presented itself, which the good mother eagerly seized. One of the sister's patients was suffering under a fever and delirium, occasioned by his dread of never more beholding a young woman to whom he was espoused. The frightful spectacle which his ravings presented sensibly touched the heart of the good nun, and Madame Freval happening to call at that moment, she related the circumstance to her, saying, at the same time, "How much are those unfortunates to be pitied whose repose is troubled by this frightful passion!"

glow of modesty tinged her cheek, "I shall come to see you to-morrow; and although it belongs not to my province to intermeddle between lovers, yet I will take upon myself, with the blessing of God, to put an end to your embarrassment."

A visit from the sister was a family festival, and they prepared to re ceive the humble nun en reine. Fre deric determined to spare nothing that could testify his gratitude and veneration for her from whom he had received so affecting a service. Their work was put away, the apartment neatly arranged and adorned with flowers, and a little collation placed in readiness to regale the sister after her walk. A smile from her overpaid the pains taken for her reception.

she on entering; "we must, therefore, make the most of our time. Come, Frederic, shew me your drawings; I am told that you are a clever artist." He had foreseen this moment, and after shewing some flow

Madame Freval seized the occasion to speak of her own situation, and her fears for the future happiness of Cecilia. The sister looked at her for a moment with surprise," I cannot stay long with you," said then appearing to descend from a region where the passions are unknown, to deliver herself up to an affectionate sympathy for feeble humanity, she said, in a calm tone, "Why do not you marry them?"-"I think they are too young."—"Well then sepa-ers, he presented her a finely finishrate them."-"Ah: it will be cruel to separate two hearts so formed for one another."-"Then why not marry them?"-" But if Cecilia should afterwards repent-if she should take a disgust for a husband mutilated as Frederic is?"—" If you are afraid of that, it is better to separate them immediately."—" And then we shall perhaps fall into the misery from which the talents and the industry of Frederic have drawn us."--"You may prevent that by taking him for your son-in-law."-" But he has said nothing to authorize me to propose my daughter to him."

ed drawing of a scene which the sister could not fail to recognise: it represented her tottering under his weight as she carried him wounded from the field of battle. The good sister, in whose heart vainglory had no place, surveyed it with a calm smile, and seeing, at the same moment, a portrait of St. Camille"Ah!" said she with a lively emotion of pleasure, "this is for me, I am sure. I accept it, and shall take it home with me. Now, Frederic, let us speak of your affairs: your healthy and cheerful look proves to me that you are happy in your present situThe sister smiled at the irresolu-ation. But can it last always? Does tion of Madame Freval. "My dear friend," said she timidly, while the

not decency oppose your residing in the same apartment with this young

maiden? It is time to put an end to
what the world may justly condemn;
and therefore, my children, you ought
either to marry or to separate."-
"Ah!" stammered Frederic," if I
were thought worthy to become the
spouse of Cecilia!"-" It is for thee,
my child," said the sister, tenderly
taking her hand, " to reply to that."
The blushing girl cast a look upon
her mother, who readily answered
for her; and it was agreed that the
nuptials should be celebrated with-
out delay. The saintly purity of the
sister had given a solemnity to this
scene which effaced every sensualnour that holy name."

thought, and tinctured even the hap-
piness of the lovers with a feeling of
religious awe. As she ceased to
speak, Cecilia involuntarily threw
herself at her feet, saying, in a tone
of the most fervent piety, "Oh! my
mother, bless me!" Impelled by the
same sentiment, Frederic silently
sank on his knees by the side of Ce-
cilia; and the benevolent nun, as
she raised her clasped hands above
their heads, exclaimed, "My chil-
dren, I bless you in the name of God!
Never forget, that it is by good
works alone that we can duly ho-

THE NOVICIATE.

(Continued from p. 218.)

wholly at her mercy. The first symptom of recovered reason appeared in asking for Lord Balveny. The good woman cautiously made known in reply, that all intercourse with the inhabitants of the castle was peremp torily debarred, which kept her quite ignorant of the guests who came or went; but that, several days ago, the

to keep the bolt well fastened on the entrance of the tower, as Lord Balveny insisted on seeing the Lady

LADY GLAMMIS had ordered Wil-, Wilmina, delirious or insensible, was mina to be lodged in a remote tower, and sent to a distant hamlet for an old woman to attend her. No member of the family was even permitted to inquire for her, except the priest who prescribed; and he received only at second hand, from the old woman, an account of the diagnostics of her malady. Wilmina, who, since her birth, was surrounded by nume-priest gave her the strictest orders rous attendants to anticipate, if possible, every want or wish, had now but one poor stranger to answer her calls in dire extremity. That stran-Wilmina, and Lady Glammis dreadger was not, however, an interested hireling; she had experienced at Balveny Castle the bounty of her patient, whose beneficence to the wandering poor now availed her more than all the gratifications she formerly enjoyed. These were past, as the transient gleam of lightning before a storm; but the relief she had bestowed on this poor woman was present to her memory, and she watched with incessant care, while

ed that, after all his fatigues, he would be very apt to take infection. She was trying to get him away with out going to the sick chamber. Wilmina blessed her sister's dutiful attention to their father, and was satisfied.

