soil of England, and reared in its Reformed Faith."

"A benighted land--an accursed land!" screamed the priest, vehemently; "the
time will come when it shall be deluged from one end to the other with its
apostates' blood."

"It is an enlightened land--a free, blessed land!" retorted Gina, in
agitation; "and God's mercy will rest upon it, and keep it powerful
amongst nations, so long as its sons remain true to their Reformed Faith."

"Insanity has fallen upon them," raved the monk, endeavoring to drown the
bold words of Gina,--"nothing but insanity. But," he added, dropping his
voice, "let them beware. Quem Deus vult perdere, prius dementat."

Gina understood not the tongue; but the Lady Adelaide did, and crossed
herself.

"And this mother of thine," sneered the monk, turning again to Gina,
"where may she be?"

"She is dead," gasped Gina, bursting into tears.

"Good!" assented the monk; "then she is meeting with her deserts."

"God grant she may be!" aspirated the maiden, "for she died in the faith
of Christ."

"And who have been thy worthy instructors since?" proceeded the priest.

"I have had but one guide since," answered Gina.

"Disclose the name."

"My Bible."

The monk uttered what seemed very like a scream of passion, and the Lady
Adelaide, as she heard the words, half rose from her chair.

"Be calm, my daughter," interrupted the monk, waving his hand towards the
countess; "I will guard thee from the harm caused by contact with this
heretical being. Desire her, I pray thee, to fetch this Book hither, that
I may glance at it."

"Go," cried the Lady Adelaide, imperiously, to Gina; "bring this Bible
instantly!"

Gina obeyed, and the sacred volume was placed in the hands of the monk.
The Lady Adelaide shrank from touching it.

"Ha!" cried the monk, perceiving it to be printed in the English tongue,
"dost thou speak this language, then?"

"It is familiar to me as my own," replied Gina.

"I will summon thy attendants for a light, my daughter," he remarked to
the Lady Adelaide. And when one was brought, the priest advanced to a part
of the room where the marble floor was uncovered by tapestry, and tearing
the leaves from the Book, he set light to them, till all, both the Old and
New Testament, were consumed, and the ashes scattered on the ground. "It
is the most dangerous instructor that can be placed in the hands of the
people," he observed, complacently watching the black mass smouldering
there