priſon unbarring, and he ſhuddered at the thought of the fate allotted to him, which he had ſo wonderfully eſcaped. He turned up a narrow winding pair of ſtairs, and traverſed ſeveral ſuites of apartments without meeting any one. As he paſſed along he heard a voice–he ſtopped and liſtened, and heard the perſon exclaim, “By this time it is all over, and I ſhall be happy–Happy! wretch that I am, how can I talk of happineſs? Haunted day and night by ten thouſand fiends, my life is a burthen: yet I dare not die! Was I not deeply damned enough before, but I muſt plunge myſelf yet deeper in perdition! O it may not be too late to ſave this one crime. Ho! Walter, Hugo, touch him not, I charge you! Ah! that bleeding form which glares upon me! O forgive me! O ſpare that frown, it freezes my heart!” The voice was ſilent for a moment, and then continued, “Fooliſh plantaſies! Shall I be the ſlave of fear? No, let him die. I ſhall now enjoy what I have long wiſhed for. If ſhe reſiſts, force ſhall bend her ſtubborn ſpirit. Shame! ſhall I be foiled by a woman? Oh, my brain fires again! And have I dipped my hands in blood: have I doomed my ſoul to eternal miſery for a woman? Firſt damned by avarice, then by luſt, it is vain for me to hope for mercy from heaven! Then let me ſeize on every pleaſure here, nor think of hereafter. To think is madneſs. Peace! conſcience, peace! I will not hear thee! She ſhall be mine.” Fitzalan, wrought to phrenſy during this ſoliloquy, had raiſed his dagger: a door now opened juſt before him, from which Fitzurban came out, with a lamp and ſword in his hand. As ſoon as he ſaw Fitzalan, he ſhrieked, dropped the ſword, and before he could call for mercy, felt the dagger in his boſom. He fell; and ſeeing Fitzalan prepare to repeat the blow, feebly uttered, “Hold! in mercy hold your hand! It is enough!” The attendants, alarmed by the noiſe of their lord falling, now came in, and bore him to a couch. Yet ſuch was their hatred of him, that not one of them offered to moleſt Fitzalan. The dying man motioned with his hand for the ſervants to retire
