table, lost in a sweet yet sometimes sad delirium of thought, which looked “unutterable things.”

To whom was Paulo about to introduce her? This question began to furnish her with a thousand vague conjectures, all of which might prove visionary when she beheld him!

Was it to Captain Singleton, her so much respected and dearly-loved father, over whose lamented death she had shed many a bitter and sorrowing tear ?—or was it to the father which nature had given her ?—No, to him it could not be, for Paulo had declared that he was his mortal enemy!

Then who was the Duchess? and wherefore was she the object of her vengeance?-she knew but of one duchess, and that was the lady who was her te nant in the Cottage on the Cliff; and the treacherous note she had received from her, on the evening she quitted the house of her protector, too much favoured this deception.

These were the reflections of Agatha during the short interval that she was left alone; yet the thoughts of being one day emancipated from her lonely prison, and of being certainly secure under the protection of Paulo, gave her transports of the most lively joy; and she wept and laughed by turns when her little maid again returned to the apartment with the dinnertray.

"Dear lady, I could not come before,” cried Beda, setting the covers on the table; "grandmother would not let me, she is very cross to-day, I never saw her so cross before; and she was going to beat me, if the Captain had not that moment come in, but she is afraid of him,"

"It is fortunate that she stands in fear of somebody," observed Agatha, in so sprightly a tone, that Beda surveyed her smiling looks with the most unspeakable delight and wonder.

"At what are you so intently gazing, my dear little Beda ?" cried Agatha with a smile, and patting her rosy cheek at the same instant.

"Why I can't help looking, and that is the truth of it," returned Beda," for you have got a colour in your cheeks like roses, and your eyes sparkle like diamonds."

"And I have an excellent appetite for my dinner," cried Agatha, laughing, "which is better than all the roses and diamonds in the world:" and she immediately sat down with her little waiting-maid, to enjoy, with increased vivacity, a comfortable repast.

CHAPTER XXIX.

"By weakest means

And most unlikely instruments, full oft
Are great events produced."

SUSPENSE is perhaps one of the most tormenting feelings of existence; our sweetest joys and our bitterest griefs are interwoven with, and hang upon, it : and every moment seems either to lag behind, or fly with fearful speed, the nearer we approach the goal of our wishes, or meet the confirmation of our fears.

When the shades of evening had gradually advanced, and Paulo had not yet appeared, the impatience and anxiety of our lovely heroine became too apparent to the eye of the watchful Beda to be concealed.

"Dear lady," uttered she, "you have asked me thrice within this hour, how goes the time, and I do not know unless you will let me go and enquire of grandmother. But wherefore are you now so silent and sad?"

"It is because I am enduring the intolerable agony of suspense, Beda," answered Agatha, "for ere now I expected to have seen the Captain."

"And know you not, lady, that he is gone forth from the Abbey on a white palfrey, and may not re

turn again before to-morrow's dawn?" rejoined Beda: "in truth I heard him say so, just hefore he departed hence."

"The countenance of our almost despairing heroine at these words again brightened into a smile, and she exclaimed :

66 Say'st thou so, dear Beda? then with that assurance I will content me. But does he go often on these journeys, and stays he long absent ?"

"He only went once that I can remember, and then he tarried three days and three nights, and in sooth he was sadly weary when he returned," replied the girl; "and grandmother and he had much talk together; but it was not merry talk, lady, for ever and anon the Captain wept, and grandmother chided him for it yet still he wept and sighed heavily. But I could never learn the cause of it."

"Nor ever will, probably," said Agatha, "this place is full of mystery! would to Heaven that it were revealed to me, or that I could once beholdAgatha paused; and, recollecting the caution she had received from Paulo respecting the little girl, blamed herself for her indiscretion, and became absorbed in her own reflections, which were certainly not of the most pleasing kind: for she still doubted and feared, -still trembled, and still hoped that the issue of Paulo's visit to her would relieve her of the dreadful anxiety which hung over her fate.

Meanwhile Beda had prepared the coffee in her usual style, and entreated her mistress to partake of it who, unable to resist the entreaties of the kind and affectionate girl, was just beginning to sip, when a gentle tap at the door announced her expected vi

siter; for it was indeed Paulo who now made his appearance before her.

66

"Continue to enjoy your meal, lady," uttered he, "and by no means let me be any interruption; I will sit and warm myself by the good fire which I am glad to see Beda has so well provided for you." "Will you not also take some coffee?" enquired Agatha : you are weary, and it will refresh you." "I should be unable to resist so kind an invitation, lady, even were I not weary," was the reply of Paulo : and a dish of coffee was immediately handed over to him by Beda, at whom he looked and sometimes smiled.

"You have greatly improved since you have had the honour of being in attendance on this lady, Beda," exclaimed he; "and have acquired an art which I never knew you to possess before-that of being silent until you are spoken to a very useful lesson for a young maid like you.

Beda blushed at receiving so unexpected a compliment from one who had hitherto treated her with so much apparent indifference; while our heroine very warmly commended the sweet pliability of disposition and obliging behaviour of her little waiting-maid, to which Paulo listened with the utmost satisfaction, occasionally glancing towards her looks which betrayed the strong interest he felt in the welfare and happiness of thẹ engaging girl.

At length the tray was removed, and Beda, having placed more fuel on the fire, respectfully retired :— after which a pause of some moments ensued.

"You have doubtless endured much anxiety, till you again beheld me," observed Paulo.