Buckingham, that his loss dearly
purchased even the splendid victory he had obtained. 'What news from the
court,' said Theresa, as I entered the apartment in which she sat.

"'At once good and bad,' I replied. 'We have obtained a brilliant
victory over De Ruyter; but alas! it has cost us the lives of several of
our most distinguished officers.'

"She started from her seat, and wildly approaching me, whispered in a
tone of suppressed agony, 'Tell me--tell me truly--_is he dead_?'

"'Of whom do you speak?'

"'Of _him_--of my beloved--my bethrothed--of Percy, my own Percy,--'
said she with frantic violence.

"Helen--even then, heart-struck as I was, I could not but pity the
unfortunate being whose very apprehensions were thus agonizing. I dared
not answer her--I dared not summon assistance, lest she should betray
herself to others as she had done to her husband; for she had lost all
self-command. I attempted to pacify her by an indefinite reply to her
inquiries, but in vain. 'Do not deceive me,' said she, 'Greville, you
were ever good and generous; tell me did he know all, did he curse me,
did he seek his death?

"It occurred to me that the letter which I held in my hand might be
from--from her dead lover; and with a sensation of loathing, I gave it
to her. She tore it open, and a lock of hair dropped from the envelope.
I found afterwards that it contained a few words of farewell, dictated
by Percy in his dying moments; and this sufficiently accounted for the
state of mind into which its perusal plunged the unhappy Theresa. Before
night she was a raving maniac, and in this state she was delivered of a
dead infant.

"Need I describe my own feelings? need I tell you of the bitter
disappointment of my heart in finding myself thus cruelly deceived? I
had ventured all my hopes of earthly happiness on Theresa's affection;
and one evil hour had seen the wreck of all! The eventful moment to
which I had looked forward as that which was to confirm the blessings I
held by the most sacred of ties, had brought with it misery and despair;
for I was childless, and could scarcely still acknowledge myself a
husband, till I knew how far I had been betrayed. Yet when I looked upon
the ill-starred and suffering being before me, my angry feelings became
appeased, and the words of reviling and bitterness expired upon my lips.

"Amid the ravings of her delirium the unfortunate Theresa alternately
called upon Percy and myself, to defend