their full developement, were now rapidly unfolding themselves. The torch of love had supplied the true Promethean fire, which was alone wanting to his perfect animation, and every day exhibited some new evidence of its inspiring and vivifying effect. He took care to supply himself with an excuse for daily vi sits to Helen, by purposely delaying the completion of the portrait; while in his own chamber he beguiled the hours, and at the same time fostered bis ill-fated passion, by finishing, with exquisite pains, a small copy, which, though scarcely more than a miniature, and painted from memory, was hardly a less faithful resemblance than the original, so deeply was every feature of Helen impressed upon his mind. How great a toil to stem the raging flood, To deeds unheard, and cruelties unknown. BASIL was sitting one morning in his own chamber, contemplating the miniature we have mentioned, and lost in reveries as to the possibility of his ever being united to Helen, when he heard footsteps approaching the door; and had hardly time to conceal the portrait, before Reuben, who had arrived at a late hour of the previous night, entered the room with a dejected air, saying, "I am sure, my dear Basil, you will sympathize with my distress, when I inform you that Lord Trevanian has peremptorily, and even insultingly, rejected my suit." Rejected your suit!" cried the artist, starting from his chair, and clapping his hands together, while a sudden flush of joy passed over his features" rejected your suit!!" But the agitation was instantaneous: in a moment he recollected himself, and veiling his face in its usual cloudy expression, he reseated himself, exclaiming, "How very unfortunate!" After uttering which words, he fixed his eyes upon the ground, apparently lost in deep thought. ," resumed Reuben; "not only did he drew "Yes," treat us with a pointed indignity, which d down upon him a severe rebuke from my uncle, but he had the heartlessness to declare that would rather see his daughter dead at his feet, than married to a rebel, who had dared to take up arms against his most sacred and anointed Majesty." "Then there is an end of the marriage! said Basil, trying to conceal his exultation under an assumed calmness. "God forbid!" ejaculated Reuben: "I shall immediately proceed to see Helen, and we may, perhaps, devise some expedient to remove his Lordship's objections; perhaps she may be induced to dispense with his consent. Oh, that unfortunate expedition of Monmouth! evil was the hour when I joined it!" "I never was a rebel," muttered Basil, in an absent mood; adding, as he presently recollected himself, "it was indeed a fatal indiscretion, Did you say that Helen had now withdrawn her consent?" "I have not yet seen her," replied Reuben, struck with the strange peculiarity of his cousin's manner, as well as with the general change in his appearance and demeanour, although he was too much absorbed in his own grief to bestow upon them more than a momentary attention. After a few minutes' conversation, therefore, and some inquiries relative to the portrait, he hall, left him; and was proceeding through the ha to Trevanian's, On this way stille sig sa female him, cried out, od is not upon my head! The Lord be praised! The Lord be praised!" Startled at this alarming object, whom he took at first for some maniac or assassin, he recoiled for a moment, and then rushing up to the woman, snatched the pistols from her hand which she willingly resigned, exclaiming, "Take them! take them! I never looked on them without hearing the Devil whispering, in X ear to blow out my brains with them, or to 89 hang myself as Judas did, after he had taken, the blood money. It's the mercy of Heaven i that I have neither done one nor my t'other, but I ouldn't die without having your pardon only say the word, and that you forgive remember you up." Willy-my own flesh and blood that of gave blood-that I |