Archibald, Lord of Balveny, had indeed hastened to Glammis Castle after the interment, which, in honour of his predecessor, and to exhibit his own magnificence, rather than

through filial reverence, was conduct- asylum. For her own part, she must

not appear in any measure hostile to Wilmina. The king, from regard to her father, allowed her the domain and revenues of her attainted lord, and she was not without hope of getting the titles restored in the person of her dear son. Lord Bal veny was too wise as a politician, too kind as a brother, to wish her to ad venture in any plan that might ruin her own family; and to give Wilmina to any suitor, without asking the king's permission, would be constru

ed with pompous ceremonials. He and his suite travelled by land from the same motives, and to make treaties with the powerful barons whose residences lay in that direction. Lord Ormond proceeded by sea, purposing to take Wilmina to the Orcades or to Denmark, till he had subdued her lofty spirit. Favourable winds brought him to Glammis Castle ten days earlier than Lord Balveny: we have seen how quickly a terror for the contagion of Wilmina's distemper hurried him away. In greated into little less than rebellion. wrath at this pusillanimous retreat, Archibald insisted on admission to his sister, to prove his own courage, and to shame the fever-scared Ormond: when his anger cooled, he probably felt obliged to Lady Glam-ing appeal to his wisdom and kindmis for ordering the tower to be se- ness. With infuriated pride he swore cured against his entrance. He ad- Wilmina should feel she was now monished Lady Glammis to apprise his dependent, and even the king Lord Ormond as soon as Wilmina had no pretension to interfere with could be received into society; and his natural authority. Every unif she proved refractory to the alli- married girl, or full-grown woman, ance he recommended, she must be must render implicit submission to shipped off and forced into obedi- an eldest brother after the demise of ence, if but to save their noble house her father; and Wilmina must give from the degradation of giving her herself to Lord Ormond at the comto a younger brother; and the Drum- mand of Lord Balveny. monds were his personal adversaries.

1

Lady Glammis protested she would rather bury her sister, than see her thrown away on any cadet of the first family in the realm: but she prayed Lord Balveny to keep in mind, that the Drummonds and their friends abounded in every district; they were all proud of the young knight, and devoted to him, and they would spare no pains to trace out his bride. With this host of active spies in all quarters, she must be discovered, unless they could secure her within the walls of some religious

Archibald was open to flattery, and Lady Glammis knew this foible; but her opposing the king's prerogative to the domestic rights of a noble destroyed the effect of her insinuat

$

Lady Glammis had predetermined that Wilmina never should be Lady Ormond; the honour was intended. by her for Annabel of Glammis. She therefore advised Lord Balveny to act in a manner worthy of his repute for generosity, by dealing gen-. tly with the orphan girl, whose fate would attract much public notice. There was one infallible expedient to conquer her obstinacy: to let her see with her own eyes, the penances, the dull monotony of a convent; and then to give her a choice between religious seclusion and the

severe

the secular vanities must of course belong to Lady Glammis, ne mis

Before Archibald left her, she mentioned to him another very strong inducement for removing Wilmina to Vallis Lucis. Nobody would think of looking again through the south, where the Drummonds were no doubt engaged in a prying quest for her; before she recovered, they would be searching northwards; and to put them quite on a wrong scent, Lord Balveny could spread a rumour that she had retired to France or Italy to take the veil. Lord Balveny acquiesced; and though his purse seldom opened, unless in the sure pro

of display, he gave Lady Glammis a considerable sum of money to reimburse her for the expenses of Wilmina's illness and her journey to Vallis Lucis. This sum, he said to himself, must be deducted from her dowry, when he settled with her spouse, Lord Ormond.&mva

