Then tell him that I wished him well, and loved him to the last." She paused-a dear voice sighed her name, she heard a known step glide. "He is returned," the truant said, and stole to Mabel's side! Ramsgate, June 11, 1849. THOU ART NOT HERE. BY ROBERT H. BROWN, ESQ. Thou art not here! 'tis spoken still Within the forest shade, 'Tis murmured by the babbling rill, 'Tis whispered through the glade; At even's calm, when twilight broods, And silence fills the air, The gloomy shadows of the woods And ever as I trace the way By woodland or by stream, The haunts of many a brighter day, Of many a brighter dream; As ling'ring by the rustic seat, Or antique bridge so near, My heart doth quicker, wilder beatI feel thou art not here. Yet wood and brake, and running stream, But even music's charm hath gone- I know not why, when quite alone Or why I dwell on pleasures gone, I know not by what subtle spell Or why my breast doth lonely dwell, I know not why I seek the shade, So sad, so mute! I start afraid To find thou art not here! Wakefield. CHAP. XVIII. BY ELIZABETH O'HARA. (Concluded from page 20.) "Well, what does the Duke say?" enquired Herman, anxiously; "does he consent now?" "He's trapped-he's frightened to death;" answered Pierre with a brutal laugh. "I told you so: I knew those papers from Dijon, would be all-powerful; and yet, what trouble I had to persuade you to use them! Nothing less than the Duchess's resolution of having a dying duet with me, could convince you. Goodness knows, if I wanted to die with her." "To be sure not: I know that. But you see, I didn't stomach making use of these papers against the Duke. You promise me a decent competence if I succeed: that's well and good; but the Duke is a dangerous enemy: such a man is sure to repay you some time or other. However, as you didn't want to die with your lady, and there was no time to be lost, I gave way. But where the devil have you been?" "To the Hotel de Bracciano. After you left, it occurred to me, that the Duchess's letter was rather ambiguous. The words, “You shall not die alone," puzzled me. I began to fear that she might take it into her head to come here and die with me, and come too early; that she might leave her house, before you had tried the Dijon papers on her husband. I wrote a few words to put the thing off till to-morrow, and ran to the Hotel de Bracciano; but I could not make any one hear, so here I am with iny letter." Ah, bah!" said Herbin : "there's no fear of such an outbreak from your beauty. Why, she's a pattern woman, a prude, one who eats the forbidden fruit with all the dignity of morality. She's quite ready to marry her lover, before her husband's nose; but come to a gentleman's apartments! she wouldn't do that, not she! not even to die!" "It may be. At any rate she has not come, and will not at this time of night. But tell me what passed with the Duke, and what kept you so late?" "He has left Vienna, business and all. The Emperor is in a devil of a rage, and intends to lodge him at Vincennes as soon as he arrives." "D-n! what brings him back?" "Can't you guess? The hope of saving his dearey from your diabolical schemes, as he called them in his letter to that fool," "If that man come here, all is lost. "No. Be prompt-act without delay. The Duke consents to a divorce. If you had but seen his face when I proved to him beyond a doubt that the guardsman he had guillotined was no other than the Marquis de Souvry, his wife's father. Ha, ha, ha! it was as good as a play. One thing, however, in all this, has been painful to me-and that was, speaking of your father, my poor friend, Jacques Briot, whom I loved so dearly. I was a better man then than I am now." After a moment's silence, Pierre continued: "Believe it or not, as you please: but it went to my heart to talk of those old times: I don't want to make myself out better than I am; but my blood boiled when I found myself face to face with the villain who had so unceasingly hunted down my poor friend unto his death." "We shall nobly revenge my father, by attacking, what the Duke holds most dear, his ambition and his fortune”— "His wife's fortune, you mean," said Herbin : then, as if wishing to shake off thought, he continued with forced gaiety: "Ah! you rascal! you'll go the pace when you're a rich man. Luxury and splendour, and plenty of themand the girls too-I know your tricks, my fine fellow." "You are an old scandal-monger, Mr. Herbin. Let my character alone," said Herman, familiarly slapping him on the shoulder: then he added with a sigh, "Don't let's skin the bear before" "Why, isn't the pretty little she-bear safe in the net? To-morrow the preliminary papers will be signed and presented" "And if that d-d Colonel should arrive next day?" 66 Make -d Colo mind your that deasy; nel won't come-can't come: I only feared he might-there's no danger now." Why not?" 66 "Pardieu! why on leaving him, I went stalk- During my chat with the Duke he happened ing round that infernal Colonel's house, to to let out that he attributed this matrimonial catch him if he chanced to come there." "He! why he's at Vienna !" bobbery