rias, who had received a hasty summons from Theodora, and
surmising that some unpleasant intelligence awaited him, he hurried in
breathless expectation to the place of appointment.

What was his amazement, upon his arrival!--He beheld his Theodora, not
in the joyful eagerness of affection springing forward to meet his
embrace, but silent and dejected. Her intelligent countenance no longer
beamed with that charming smile which his appearance never failed to
create. Motionless and unmoved she appeared, amongst the flowery shrubs
and verdant foliage of the garden, like some statue of chaste and
classical beauty, placed to embellish and diversify the sylvan spot.

Gomez Arias is before her, and yet she seems hardly conscious of his
presence. He gazes on her with surprise, and then gently whispers her
dear name. The well known voice recalls her scattered ideas, and its
magic sound awakens her benumbed sensations to fresh warmth and life.
She raised her head, threw aside the rich clusters of her hair, and a
stream of moonlight falling on her countenance revealed to Gomez Arias a
picture of sorrowing love.

Her eye was swollen with grief, and the big tears in quick succession
chased each other down her pallid cheek.

Don Lope approached her tenderly, and folding her in his arms,
endeavoured to calm her emotion, by the most soothing and endearing
expressions.

"Theodora, what means this sorrow? Whatever be the misfortune which
threatens us, do not vainly yield yourself a prey to terror, before you
know the means I may have of averting it." Then, as if struck by a
passing thought, he added--"You surely cannot entertain a distant doubt
of the singleness--the devotedness of my affection?"

"Doubt of your affection! Oh, heavens! do not even mention the appalling
word; there is something more terrible than death in the very idea. No,
no," she continued, with vivid earnestness; "I do not; I cannot; I will
not doubt of your affection. If ever such agonizing----"

She could not proceed, for her imagination was so powerfully acted upon,
even with the remote image of such a misfortune, that she was obliged to
remain some time silent before she could control her emotions.

"No," she resumed; "I cannot doubt your affection. But there is another
calamity in store for me that will assuredly render wretched the rest of
my existence."

She again stopped, and her tears flowed more abundantly than ever.

Gomez Arias felt relieved from