the gallery, and all else were seeking their own safety; but that courage which delayed you to succour another, forgetful of any evil that might fall upon yourself, assured me that my preserver could be none but he, who formerly so bravely adventured for me and my beloved mother."

"Oh Lady!" answered I thereupon, “ much honoured and truly glad do I feel me in this hour, to hear myself, all unworthy as indeed I am, thus lauded by one of your surpassing excellence. This is, in truth, no time for large discourse, nor would I boldly trespass on your courtesy; yet, long as I have reverenced you, and ever as I must adore you, let me say that by thus often bringing us together, may we not mark the hand of God denoting that the course of our life should be the same, and that we were indeed destined for each other?"

"I know not," unto this responded the noble damsel," that we ought therefore to deem, that what hath been permitted by Heaven hath also been decreed by it: but. of this no more, since such speech is in nowise befitting one to hear who is already a daughter of the church, and will soon be consecrated as a pure virgin unto God."

"Yet, dearest lady," answered I, "forbid me not to feast upon the hope that we are indeed destined for each other's love, being of one house and of equal blood; for those whom God hath so fashioned, although born in climes far distant and parted by strange diversities of condition, yet meet at an appointed place and hour when their affections may best be blended, and are thenceforth bound up in the bundle of life' together.

And of such, lady,-deem me not too bold herein, for albeit I am in truth of royal line, I yet venture not to think that I can ever be your equal, -of such would I fain believe are we. Of the same house, and pursued by like storms which have left us orphans in a convulsed world, those very tempests, which did seem only to part us for aye, have yet in truth brought us together without any devices of our own. Say, then, dearest Lady Bride, Oh! say, if we may not well deem, without folly or weakness, that what hath been so marvellously wrought for us is indeed the purpose of heaven, the which we ought reverently to receive and to adore."

"Cease to speak thus, stranger," responded the Lady Bride, "nor pour into the ear of one devoted unto the Lord these words of earthly passion. In sooth I scarcely know what you would utter; yet do I own that all too readily and sinfully have I listened unto your words. I am now, as it were, casting my last look abroad upon the world, and then hastening unto that pious retreat wherein I shall behold it no more."

"But thither," answered I, "you will not now retire, since your noviciate hath not yet passed away: for as we have again met and have been twice thus wondrously brought into communion, Oh! beauteous Lady Bride, fly with me, I beseech you, and let us not part again."

"Entreat me no more," replied the princess, "for to act as your passion would have me, would be but to fly from the embraces of heaven itself! And where, I pray you, should we find safe retreat or means of life? Oh! Plantagenet, if such

be in truth your name, tempt me no longer unto that which hath no issue but in ruin."

"Lady," responded I thereunto, most wondrously impassioned and emboldened, "I give you my faith and troth that I court you not to fly from heaven, but to it; since heaven is love, and mine I offer you from the inmost chamber of a brave and honest heart. And for an asylum, well I wot to find a sure and fair one with King Charles, of France, since he would fain have kept me in his service when the Dutchess of Burgundy deceased. Think no more, then, upon the cloister but the altar; and look not to become a sister but a bride."

"Forbear, thou kind profane one," returned the lady, "I dare not hear thee farther, lest the very echoes of thy words should hereafter remain upon my heart, to break in upon the holy silence of religion. Cease, then, good friend, to press thy suit upon me, and hold thy peace, if indeed thou dost value mine."

"Think not so harshly of me," was my answer, "that in any case I would wound thy quiet, or lead thy virtuous heart unto aught but happiness; albeit all the better feelings which heaven hath implanted in man, do bid me urge my prayer to thee. Yet if thou wilt withdraw thee from the world, which will henceforth be unto me like a sunless sky, tell me, I pray thee, in what convent thy young beauties shall be enshrined, that I may bear its name engraven upon my heart, and often make devout pilgrimage unto its blessed walls.

"No, Richard," responded that fair one, "such

may never be; since I retire me from the world, to be free from all its cares and tumultuous passions, and not to drag after me the lusts which I have forsworn for ever. The holy joy and tranquillity which I promise me in that sacred restingplace, is to be won only by giving up the things of time for the bliss of eternity; even as the storm-tossed mariner hopes to win safety on the troubled ocean, when he gladly casts from his barque all her rich lading and brave tackle, so that he may ride over the waves unto his desired håven."

The pious earnestness with which she spake, caused me to feel how well she was fitted to become a sainted inmate of a convent; and yet, although it may in truth seem strange, the more I saw that she would adorn such a holy life, the more did I desire to win her therefrom: upon which I again said, "Nevertheless, lady, might it not be well to remember that He who willed you to be born into this world, gave you unto it as a shining light to call forth His glory? so that to withdraw from it might in truth be but to oppose His will."

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Thy speech, stranger," said the Lady Bride, in a more reserved tone, " is not to honour God, but to flatter his unworthy servant. Think you that heaven cannot show forth its own glory, even from the loneliest retreat of its votaries? or deem you that, because we must sojourn for a while here, we should forget that we are but travelling unto immortality? I ween there is but small reason in this; and as well might he who is clad in the infidel's turban and caftan, when for

some short season he journeys in Palestine, think to wear them for the rest of his days; or as wisely might the merchant, when he hath returned unto his native land, think evermore to speak a foreign tongue. No, Richard! He who hath willed me to live on this earth designed it not for mine home, but as the barque bearing me onward to eternity; and it is for that haven I would even now prepare me."

Never, I trow, did religious votary gaze with more devout admiration upon the shrine of a sainted martyr, than I now did upon the Lady Bride; who thus, even in the very noon-tide of her youth and beauty, was raised far above the thoughts of earth, and in body and spirit devoted unto God. As I thus beheld her with wonder, I took her hand and fervently exclaimed, "Piety like thine, lady, might in truth convert an infidel, and almost turn a Christian to an idolater!"—In doing this, I well believe that such reverent admiration was expressed by mine eyes, that the lovely Bride was assured by them as well as by my tongue, that the boldness which I now used sprang not from idle wantonness or violence. Although methought she somewhat trembled as I held her, yet did she seem to have nought of alarm, and even withdrew not from my touch. Upon this, notwithstanding mine adoration of her piety, I almost unconsciously raised unto my lips the soft hand of beauty which I pressed, and kissed it; yet, though the Lady Bride started thereat, it seemed unto me rather from surprise than anger, so that I was encouraged to repeat it, at the same moment sinking upon one knee,