BY THE AUTHOR OF "THE LAST OF THE BURNINGS," &c.

It was on the decline of a fine day, that Carlos di Moreiro swiftly paced the streets of Tolosa; at length he left the town. The prospect before him was beautiful; the valley studded with villages, vineyards, and gardens, the landscape presenting an endless variety of hill and dale. He looked anxiously at the sun; it was evident that but few hours would elapse ere he would again sink behind the distant mountains. He quickened his step when he saw these signals of approaching night, and so rapidly did he proceed that, ere the red tinge of evening was painted on the heavens, he found himself on the confines of a grove. Through its glooms did Carlos pass; a mansion or rather villa, lay before him; attached to it a garden, embellished with groves of orange and limes, and hung with all kinds of tempting fruit, odoriferous shrubs and bright hued flowers. Silently and cautiously he proceeded to enter it by a wicket gate, to which he

N. S. VOL. XXXV.

B

rather strangely possessed the key. Having proceeded thus far, he went straight to a delicious harbour in the most retired part of the garden, and there sat himself down, as if to meditate.

And while he is enjoying his reflections, suppose the reader employs the moments in tracing the brief events which were the immediate cause of the extraordinary proceedings of the young man.

Carlos di Moreiro was of good family, and in love with the daugh ter of Don Garcia di Serrador. Nor was his affection returned with less ardour by the maiden, who, be it known, was in the habit of meeting him at certain seasons in the very harbour in which he is now reclining. How or when their intimacy began, we cannot take upon ourselves to determine, but we are well aware that at the moment when our history commences, their love was confided to no other breasts but their own, except it may have been to the girl who attended on the young lady; or at least, if the father was acquainted with their mutual regard, he had not made it known to a human being; and the wife who would probably have extracted all his secrets, had long ago died. On this evening, however, Violanta did not appear, much to Carlos's annoyance. But the place of his retreat soon became more and more dusky, and at length, grew so dark, that hope itself was banished; and with a tear in his eye, he rose to depart. The sun had indeed set, and the moon was fast following him. No time was to be lost, and in great haste he retreated from the garden, and locking the gate after him, traced the path by which he had come, although at a much slower pace than when he was proceeding in an opposite direction: he had gone a mile or two, and was evidently lost in meditation, probably on the cause of his disappointment, when he was roused by a high-keyed voice behind him which summoned his attention. Čarlos started, and well he might, for it was unusual to meet any one in so secluded a spot. He turned immediately and perceived a man, who appeared to be one of the tribe of wandering Jews, who generously supply their customers with goods for half their value. He carried one of the boxes which these people generally bear with them, and his dark eyes glittered in the moonlight.

"Young man," he said, with the accent of his tribe, "you have been disappointed!" Carlos stared, as may well be supposed, at this extraordinary address, and he stood still to take a more particular view of the personage who seemed to have so much knowledge of his affairs." Carlos di Moreiro," he said again, "you looked at me with fear; you have nothing to dread from me. I would be your friend."

"What are you," replied Carlos, still more surprised, "and why have you stayed me in my path?"

"It does not avail you to know who and what I am," said the Jew; "enough that I am your friend and would serve you. Ask what you would have! "

"I deal not with a stranger;" the youth replied:

"if money be

your object, take my purse, and be satisfied. It is yours if it will benefit you."

Money!" exclaimed the Jew, rejecting the proffered gold. "Money!" and he laughed most fearfully, "I do not want it; look ye here, and ask if I want money!" And he held And he held up to the eyes of the astonished youth, a huge bag of gold and precious stones, more rich than his wildest dreams had ever pictured.

"Restore that purse to your pocket, youth," resumed the stranger, "it will be of service to you; ask my advice and you shall have it. Distrust me not because I have the beard of a Jew, and the gabardine of an outcast race: I tell you again that I would aid you.' "Good man," said the youth, who really thought him deranged. stay me not, I am in haste; good night to you."

"

And with these words he turned away; but the stranger approached still nearer, exclaiming, "Stay, rash youth; in the name of Violanta I charge you stay: you have not seen her to-night."

The magic name at once decided the half lingering Carlos; he drew his cloak still closer about him to shield himself from the night air, and prepared to listen to the advice of the Jew: "Violanta! he cried," what of her?"

"She becomes the bride of the Count Terceira to-morrow at the dawn."

"Impossible!" exclaimed the terrified Carlos; "it cannot be tomorrow; she has never informed me that he numbered himselt among her suitors. Faithless girl!"

Nay, blame her not," interrupted the Jew, "she loves you still; to you at least she has never proved unfaithful; and it is but now she has been informed of the fate that awaited her."

"But whence comes it?" continued Carlos; but he was again interrupted by the sharp voice of his companion; "I cannot waste words with you now. Let it suffice you to know that Don Garcia di Serrador has been informed of your secret love for his daughter, and he has taken effectual care that you meet not again in the garden arbour."

"Aid me, then, generous stranger; I throw myself on your mercy -aid me, I beseech you."

