has overcome me, that I should be thus

melted!".

Hubert Neville made no answer, but walked with wide strides and a knotted visage to the door, which he swang from him; and, looking scornfully back at Ralph Hanslap, was about to enter

"What is that ?" exclaimed the other, rush inge forward. The penitent started back at the wildness of the cry, and beheld a stream of blood issuing from the door. Ralph Hanslap, however, raminto the room, and in the same breath came reeling back, ghastly, and holding his temples.

"We are too late," said Hubert Neville, after a short pause" Is it not so?”

"You have screwed the rack too harshly," replied Hanslap with a sigh. I did fear at times that it might come to this; but I had still some hope from his indecision, that he would never be so rash. He has escaped from us both."

"He hath gone to his punishment--and the manner of his death proves the greatness of his offence," said the avenging penitent. "But is he indeed dead ?"

"Go in; I think so. Oh! I could not look on such a sight again, of one that I have known and served so long."

Hubert Neville went into the room, and soon after returned with the sword of Sir Amias in his hand.

"Yes," said he, "it is all over, and it was done with this weapon."

Ralph Hanslap took the sword, and looked at the blood, as it trickled down the blade, dropping upon the floor; all the anger and the jealousy which he had so long and so sullenly cherished, were in that moment forgotten; and, though he was of sterner stuff than to shed tears, his bosom laboured with a sigh so deep and painful, that it might be described as a groan of anguish.

As he was so standing with the sword in

his hand, one of the servants came into the gallery. By this time it was known in the household that their master and Hanslap had quarrelled; and by this time, too, the blood had flowed far along the floor. The servant on seeing it, and the guilty weapon in the hand of the self-discarded squire, gave the alarm, and, before time was permitted for explanation, the two penitents were made prisoners as murderers.

CHAPTER IX.

A CONSUMMATION.

-When you have told enough

"Tis wise to stop.

PRITCHARD'S COURTIER.

"IN the meantime the Earl of Lincoln

66

being," as the Chronicler says, no poor

knave, gave such assurance to the Mayor of London of clean hands as to the rumoured death of the lady's son, that the right worshipful magistrate, on the pledge of his naked promise to answer the accusation, set him at large; for in those days, not as in these, great reverence was paid to the nobility among the primates of the city, who accounted it a matter of signal honour and renown to have leave to banquet the least of them, at the

cost of often more than a year's profit in trade."

That urbane consideration for the dignity of the earl, gave however but little satisfaction to the Lady Albertina and Adonijah, who, when they heard in what manner he had been set at liberty, went to the court of King's Bench, and became importunate for justice. Thus it happened, that they were in the hall when the servants of Sir Amias de Crosby carried thither Hubert Neville and

Ralph Hanslap, who, being caught, as it was stated, in the fact, and with the weapon of the crime still wet in their possession, were brought to immediate trial.

A great crowd had followed them, and the lady and the old Jew were swirled in its eddies to the skirts of the spectators, far beyond the reach of hearing what passed, or of seeing the proceedings. The name, however, of Sir Amias de Crosby so circulated among the multitude, coupled with assassination,