he had assumed the care. Oh!
how he cherished you! Through all the agitations, and the perils of his
life as a soldier and conspirator, he always found some moments in which
to visit his Angela. There were ever tears in his eyes when he spoke to
me of you. Yes, this man, of intrepid courage and indomitable energy,
wept like a child in speaking of your tender grace, the qualities of
your heart, and your sad and studious youth, poor little abandoned one,
for you had no one in the world but Sidney. On that fatal day at
Bridgewater he commanded my cavalry. After prodigies of valor, he was
left for dead on the battlefield; as for me, carried away in a rush of
flying troops, grievously wounded, it was impossible for me to find
him."

"Was not that the day when he died?" said Angela, wiping her eyes.

"Listen, Angela; oh, you do not know how these sad memories break my
heart!"

"And ours also," said Croustillac. "Brave Sidney! I do not know what it
is that tells me that he did not die that day at Bridgewater, and that
we shall hear of him again."

Monmouth trembled, remained silent a moment, and then continued: "I must
have courage. I will tell you all. Sidney was left for dead on the
battlefield; I was arrested, condemned to death, and my execution fixed
for the 15th of July, 1685. When they told me I was to be executed the
following day, I was alone in my prison.

"In the midst of the terrible thoughts to which I was a prey during
those dreadful hours that preceded the moment of my execution, I swear
to you, Angela, before the God that hears me, if I had any sweet and
consoling thoughts to calm me, they were those I gave to Sidney, in
recalling the beautiful days of our friendship. I believed him dead and
I said, 'In a few hours I shall be united to him forever.' All at once
the door of my cell opened and Sidney appeared!"

"Zounds! so much the better! I was sure he was not dead," exclaimed
Croustillac.

"No, he was not dead," replied the duke with a sigh. "Would to God he
had died as a soldier on the field of battle."

Angela and Croustillac looked at Monmouth in astonishment. He continued:
"At the sight of Sidney I believed myself the dupe of a fancy conjured
up by my extreme agitation; but I soon felt his tears on my cheek, and
myself pressed within his arms. 'Saved! you are saved!' he said,
through his tears. 'Saved?' said I, gazing at him stupidly. 'Saved, yes;
listen to me,' said he, and this was what he told