"Speak not so loudly," said the Jew; and without adding more, he beckoned the youth to draw nearer, and opening the box he bore with him, displayed to his dazzled eyes its gorgeous contents, which glittered in the moonshine, and appeared each like so many radiant lamps, that reflected far and wide the lustre of their brightness. The Jew, with infinite sang froid, turned over the jewelled heap, and drew from it a small ring, adorned with a diamond of a moderate size : "Take this ring," said he, " and put it on thy finger!"

Carlos did so without hesitation. "And how, stranger, is this to deliver me from my anxieties?"

"That is not for me to inform you, I wish you a very good even

ing." And without another word, the Jew slung his box on his back and proceeded on the path which Carlos had just traced.

Carlos called after him for an explanation in vain: not a word did he reply, and in a very few moments his thin, spare form was lost to his sight among the trees. At the same instant the moon dropped behind the mountains, and it became quite dark. This Carlos little heeded, for he knew the path so well, that he could have followed it with closed eyes: so he manfully went on his way, meditating on his singular adventure, and the strange conduct of the Jew, with whom he had so lately parted. Still continuing his reflections, he entered the town, and as he thought, traced his way through the gloom to his abode. He had walked on thus for a long time, and felt extremely surprised that he had not yet reached it: he almost fancied too, that he was wandering in a strange street. Doubt speedily augmented to certainty. He began to discover his error, and after much puzzling reflection, he decided that he really did not know where he was; and this was the more surprising, as he had frequently boasted that there was not a street, or a lane, in the town with which he was not perfectly acquainted. Still, however, he walked onwards, supposing that he should come to some known spot at last; but no, he got farther and farther into unknown streets, and deeper and deeper into gloom; until he at length began to feel rather alarmed, supposing himself under the influence of some delusion. He perceived a glimmering light proceeding from a casement a little way before him, and making up to it he gently tapped at a neighbouring door. A voice within commanded him to open, which was no sooner done, than Carlos found himself in a strange apartment, hung with all kinds of astrological instruments; and all painted over with strange characters; in it was seated an old man poring over some problem, and a young attendant was labouring round a furnace which glowed in one corner of the room. The elder looked up as the youth entered, and rising from his seat, said, "Welcome; I have long waited for thee here; whence is it that thou art so long in coming?"

Carlos was beginning to mutter some explanation, but the old man interrupted him. "Nay, nay, but there is an excuse for love. That ring is thy passport. Follow me." And, taking up the lamp that lay on the board before him, he beckoned to the hesitating youth to follow, and left the house. Carlos did so; they proceeded for some time through a long and narrow lane; which at length terminated in a doorway. To it the old man applied a key that hung in his girdle, and while he was turning it, again addressed his follower with these words:"Whatever thou shalt see, fear not."

The door slowly opened, and discovered a garden, to which Carlos thought he had somewhere seen something similar; but the mists of the night, and a dark and heavy cloud which was rolling over the sky, precluded the possibility of his making more accurate observation. He could perceive, however, after a few minutes perambulation, that they were still proceeding through the paths of a garden, for the rich

perfume of the orange-blossom, and sweet smelling shrubs, would ever and anon envelop him like a cloud, and he could occasionally hear the loud echoes of the nightingale's song, and the distant murmur of a stream rippling over the opposing stones. But beyond this he could distinguish nothing, except the fantastic form of his conductor, who silently went on before him, and who so ably contrived to direct the rays of his lamp that they fell on his foot-path, but not one straggler wandered on any other object, so as to give Carlos an idea of what was around him. Nor did he perceive the lofty walls of a mansion, until the old man stopped under them; and placing the lamp in the hand of Carlos, applied himself sedulously to discover, amongst the huge bunch that hung at his girdle, the key which would give them entrance by a little door which Carlos perceived before him. This operation he was not long in executing, and a noble flight of stairs was the first object that presented itself to the still more astonished eyes of the young man. Nor was his astonishment at all diminished, when he observed the richness of the furniture with which it was decorated, for there were lamps of pure gold, shedding their rays on tables of massive silver, and paintings most exquisitely executed with which the walls were hung.

Another door here presented itself to oppose their further passage, and this his conductor opened with equal facility, so that in a moment Carlos found himself in an elegant apartment, which surpassed in the magnificence and splendour of its decorations, anything he had ever before beheld, or ever imagined.

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me."

Speak low," whispered the astrologer in his ear: "and follow

With this the old man proceeded to the further end of the apartment, in which was placed a tapestried sofa: but there was that reclining upon it which more engaged the eyes of the youth than the tapestry, or the golden lamps, or the pictures, or the decorations; for it was no other than the form of his beloved Violanta, sleeping as soundly as if her lover were a dozen miles away.

Carlos would have rushed forward to imprint a kiss on her ruby lips, which were lighted up by a smile, even in their slumber, but the old man seized his arm, and with iron grasp retained him on the spot where he was standing. "Touch her but ever so slightly, and thou losest her for ever," he whispered.

"She sleeps," muttered the delighted, but disappointed youth. "I wonder if she is dreaming of me." The astrologer approached more nearly to the pillow on which her graceful head was reclining, and applying his ear attentively, then returned to the youth, he informed him that she was.

"Let me approach her more nearly, father," imploringly responded the enraptured lover.

"At thy peril thou do'st it," said the astrologer; "see what garments be those in which she is arrayed." The youth then indeed did perceive, what he had not observed before, that she was clothed in