gay elevation offered to her as the consort of Lord Ormond. Mary of Glammis was near completing her noviciate with the holy sisterhood of Vallis Lucis: under pretence of visiting her niece before she was finally cut off from the world, Wilmina might be induced to enter the gloomy walls, and the lady abbess, a sister of Lord Glammis, could make her very glad to depart from them. ... Lord Balveny, duped by the more profound artifice of his adviser, left Wilmina entirely to her management. To separate her from Lord Ormond, ,and to entangle him in matrimonial bonds with her daughter Annabel, Lady Glammis would have contriv-spect of greater gain, or in the pride ed to give Drummond a hint where to seek his bride; but to fix her in anunnery was more eligible. Lord Ormond, always keenly alive to his Town interest, had demanded Wilmina's wardrobe from Lord Balveny, to convey to the north in his ship, and the two lords had nearly quarrelled in drawing a line between her private poperty and the heir-looms of Balveny. Archibald, being in Lord Ormond's power, on account of sending his sister away by a deceptive alarm, was forced to give up many articles of great value. Ormond conveyed the chests to Glammis Castle, supposing this parade of liberal confidence must recommend him to Wilmina: Lady Glammis took care to secure them immediately, and Ormond's hasty escape from the fever banished the charge from his recollection. Lady Glammis ransacked the numerous packages, and without much scruple, abstracted a part; but enough remained to excite her avidity, and if Wilmina could be inveigled to a convent,

น

"

After some weeks, Lady Glammis invited her sister to join the family circle, if we may so call a society where unreserved communion and cordiality were unknown. Her father's patience with her childish follies, and his frank, condescension and indulgence to her riper age, were enhanced in value by a contrast of which, till now, she had formed no adequate idea. She had heard of rigid parental domination; she now beheld it divested of the glosses that smoothed the rugged features, while she and Lord Balveny, the strenu ous advocates of a milder system, happened to spend a few days with a neighbour. Our story, is introduced by a slight representation of the severities inflicted upon young

Lady Glammis had a succession of anxious thoughts in regard to the establishment of her daughters, particularly for Annabel, the eldest and favourite, who was passing beyond maturity. Wilmina, though gentle, was of a decided and firm character, and in her ravings had spoken of Auriol Drummond in a way that shewed the ardour and depth of her attachment: would she forsake him for a living tomb at Vallis Lucis? The experiment was at least worth & trial, and there was yet another resource to frustrate Lord Balveny's scheme of compelling her to marry Lord Ormond. Lady Glammis, without implicating herself, could inforin Drummond concerning the object nearest his heart; and, in return, ke could do no less than promote her efforts to obtain the titles of Glammis for her son. This boy, though irascible, wild, and at times mischievous, had more heart than Annabel; and he befriended the younger girls, over whom she tyrannized with unrelenting cruelty.

females by their rulers in former times: at Glammis Castle the sufferers were exasperated by witnessing unbounded licence to their only brother, and unjust partiality to their eldest sister. Annabel of Glammis was the counterpart of her mother. Tall even to masculine height, her figure and countenance, though cast in a mould of unexceptionable symmetry and beauty, were ungraced by feminine attraction. Her open fore-head, prominent sparkling dark eyes, the superb curve of her black eye-brows, her aquiline nose, and even the large dimples in her rosy cheeks, and the smile on her pouting lips, might have adorned the face of a shandsome stripling; her strong mind, self-confidence, and commanding manners finished the parallel. Yet in an age almost semi-barbarous, Annabel of Glammis had many admirers. Her mother doubted not she could wean Lord Ormond's heart from Wilmina, if the conventual vow placed her beyond his hopes. Annabel's practical jokes, mirthful romping, and humorous rattle amused The scene was extremely distresshim in the few years his lady drag-ing to Wilmina. Her constitution ged out as his domestic slave; he had not quite recovered the effects of saw Wilmina at court in the second her dangerous indisposition, and her month of his widowhood, and in the spirits were harassed by the absence eye of a nobleman, polished by fre- of her father, and the object who quent residence at the court of Fran- was continually present to her cis the First of France, Annabel of thoughts, though the slightest alluGlammis could not, for one moment, sion to him never took place at Glamstand a comparison with the soul- mis Castle. Five weeks passed in fraught elegance of Lord Balveny's this manner since she left the isolated daughter, five years younger than tower, when Lady Glammis proposher manly niece. An alliance with ed to her a journey southwards. Wilmina would bring him riches and The idea was reviving, and she said influence: Lord Glammis was expa- that any time Lady Glammis pleased triated, and his family gratuitously she was ready. Lady Glammis left maintained by the king, only for the the hall; and Andrew asked Wilsake of Lord Balveny. mina if she would take away the Vol. IV. No. XXIII.