unk away, still looking backward over his
shoulder and muttering curses upon his begetter. The advocate stood
watching him in silence, as, withdrawing along with the others,
the distance dimmed his form, and drowned his maledictions; then,
drawing a deep sigh, a dark, vindictive scowl gathered upon his
visage, until its expression became diabolical, and these words
rolled from his heaving chest in deep, irregular murmurs:

"Thou son of a wicked and rebellious woman, do I not know that thou
hast set my friends against me, and caused mine enemies to hold me
in derision! But thou shalt suffer, thou shalt bend, or I will
break thee, yea, dash thee into pieces. May not the potter do what
he wills with the cup his own hands have fashioned? Away with
thee, misshapen reptile; may soon the Saint Lawrence hide thee, or
may'st thou soon be laid in the burial field of thy mother's race.
Away, thou vessel of dishonor; grant Heaven that I may not yet make
of thee a vessel of wrath!" and the old man's countenance worked
convulsively, as he seemed to be revolving some terrible idea; but
at last growing calmer he exclaimed: "Down, down, ye cruel thoughts,
ye horrible conceptions; hence, busiest suggestions of the fiend;
be silent at my ears, ye visionary lips; ye perilous and importunate
prompters, peace!" But scarcely had he uttered these words, when
a report of firearms sounded amongst the trees, and a shot rattled
through the boughs, scattering the leaves upon his head; and the
replicated echoes had hardly ceased, when a peal of triumphant
laughter rose, and continued to be renewed till the spot appeared
a field for the sport of a hundred goblins of mischief.

"Come in," at length said a voice, and, turning, he beheld a woman
standing in the doorway.

"Who are you?" he enquired.

"Enter, and learn;" she answered: "I would not have you murdered
in your old age. Do you not know me?" and seizing him rudely she
drew him towards her until his face almost touched her own emaciated
countenance, on which played a sardonic smile as she turned it
towards the moonlight, and he strove to free himself, exclaiming:

"Witch, hag, loose me:" and gazed upon her with a look of mingled
amazement and abhorrence.

"Am I then so changed?" she demanded, with a gloomy smile; "am I
become a leper; am I grown loathsome now, whom you once declared
to be so lovely? Follow me, false man; you did not once require
solicitation." And again the sound of fire