mourning; and a pointed hat, lying beside him on the desk, drooped heavily with plumes of the same funereal colour. His hair, which was grizzled over with premature old age, had once been glossy black, as his beard and moustaches still were. The light fell full upon his face, and revealed features peculiarly handsome, but marked by an expression of deep melancholy, and pale even to ghastliness. His eyes, which were stretched upwards, were of a fine intellectual blue, but though turned in earnest gaze on the iron bars, it seemed as if their sense was lost in thought. He had evidently been writing a paper which lay before him, for he still held the pen in his hand, and appeared to be ruminating on what he had written.

The apartment was furnished in the taste of the fifteenth century, with the massive chairs and immovable tables in which our ancestors delighted, and the walls were hung with curious tapestry, representing the fortunes of Esther. There was a door open communicating with another chamber, in which appeared a lofty bed hung with crimson damask richly embroidered. This chamber was lighted by a barred window, looking on huge

afraid of you, because nurse said, you loved me, although you hated me."

"She told thee truly, child, albeit so quaintly," said the prisoner, putting back the boy's fair hair, and gazing at him with deep and sorrowful earnestness, "Look here, Duval !-see you these sparkling eyes and perfect mouth? These be the gifts of his beautiful bad mother; God grant he match her not in wickedness as in beauty!"

"But I

"Amen, my lord!" echoed Claude. did just leave the lieutenant and his company marvelling at his close resemblance to your lordship. In truth, my dearest master-not to quarrel with your opinions on the matter-he is as like you as ever son to father :-but for all that, I say not that he is your son."

"Duval," said the earl, with much apparent agitation, "in truth, mine own opinions have undergone a strange revolution. Good Master Edwards, have you perchance licence to leave us some brief moments alone?"

"An hour, my lord," replied the old man, colouring, and starting from the attitude of extreme curiosity in which he was listening.

"For so much then we excuse your kind attendance, old Talbot," said the earl, gently; and the keeper of the regalia vanished, with some appearance of confusion.

"The old man hath his faults, like all human excellence," said Aumerle, smiling placidly after his jailer; "among the rest, unbounded curiosity and credulity, which are usual companions; but he hath served me, and his son is to render me some good for much which I did him formerly."

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But, my lord," said Duval, anxiously, “methought you spoke of some alteration in your opinions concerning your-the boy."

"Else deem you I should be seized with this dread for his safety?" said the earl. "If I still believed the-the tale-what should I fear for his life from that devilish pair? Claude, I have learned that which-thou knowest how my poor broken heart did ever cling, even when most deceived by those hideous forgeries, to that strong instinct which taught me that every drop in his sweet veins flowed from this heart, which even in its wildest madness, doted on him. Yet, who could have thought such unnatural perfidy could be in woman? that a human mother could rage more cruelly against her

offspring than a famished she-wolf? 'Tis horrible but to dream such horrors-yet they are! Heaven forgive me the injury my infatuated credulity has already done thee, my blessed child!"

And with tears gushing in quick drops from his eyes, Aumerle clasped the boy in his arms, and passionately kissed him-an operation to which he submitted in silent wonder.

"Our Lady be praised for this!” said Claude, brushing the dew from his own lids, which sprang in spite of his efforts. "Yet, by her sweet name! if ever I doubted that Master Mervyn was yours, every inch of him, may I lack her aid when I need it most!"

"Thou didst ever reason with my madness as with a stormy sea," said the prisoner, more calmly. "But for that, and much more, Claude, if I live, I will prove a grateful debtor.”

The earl continued silent for some minutes, gazing intently at the child. "Duval,” he said at length, with a sigh, "but for one little grain of doubt, how nectarous were this cup of joy! to feel the assurance that my ancestors' glories would yet survive in this beautiful and noble form when mine is laid for ever low!-But at present I have no time for tears,

albeit of joy. Claude, I think-I am sure I may confide in thee ?"

"To the last drop of my blood, dearest master!"

"Well then, I will tell thee," said the prisoner, glancing cautiously around. "My life is in great jeopardy-indeed I am well persuaded I shall never leave these walls alive, not even to play a part on Traitors' Green; but if my son were safe, death has no terrors for me. I fear Duval-I fear-nay, I know, that neither his mother nor her paramour would hesitate to shed even his blood, if they thought it necessary to secure their inheritance from me."

"But is it possible, my lord, they can carry their wickedness to such damnable excess as to bring you to the block on a charge of which they know your innocence ?"

"I know not, Duval! They have good witnesses— men accustomed to sell the blood of innocence. The king loves me not-the populace hate the mere sound

of

my name. Did not Dr. Tongue preach against me in St. Mary's on the Armada day, calling me the bloodthirsty papist, who only wanted power to be the Haman of this generation of Israel? And Claude," continued the prisoner, turning still paler,