painful scene, the following announcement
appeared in the Official Gazette of Gerolstein:

"The taking of the veil by the most high and mighty Princess Amelie of
Gerolstein took place yesterday in the Abbey of Ste. Hermangeld, in the
presence of the reigning grand duke and all his court. The vows of the
novice were received by the right reverend and illustrious Lord Charles
Maximus, Archbishop of Oppenheim; Monseigneur Annibal Andre, one of the
princes of Delphes and Bishop of Ceuta, _in partibus infidelium_, and
apostolic nuncio, bestowed the salutation and papal benediction. The
sermon was preached by the most reverend Seigneur Pierre d'Asfeld, canon
of the Chapter of Cologne, and count of the Holy Roman Empire. _Veni
Creator Optime!_"

CHAPTER III.

THE VOWS.

_Rodolph to Clemence._

GEROLSTEIN, 12th January, 1842.

Your assurance that your father is better induces me to hope
you will be enabled to return here with him shortly. I dreaded
that at Rosenfeld, situated in the midst of the woods, he would
be exposed to the piercing cold of our rigorous winters, but,
unfortunately, his fondness for hunting rendered all our advice
useless.

I entreat you, Clemence, as soon as your father can bear the
motion of the carriage, quit that country and this habitation,
only fit for those Germans of an iron frame whose race has now
disappeared.

The ceremony of our poor child's taking the vows is fixed for
to-morrow, the thirteenth of January, the fatal day on which I
drew my sword on my father! Alas! I thought too soon I was
forgiven! The hope of passing my life with you and my child made
me forget that it was she who had been punished up to the
present time, and that my punishment was to come. And it is
come, when, six months ago, she disclosed the double torture she
suffered,--her incurable shame for the past, and her hopeless
passion for Henry.

These two sentiments became, by a fatal logic, the cause of her
fixed resolve to take the veil. You know that we could not
conceal from her that, had we been in her place, we should have
pursued the same noble and courageous course she has adopted.
How could we answer those humble words, "I love Prince Henry too
much to give him a hand that has been touched by the bandits of
the Cite!"

I have seen her this morning, and