struck six, when the word attention was given, and the Cambray_gate being thrown open, multitudes of country people issued forth. They came with horses and waggons, and household stuff, as if about to emigrate to a distant country; and the lamentations of not a few of them were as loud and vehement as the mirth of others was unbecoming. Not a group was permitted to pass, however, till the individuals comprising it had been examined,—not a cart or vehicle of any description escaped the vigilance of the searchers. For a while all this care seemed to be applied in vain; and we began to suspect, in some sort even to hope, that the unhappy deserters might have fallen upon a better plan of escape; but the event showed that no such good fortune attended them. First one and then another was dragged from beneath a truss of straw, or seized, in defiance of the change of costume with which he had endeavoured to disguise himself; and a prévôt from each nation being at hand, to him his own people were immediately delivered. I am sorry to say that there was one Englishman. of the name of Cogle, in the list. He was taken out of a waggon more dead than alive, and placed in confinement; there to remain till a court martial should assemble before which his case might be fully heard. The foreigners were not so nice in their proceedings. Four Austrians, including the officer of engineers, one or two Hanoverians, and as many Dutchmen, were all hung up to the nearest trees; the fact of their having been detected in an endeavour to smuggle themselves out of the place being regarded as proof enough that they were not carried into it as prisoners of war.

Before I conclude my account of the siege of Valenciennes I may as well state, that his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge was present during the progress of the operation, and that both he and his regiment, a corps of Hanoverian grenadiers, were especial favourites with the British army. The grenadiers in question constituted nominally the same battalion which had served under General Elliot in the defence of Gibraltar ; and, though time had accomplished among them his customary operation of weeding them out, well nigh to extinction, several of the old hands still remained to speak of the exploits of other days. It was curious to see how they attached themselves to the Coldstreams, both officers and men so arranging matters that we should take all manner of duties together and I am bound to add that the feeling was mutual. We were the best friends possible, and spent many a joyous hour in each other's company, even when our conversation was of necessity carried on by signs only.

408

STANLEY THORN.

BY THE AUTHOR OF VALENTINE VOX."

CHAPTER XXIV.

In which Sir William's designs are more clearly developed.

WHEN Sir William originally felt that he might compass the fall of Stanley, when he conceived the design of enriching himself by virtue of reducing him, by "honourable" means, to a state of comparative destitution, he was actuated solely by the vile passion of avarice; but after having seen and conversed with Amelia,-after having been received as a friend, and allowed the privileges of a friend,-he was inspired with a stronger passion even than that.

He had proved that Stanley really loved Amelia, and that Amelia most fondly loved him; but he did not despair of being able eventually to bring about a mutual revulsion of feeling, by inducing and cherishing inconstancy on the one hand, and a conviction of wrong on the other.

He possessed much subtlety; he had seen much of the world; he had no inconsiderable knowledge of the workings of the human heart, and more especially conversant was he with the evil passions of which it is susceptible. He knew how powerful an instrument the sense of deep injury was in effecting the destruction of virtue by promoting that terrible feeling of revenge, of which the gratification teems with frightful misery; and this instrument he resolved to make available, and to use.

While studying the character of Amelia, while gazing upon her beauty, that beauty which intellect and purity of soul when conjoined never fail to impart-with an eye whose expression, to one less pure than she, would have plainly portrayed the guilty mind, he felt, he could not but feel that the attainment of the base object he had proposed would require all the villanous ingenuity at his command; but this feeling only tended to urge him on the more; as in the view of the world gold is more valuable than other metals, only because it can be with less facility procured, so in his estimation was Amelia to him.

The passion by which he was prompted could not be called love. Love is not an essentially selfish passion. It embraces the peace of the object beloved. Who that loves seeks to compass the ruin of that object? Will he, with a view to the gratification of any feeling of self, involve her in moral destruction? No: he will guard her, he will cherish her; her virtue is his pride; the promotion of her happiness forms the strongest, the dearest wish of his heart; her honour is as dear to him as his own; he will lay down his life to preserve it. It was not love. It was nothing like love. It was a grovelling, morbid, sensual passion, springing from baseness, to which love never can be allied. What cared he for the feelings of Amelia? The eternal destruction of her happiness was his aim; he sought to wean her affections from Stanley, and Stanley's affections from her, by inducing him to form such connections as those which undermine domestic peace, and thereby causing her to feel that she was indeed neglected.

His immediate object, therefore was not alone to enrich himself by impoverishing Stanley, but to draw him into the vortex of vice; and, in pursuance of this object, he determined on losing no time.

'I think I shall cut you,' said he, soon after Albert's departure for Cambridge- 'It strikes me that you and I must cease to associate for upon my honour you are making me as bad as yourself.' 'What's the matter?' inquired Stanley. Anything wrong?'

Wrong!-why, you may not deem it essentially wrong to drag a strictly virtuous man into scenes of dissipation; but it is, notwithstanding, wrong in the abstract. I admit that my natural disposition is not that of a recluse; but I used to have a little discretion.' 'And do you ascribe the loss of it to me?'

'To whom else can I ascribe it? Evil communications corrupt good manners.' I am not like the same man.'

'I feel flattered, of course,' said Stanley. I scarcely could have supposed that I possessed so much influence.'

'It is a disease,' rejoined Sir William, and that disease is contagious. It creeps and grows upon a virtuous man almost imperceptibly; it prostrates his energies for business; it renders study a bore. It may be, and is, doubtless, all very well for you, who have no pursuit save that of pleasure but for a man like me, having the interests of the nation in general, and those of his constituents in particular, to promote, it becomes a very serious affair.'

'So it does,' said Stanley, smiling, and more especially serious to a man who has those interests so deeply at heart as you have. But how have I effected this change? What scenes have I ever drawn you into ?'

I scarcely can tell how the change has been effected, nor need I enumerate the scenes into which I have been drawn. It is sufficient for me to know that I never go into any one of them without you, and that were it not for you, I should never go at all. Now, there's a masquerade or a fancy ball, or something of that sort, to-night; I suppose you have made up your mind to go to that?'

I have not even given it a thought.'

'Nor should I, had it not been for you. But, of course you will be there?'

I have no objection to go.'

'I knew that. And you would drag me with you ?'

'Why, as I should not think of going alone, and as your society is at all times so very agreeable-'

'Exactly. You need say no more. But if I go, however dazzling may be the scene, and I expect that it will be rather brilliant,-I leave precisely at one; remember that.'

But let us make up

latest.'

"With all my heart. I have no desire to stop late.' · Of course you have not, You never have. our minds to leave at one, or half-past at the very 'Whenever you are ready I'll be ready too. dress?'

But, are we to

'Why it is more of a fancy ball, I believe, than anything else. But we can soon get dresses. Will you call for me at ten? 'I will; but recollect we leave at one.'

Sir William smiled, and having observed that it was really too bad to draw him into such scenes, took his leave, with the understanding that they were to start from the Albany at ten.