salvation
against his, binding herself to accompany him back into his penal gloom,
if, within a twelvemonth's space, she should not have convinced him of
the errors through which he had so long groped and stumbled. But, alas!
up to the present time, the controversy had gone direfully in favor of
the man-demon; and Miriam (as she whispered in Hilda's ear) had awful
forebodings, that, in a few more months, she must take an eternal
farewell of the sun!

It was somewhat remarkable that all her romantic fantasies arrived at
this self-same dreary termination,--it appeared impossible for her even
to imagine any other than a disastrous result from her connection with
her ill-omened attendant.

This singularity might have meant nothing, however, had it not suggested
a despondent state of mind, which was likewise indicated by many other
tokens. Miriam's friends had no difficulty in perceiving that, in
one way or another, her happiness was very seriously compromised. Her
spirits were often depressed into deep melancholy. If ever she was gay,
it was seldom with a healthy cheerfulness. She grew moody, moreover, and
subject to fits of passionate ill temper; which usually wreaked itself
on the heads of those who loved her best. Not that Miriam's indifferent
acquaintances were safe from similar outbreaks of her displeasure,
especially if they ventured upon any allusion to the model. In such
cases, they were left with little disposition to renew the subject, but
inclined, on the other hand, to interpret the whole matter as much to
her discredit as the least favorable coloring of the facts would allow.

It may occur to the reader, that there was really no demand for so much
rumor and speculation in regard to an incident, Which might well enough
have been explained without going many steps beyond the limits of
probability. The spectre might have been merely a Roman beggar, whose
fraternity often harbor in stranger shelters than the catacombs; or one
of those pilgrims, who still journey from remote countries to kneel
and worship at the holy sites, among which these haunts of the early
Christians are esteemed especially sacred. Or, as was perhaps a more
plausible theory, he might be a thief of the city, a robber of the
Campagna, a political offender, or an assassin, with blood upon his
hand; whom the negligence or connivance of the police allowed to take
refuge in those subterranean fastnesses, where such outlaws have been
accustomed to