stilling blood, and his raven locks clotted
with gore. It was her lover--he had left the tree on which he withered
like the seared leaf of autumn, and stalked to her widowed couch smiling
sadly in death,--she shrieked aloud--the phantom fled, and again in
terror she awoke.

Dreams such as these haunted her imagination during the long night. Nor
could the cheering rays of the morn impart consolation to her desponding
bosom. She heard the mingling voices of nature's simple minstrels hail
in grateful chorus the approach of day, and she listened to the various
sounds of busy humanity, rising from the drowsiness of repose to life
and activity. But her feelings could no longer sympathise with the
pursuits of this world. The appalling images which her feverish fancy
had conjured up still pursued her, and if these unwelcome guests left
her a momentary repose, they were succeeded by others no less chilling
to the soul. The heavy measure of her sorrows was yet to be increased by
the anticipation of future evils--evils worse than the terrors of
slavery or death, for she was in hourly danger of encountering the
bitter pangs of shame and degradation.

Caneri had been inspired by her beauty with a violent but licentious
passion, which he had it in his power at that moment to gratify, and
this idea agitated the wretched Theodora with the most dismal
apprehensions. While she sat pondering on her disastrous fate, and
vainly devising means to avert its danger, she was surprised by the
entrance of Marien Rufa.

"A good morrow, sweet lady," said the crone; "well, this is a pretty
comfortable chamber:--you must have slept soundly."

A deep sigh was the only answer she could elicit from Theodora.

"At all events," continued Marien Rufa, "you must leave off sighing and
weeping, for sure enough you can derive no good thereby. Besides, it is
meet your countenance should assume a more cheerful expression, since
you are soon to be honored with a visit from the magnificent Caneri. He
has been forcibly struck with your charms, and has signified his
intentions of coming shortly to pay his devoirs in person. So I am here
before-hand to bid you prepare for the illustrious visitor."

The heart of Theodora died within her, as the hag announced this dreaded
intelligence, for though we may fancy ourselves prepared to meet a
danger with which we are hourly threatened, yet its immediate approach
rarely fails to cause an additional pang.

Theodora wa