to a skeleton; her sunken-eyes were
hardly visible in their deep sockets; a livid pallor suffused her
cheeks. As I saw her fading,--fading,--the wife whom I had loved more
than life,--as I gazed on those death-struck features and saw the fatal
evidences each day clearer and clearer,--I became nearly mad with
despair and grief."

Lenora shuddered with emotion as her breast heaved convulsively under
the sobs she strove to repress. Her father stopped a moment, almost
overcome by the recital; but, rallying his courage quickly, he forced
himself to go on with his sad recollections:--

"Poor mother! she did nothing but weep! Every time she looked at her
child--her dear little Lenora--tears filled her eyes. Thy name was
always on her lips, as if she were forever addressing a prayer for thee
to God in heaven! At last the dreadful hour arrived when she heard the
Almighty's voice summoning her above. The clergyman performed the
services for the dying; and you, my child, had been taken from her arms
and sent out of the house. It was midnight, and I was alone with her
whose icy lips had already imprinted on mine their last sad kiss. My
heart bled. Oh, God! how wretched--how wretched--were those parting
hours! My beloved wife lay there before me as if already a corpse, while
the tears yet trickled down her hollow cheeks and she strove to utter
your name with her expiring breath. Kneeling beside her, I implored
God's mercy for her passing hour, and kissed away the sweat of agony
that stood upon her brow. Suddenly I thought I perceived an effort to
speak, and, bending my ear to her lips, she called me by name, and said,
'It is over, my love, it is over; farewell! It has not pleased the
Almighty to assuage my dying hour, and I go with the conviction that my
child will suffer want and wretchedness on earth!'

"I know not what my love inspired me to say in that solemn moment; but I
called God to witness that you _should_ escape suffering, and that your
life should be happy! A heavenly smile illuminated her eyes, and she
believed my promise. With an effort, she lifted her thin hands once more
round my neck and drew my lips to hers. But soon those wasted arms fell
heavily on the bed;--my Margaret was gone;--thy mother was no more!"

De Vlierbeck's head fell on his breast. Lenora's bosom heaved
convulsively as she took his hand without uttering a word; and, for a
long time, nothing was heard in that sad confessional but the sobs of
the