to the Colonel, and that he thought me his emissary as a proof, he told me the Colonel "You calumniate me, Mr. Herbin. Madame de Bracciano will bring me an immense fortune, to say nothing of her expectations. I shall always be grateful, deeply grateful to her.” had suddenly left Vienna, of course with a view | much as you dislike her. We only love those of enjoying the fruits of the divorce at Paris. A that don't love us, and vice versa. Have I bright idea flashed across my mind: To con- touched you?" vince you, citizen,' said I, 'that I am no friend of Surville's, I advise you to get hold of the Ministre de Police, and have Surville popped under lock and key as soon as he arrives in Paris: you need only give a description at the barriers; Napoleon will be sure to consent.' 'Bravo! says the Duke.' Bravo!' says I. You see, Surville will be boxed up as soon as he reaches this; and we shall have plenty of elbow-room. What do you say to that? Did I manage it neatly?" "And you'll keep your heart and your love for that little minx-that second, third, fourthrate opera dancer: that little Juliette, who cheats you." "I beg you will speak more respectfully of Juliette, Pierre Herbin: you know I don't like these remarks," said Herman, very seriously. "Ha, ha!" cried Pierre: I wish anybody could hear us. Here's a specimem! You let me say what I please of a duchess-virtue itself, and one who would die for you, and will bring you an immense fortune-yet you snarl, and show your teeth, if I call your Juliette by her right name. "Pierre, Pierre, you are making me cruelly sensible of my obligations to you," said Herman, evidently much hurt. "You allow that? Now you must persuade the lady to leave Paris, and wait for the divorce in the country, when you may join her; but, above all, persuade her to keep your hidingplace secret. By these means, should the Colonel escape from Vincennes, he won't be able to do you any harm. The duchess will consent to your plan; to be sure she is rather particular you say, but what objection can she make, now Pierre crossed his arms and exclaimed: that her husband consents to a divorce? Tell" This is superb! on my word he means what her that your life is threatened by the members he says; he is hurt. O human nature! O of some secret tribunal in Germany, and that no humanity!" added he, with comic emphasis. one must know where you are living just now. "Your secrets are impenetrable. The duchess It will be an interesting episode in the romance has two lovers-Surville and Herman. One, of your early life. What an imagination you noble, handsome, gallant, witty, brilliant, must have!-your old minister, and his cross rich, brave, generous, and above all, despewife and jealous children!-you should have been rately in love with her; the other is also as a poet and an actor. But what ails you? what handsome as an angel; I can't deny that, but are you thinking of now?” as wicked as a demon; a poor, mercenary, scheming villain, and who, above all, does not care one jot for the lady, only for the fortune. Which will this sentimental duchess choose? Herman Forster! and see how the world goes: Herman Forster, in his turn, may choose between two women--one, beautiful, a great lady, adoring him; the other, a pretty little chit, with a turned-up nose, a wanton eye, and no character at all. What does he do? He marries the great lady because she is rich, but adores the little snub-nosed vixen. All true, is it not?" "I am thinking that perhaps, even now, that we are so near the harbour, we may still be wrecked. If that confounded woman should refuse to go into the country and wait for the divorce-if she should take it into her head to remain at Paris till legally at liberty, nothing will alter her decision, for she is all for propriety. In that case what am I to do? sooner or later the Colonel will speak." 66 'Don't be childish; you'll manage with tact. Let's admit the worst-the Colonel avoids our snares-he arrives to-morrow-he speaks"'You make me tremble !" 'After all, what has he to tell? that by some out-of-the-way chance, he learnt at Vienna, that you had been sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for"- "Pierre!" cried Herman, interrupting him. "That you were condemned for breach of trust: that sounds bitter. How will he prove his words? How will he prove your identity? You were condemned under the name of Jacques Butler; but your papers, all quite correct, call you Herman Forster. You will brazen it out, and insist that Surville lies like a lacquey, and speaks from jealousy. He will only fill the lady's ears-you will reach her heart; you will be believed-he won't" "How could he find out my mother?" Can't lovers do anything and everything? and isn't Surville over head and ears in love with your intended? I am sure he loves her as "You are a philosopher, Pierre, but you are saying nothing new; it has been so since the world began: it's all Dame Nature's fault." "Good excuse, certainly; do you know you sometimes frighten me with your soft, cat-like looks? I am sometimes afraid that you won't cash down as you promised, when you have got