nay, I will even promife not to watch. alone.”

"But who, dear fir, will have courage enough to watch with you?" faid Emily. “ My son,” replied the Count." If I am not carried off in the night," added he, you fhall hear the refult of my

fmiling,

adventure, to-morrow.”

The Count and Lady Blanche, fhortly afterwards, took leave of Emily, and returned to the chateau, where he informed. Henri of his intention, who, not without fome fecret reluctance, confented to be the partner of his watch; and, when the defign was mentioned after fupper, the Countess was terrified, and the Baron, and M. Du. Pont joined with her in entreating, that he would not tempt his fate, as Ludovico, had done. “ We know not,” added the Baron, “the nature, or the power of an svil spirit; and that fuch a spirit haunts those chambers can now, I think, fcarcely be doubted. Beware, my lord, how you provoke its vengeance, fince it has already H 6 given

given us one terrible example of its malice. I allow it may be probable, that the spirits of the dead are permitted to return to the earth only on occafions of high import; but the prefent import may be your deftruction."

The Count could not forbear fmiling; "Do you think then, Baron," said he, " that my destruction is of fufficient importance to draw back to earth the foul of the departed? Alas! my good friend, there is no occafion for fuch means to accomplish the deftruction of any individual. Wherever the myftery refts, I trust I shall, this night, be able to detect it. You know I am not fuperftitious."

"I know that you are incredulous," interrupted the Baron.

Well, call it what you will, I meant to fay, that, though you know I am free from fuperftition-if any thing fupernatural has appeared, I doubt not it will appear to me, and if any ftrange event hangs over my houfe, or if any extraordinary transaction

has

has formerly been connected with it, I fhall probably be made acquainted with it. At all events I will invite difcovery; and, that I may be equal to a mortal attack, which in good truth, my friend, is what I most ex-.. pect, I fhall take care to be well armed."

The Count took leave of his family, for the night, with an affumed gaiety, which bur ill concealed the anxiety that depreffed his fpirits, and retired to the north apartments, accompanied by his fon, and followed by the Baron, M. Du Pont and fome of the domestics, who all bade him good night at the outer door. In these chambers every thing appeared as when he had laft been here; even in the bed-room no alteration was viûible, where he lighted his own fire, for none of the domeftics could be prevailed upon to venture thither. After carefully examining the chamber and the oriel, the Count and Henri drew their chairs upon the hearth, fet a bottle of wine and a lamp before them, laid their swords upon the table, and, stirring the wood into a blaze, began to converse

on

on indifferent topics. But Henri was often filent and abstracted, and fometimes threw a glance of mingled awe and curiofity round the gloomy apartment; while the Count gradually ceafed to converfe, and fat either loft in thought, or reading a volume of Tacitus, which he had brought to beguile the tediousness of the night..

CHAP. IX.

"Give thy thoughts no tongue."

SHAKESPEARE.

THE Baron St. Foix, whom anxiety for his friend had kept awake, rofe early to enquire the event of the night, when, as he paffed the Count's clofet, hearing steps within, he knocked at the door, and it was opened by his friend himself. Rejoicing to fee him in fafety, and curious to learn the occurrences of the night, he had not immediately leisure to obferve the unusual gravity that overspread the features of the Count, whose referved answers firft occafioned him to notice it. The Count, then fmiling, endeavoured to treat the subject of his curiofity with levity; but the Baron was ferious, and pursued his enquiries fo closely, that the Count, at length, resuming his gravity, faid, “Well, my friend, press the subject no further, I entreat you; and let me request

4