'2o4 THE puritan's daughter. 



vain, his wicked acts have succeeded ag-ainst your daughter. He strove 

 all in his power, by his knowledge of the world's arts, to seduce her 

 from the path of good conduct, but without effect, until his devilish 

 mind conceived the idea of a false marriage. Your daughter little knew 

 the ways of life, and thought herself married by a few prayers being 

 inuttered over them by one of his associates, in the Abbey chapel; and 

 tnus has he accomplished his foul purpose." 



" God of Heaven, grant me mercy ! Can this be truth — or is it 

 soilie wild story with which you seek to try my feelings ?" 



" As there is a Heaven above, it is the truth !" 



Sir Ralph spoke not, but, covering his face with both his hands, he 

 remained some moments almost without motion. When he removed 

 them, his face had lost its deep- toned colour, and assumed a pale, ghastly 

 hue. "Oh! my poor child!" he exclaimed. ' " Could not all thy 

 purity and innocence stay the destroyer's hand ? Could he not see in 

 your saintly mother's image a being that should have turned his hard 

 heart to something like compassion ? May the deadliest curse that" — 



" Hold, my friend! It will not avail thee to curse him. The Lord 

 will not forsake his chosen servants, nor let the wicked prevail more 

 than for a season. As a father, I can feel for you, and know what yoii 

 must suffer ; but, forget not, it is not for man to curse those even who 

 have injured him." 



" Sir, you speak like one who cannot feel for another's griefs. Yoii 

 know not what it is to have one whom you have cherished through life 

 — not alone for herself, but for her whose fond image she bore — stricken 

 down by the foul destroyer, and yet forbear to curse him I Oh I my 

 poor, poor Grace ! have all your gay and happy spirits come to this ? 

 Were all those charms that I have loved to look upon, and watch as they 

 have expanded year by year in greater loveliness, but given thee to 

 allure to thine own ruin ? Poor injured Grace ! he shall learn, that, 

 secluded as I may so long have been from the world, I can yet revenge 

 you!" 



" Hold ! hold ! my friend, revenge will little aid you now. I owe 

 you something, as I have been partly the cause of this, in allowing him 

 to carry on his plans in safety when I might have prevented him. The 

 mischief, however, was done ere I foresaw it ; but all that lies in my 

 power shall now be done. Will you be good enough to send me up 

 my attendant, who waits below ?" 



On the attendant's entering the room, the visitor took him aside and 

 appeared to give him some instructions, with particular expression, fear- 

 ful lest they should not be clearly understood. The attendant instantly 

 afterwards left the apartment, and the heels of his horse were heard ring- 

 ing on the pavement, as he dashed at full speed through the gateway. 



The stranger resumed his seat by the fireside, and seemed for a time 

 to fix his looks upon the flickering light of the fire, at interv^als thrusting 

 together the logs of wood with his scabbard-point, so as to keep up as 

 bright a light as the flame could throw upon the room. 



Sir Ralph was striding to and fro with quick and unsteady pace ; at 

 times he would stop, and striking his forehead with his closed fist, whilst 

 his hard quick breathings showed the violence of the feelings within, and 

 otcasionally some half-broken sentence would escape his lips, expressive 