the lady, all safe." "Can you believe that, Pierre ?" "To be sure I do. But I have no means of tying you down, and after all, you are the son of a good man, whom I loved when I was honest too: so, if you carry your ingratitude to the point of forgetting your promises, I shall console myself by thinking, that what I have done was for your father's sake. Do you hear that, you diabolical personage?" "Diabolical personage!" repeated Herman, shrugging his shoulders. "Why am I diabolical? Could I prevent that woman's throwing herself at my head? Did she not make all the advances? I own that they were quite virtuous, blood-shot eyes seemed starting from their and that they were provoked by my reserve. The law will soon authorize her, to offer me her hand and fortune; I shall accept themmorbleu: I shall accept them most joyfully. Where is the harm? Do you reproach me with Juliette? Well, if I were to give a thousand louis a year to that little darling, who will help me to support the troubles of wedlock, as she has helped me through my other troubles, where would be the harm, I say? Is not the same thing done every day, provided a decent mystery be kept? A woman who knows how to behaveand I promise you, Madame Herman will soon learn that shuts her eyes to these sort of things." Pierre Herbin was speechless. Coarse as he was, the cold wickedness displayed by Herman, seemed to dismay him. "So then," said he, you really are not one bit in love with this poor little woman?" 66 "It's odd, but one can't command these things. Love can't be made to order. I esteem her, but I am never at my ease with her, and that vexes me. I feel as if I could never forget how much she is above me. And then, she brings me so much, that in a few months, when her first illusions are over, she will reproach me with the fortune she has brought me: I am sure of it-her fortune-that will always be on her mouth." "Bravo, my boy! by these anticipations you have attained the sublimest pitch of ingratitude. So it is Juliette, who is to be undisputed owner of your noble heart?" "Is it my fault that she has bewitched me? There is something so attractive about her. Come, come, don't let's talk any more about her let's speak of my wedding." : Herman was interrupted: the closet door opened, and Jeanne appeared. She was as pale as a ghost, and could hardly stand. Without speaking, without looking at Herman or Pierre, she crossed the room; she had reached the door, when Herman, recovering from his stupor, seized her rudely by the arm, and cried, "You shall not leave us!" CHAP. XIX. HERMAN FORSTER. : For a short time, the actors in this scene were profoundly silent. The lamp gave a feeble, vacillating light the wind howled without; the rain pattered against the windows. Seized with fear, and heart-broken by this last and terrible blow, Jeanne had fallen on her knees. She wore a white dress, that rendered her paleness still more frightful. Herman stood over her, grasping her wrist: her arm was inert, she seemed dying. Herman's features were convulsed: his beautiful countenance became demoniacal: his upper lip was drawn up, stained with the foam that issued from between his clenched teeth: his sockets. He held Jeanne's arm so rudely, so tightly in his short red hand, that hers had become purple with the pressure. The most detestable passions accumulated on his brow, like the storm-clouds collecting on a summer sky. You might plainly read hatred, revenge, and fury in his lowering face: he was silent, and still gazed on Jeanne, who, on her knees, bent before him, but could not withdraw her eyes from his. She seemed fascinated, like a bird beneath the influence of a snake. Pierre Herbin, seated near the table, still held Herman was the first to break the silence. Are you come as Madame de Bracciano could make no reply: she was choking with horror, and could only make a negative and imploring gesture. He stamped on the ground with rage, and, again rudely shaking her arm, he added: Are you satisfied now?" 66 "Mercy, mercy!" murmured Jeanne, trying to release her arm from his painful grasp. "Come, come, Herman; be calm, be moderate," suddenly cried Herbin, who could no longer witness his brutality. He "Sit down," thundered Herman, abandoning his grasp. Pierre Herbin, more merciful, assisted her to a seat, while Herman paced the room, not knowing what course to pursue. once thought of trying to deceive her again, of saying, that he knew she was there, and that the conversation she had overheard was but a cruel jest: but this fable was too absurd. All his plans overthrown, the most horrible ideas rose to his mind. "What are we to do now? What!" cried he, suddenly stopping before Pierre Herbin. Madame de Bracciano was incapable of ut tering a word: her face was hid, at times she sobbed convulsively. "What's to be done," repeated Pierre, "the devil only knows! If that drunken porter had but told me some one was here, we wouldn't have talked as we did, and Madame would have doesn't preserved her illusions. What the eye it's see, the heart doesn't care for.' At present, very natural she should hesitate: she