hat; the highest compliment he
could pay his friend was to attach himself to one whom that friend had
declared to be so near a relative of his own. There was a coldness of
taunt in these remarks, that implied his sense of the deception I had
practised on him, in regard to the true nature of the relationship; and
for a moment, while my hand firmly grasped the hilt of my sword, I
hesitated whether I should not cut him down at my feet: I had
self-command, however, to abstain from the outrage, and I have often
since regretted I had. My own blood could have been but spilt in
atonement for my just revenge; and as for the obloquy attached to the
memory of the assassin, it could not have been more bitter than that
which has followed me through life. But what do I say?" fiercely
continued the warrior, an exulting ferocity sparkling in his eye, and
animating his countenance; "had he fallen, then my vengeance were but
half complete. No; it is now he shall feel the deadly venom in his
heart, that has so long banqueted on mine.

"Determined to know from her own lips," he pursued, to the shuddering
Clara, whose hopes, hitherto strongly excited, now, began again to fade
beneath the new aspect given to the strange history of this terrible
man;--"determined to satisfy myself from her own acknowledgment,
whether all I had heard was not an imposition, I summoned calmness
enough to desire that your mother might confirm in person the
alienation of her affection, as nothing short of that could convince me
of the truth. He left the room, and presently re-appeared, conducting
her in from another: I thought she looked more beautiful than ever,
but, alas! I had the inexpressible horror to discover, before a word
was uttered, that all the fondness of her nature was indeed transferred
to your father. How I endured the humiliation of that scene has often
been a source of utter astonishment to myself; but I did endure it. To
my wild demand, how she could so soon have forgotten her vows, and
falsified her plighted engagements, she replied, timidly and
confusedly, she had not yet known her own heart; but if she had pained
me by her conduct, she was sorry for it, and hoped I would forgive her.
She would always be happy to esteem me as a friend, but she loved her
Charles far, far better than she had ever loved me. This damning
admission, couched in the same language of simplicity that had first
touched and won my affection, was like boiling lead upon my