to the
broad moonlight, fully prepared to hear my fate from the lips of the
passers-by.

Spare me, my beloved friend, the painful recital of all that I was
doomed to endure. The women often expressed the deepest sympathy for
me--a sympathy not less piercing to my soul than the scoffs of the
young people, and the proud contempt of the men, particularly of the
more corpulent, who threw an ample shadow before them. A fair and
beauteous maiden, apparently accompanied by her parents, who gravely
kept looking straight before them, chanced to cast a beaming glance at
me; but was evidently startled at perceiving that I was without a
shadow, and hiding her lovely face in her veil, and holding down her
head, passed silently on.

This was past all endurance. Tears streamed from my eyes; and with a
heart pierced through and through, I once more took refuge in the
shade. I leant on the houses for support, and reached home at a late
hour, worn out with fatigue.

I passed a sleepless night. My first care the following morning was, to
devise some means of discovering the man in the grey cloak. Perhaps I
may succeed in finding him; and how fortunate it were if he should be
as ill satisfied with his bargain as I am with mine!

I desired Bendel to be sent for, who seemed to possess some tact and
ability. I minutely described to him the individual who possessed a
treasure without which life itself was rendered a burden to me. I
mentioned the time and place at which I had seen him, named all
the persons who were present, and concluded with the following
directions:--he was to inquire for a Dollond's telescope, a Turkey
carpet interwoven with gold, a marquee, and, finally, for some black
steeds,--the history, without entering into particulars, of all these
being singularly connected with the mysterious character who seemed to
pass unnoticed by every one, but whose appearance had destroyed the
peace and happiness of my life.

As I spoke, I produced as much gold as I could hold in my two hands,
and added jewels and precious stones of still greater value. "Bendel,"
said I, "this smooths many a path, and renders that easy which seems
almost impossible. Be not sparing of it, for I am not so; but go, and
rejoice thy master with intelligence on which depends all his hopes."

He departed, and returned late and melancholy. None of Mr. John's
servants, none of his guests (and Bendel had spoken to them all) had
the slightest recollection of the