can't have the best opinion, in the world, of you." "It shall never be said," cried Herman passionately, "that I have given up, just as all was succeeding. If I am obliged to yield, I will be revenged: no matter on whom." "But, what are you going to do?" asked Pierre. "I know not, yet; but she is in my powerand, since her conduct has blasted all my hopes, I will derive some advantage from it: though, at present, I know not what. I repeat, if I cannot succeed, I will be revenged." Revenged on her!" cried Pierre, shocked at his blind, brutal cruelty. "In the first place she shall not go from here: she will be missed to-morrow, so her reputation will be gone." Pierre shrugged his shoulders. "What would you gain by that? Besides, she won't stay here; and, should they seek her”— If they seek her, it won't be here, since they think she is in love with that Colonel; whom the Fates confound!" heard in the street. Herman ran to the window and looked out. The sound approached: they reached the house and stopped. Some one dismounted, and knocked loudly and repeatedly at the door. "It is so dark, I cannot distinguish them," whispered Herman. Then, with a movement as rapid as thought, before Herbin could interfere, he had snatched Jeanne from her seat, and drew her into Boisseau's prison. Her feeble resistance was useless, her cries unavailing. He turned the key on her, and re "But she will make a noise," continued turned to his bedroom. Herbin. "Once safe in the place we had prepared for her, in case she made up her mind to leave her husband, her cries will be useless." "Confusion!" exclaimed Pierre, clasping his hands. "And the other! the other!" "What other?" The Colonel's messenger." "True, I had forgotten him." "And I also: he has had nothing to eat, since the night before last," said Herbin, rushing to poor Boisseau's retreat. "Wait a moment," said Herman: "what shall we do with him? he'll tell all." 66 Poor fellow, he must be exhausted with hunger." "So much the better. Let him die: he'll be out of our way. I would kill him and her and everybody, rather than be tricked thus." "Herman, you frighten me!" said Herbin, drawing near to Jeanne, who had with horror heard these two men disposing of her fate, and now trembled beneath Herman's threats. "You frighten me. I don't deny it; but I will brave you, rather than permit any insult to Madame. I take her under my protection, and old as I am, we will see if I cannot bring you to reason. Don't be afraid, Madame; Pierre Herbin is an old rascal, but he will never allow a woman to be ill treated in his presence-such a woman as you are, too. Wretch," added he, turning to Herman, “remember that she came to die with you!" "And did I want her? It was her stupid haste that spoilt all." 66 Scoundrel!" cried Pierre. Pierre Herbin, take care! I have a red cloud before my eyes," growled Herman. "It may be green, blue, or yellow for aught I Don't be alarmed, Madame, I will protect you." care. On hearing these words, Jeanne had a ray of hope, and cried, taking Pierre's hand in both of hers, "Save me, save me !" "Do not fear as long as I am here, Madame." "And how long will that be?" said Herman, suddenly striking the old man with such violence that he fell to the ground. Help! help!" shrieked Madame de Brac ciano. CHAP. XX. ASSISTANCE. The knocking was unceasing. bed as I am." "Although you have struck me, and although you are the most thoroughly bad man I know," said Pierre, "I will not desert you in such a moment as this. There may be danger. The Duchess's flight may have been discovered. There, be calm: quick! give me a chair-sit yourself-put the tobacco-box on the tablehere's your pipe-let's look as if we were having a snug smoke, this stormy night. Listen, listen! they are knocking again! that thick-headed porter is still asleep." "Hush!" cried Herman, " my name!" "If they had not orders to stop that infernal Colonel, at the barriers, I should say it was his voice." "His!" cried Herman. "I'd kill him! now that she can marry him!” "Fool," said Pierre, "if you could have your way, the world would soon be at an end." He lit his pipe, and then added: "It will, perhaps, be as well to see what they want; it will look less suspicious." He opened the window, and by the aid of his lamp, distinguished two men and their horses. "What do you want?" asked he: A'n't you ashamed of disturbing a whole house in this way?" 66 "I want to see Mr. Herman Forster," answered a voice. "Come to-morrow at a decent time," growled Pierre." The men made no reply, but entered the house, the porter having apparently let them in. Pierre turned from the window, and saw Herman hid behind the door; one hand on the lock, the other holding a dagger ready to strike down the intruders. "Do you mean murder?" said Pierre, "The fellow's mad; but I won't stand that work." He had hardly uttered these words while struggling with Herman, when the door opened, and the blow, intended for the new-comer, fell on Pierre, wounding him in the arm. All this passed in less time than it takes to describe it. The struggle between the accomplices hardly lasted a second. G |