meet him? I have not now, in the theatre of the wide world, a relative-let him come he fhall inherit the poffeffions of his ancestry. I'll clafp him with real affection in my arms, and be to him as a brother..

The ftranger funk upon his feat a fcalding tear courfed down his cheek Never! never!' he exclaimed.

The milk of human kindness filled the bofom of Sir Alwyne, he approached nearer to the pilgrim, and affectionately took him by the hand.

The features of the myfterious ftranger fuddenly affumed the mark of ferocity, rifing from the couch, he cried Keep off, thou man of goodness, I am a murderer

The baron started..

6

The pilgrim haftily put his hand into his bofom and drew forth a small manuscript volume, - Here, Sir Knight,' he cried, read the infamy of -I dare not name himlook not fo fternly on me, Sir Alwyne, I came with the horrid intention of murdering you!

The chieftain laid his hand upon his fword..

E. 3

Fear not,' cried the stranger, I dare not injure you. The fpirits of the Juft hover to protect the virtuous.-Laft night!-mighty powers -Laft night!

'Pilgrim,' replied Sir Alwyne, did I ever wrong thee?'

No? no! answered the stranger

-Oh! I

have finned against heaven!Mark me, Sir Knight, the manuscript in your poffeffion will unfold all to you-it will unfold a sad variety of woeliften to me.'

CHAP. XI.

"Shadows of the dead, the murdered, rife—your dying agonies, your black and ftrangled vifages, your gaping wounds, shall make me quake,-yet oh! tell me, to what unknown, what stranger coafts you will conduct me ?—The foul recoils within herself, and shrinks with terror from the dreadful thought, while fancy, cunning in her malice, fills the scene with horrid phantoms."

'THE

Tranflation from the Robbers.

The Villain-Suicide.

HE infernal defign of affaffinating the worthiest of the human race, was fixed on last night, and at the time you took your accustomary furvey of the ramparts of the castle, as the most likely period to accomplish it. I had long refolved the project in my mind, and the demon of cruelty led me on; but your attendants were too powerful to cope with, and providence, who, with watchful eye, guards the minuteft actions of the Juft, had rendered my dreadful purpose abortive.

"Night o'erfhadowed me-I fought repose, (if repose is granted to the bosom of barbarity,) in the eastern battlements-the filver moon played through the crevices of the broken walls, and ferved to cheer the awful gloom around.

"Mufing on the stability of the undertaking, I was alarmed by the bell of the neighbouring monastery founding folemn the hour of midnight, and an awful burfting of a thunder cloud, ftruck terror on my callous heart.

my

foot

'I haftily rofe to quit the fpot, but steps were arrested in my flight-oh! would I could I bury it in oblivion-a lady, fhrouded in the drapery of the grave, stood before me-the refolution that I fo lately boafted, fled, and ftaggering, I fell against the decayed wall.

"The inhabitant of the tomb, grinned horridly -her hand, cold and clammy with the dew of death, fhe extended forth-raifed-and clasped me in a dread embrace. Her corrupted flesh fell from the bones, and a ghaftly skeleton remained in my arms!

'I gave a fhriek of horror.

A blue flame quivered round a black marble pillar-in crimson characters were wrote

THE GATES OF MERCY ARE SHUT
AGAINST THEE!

PROCEED NOT, THOU ART LOST TO HAPPINESS;
BUT PREPARE FOR ETERNAL PUNISHMENT!

'The flame vanished-Iftrove to fly from the dreadful scene-terror gave me strength, but the skeleton pursued me o'er the ruins..

At length I reached the moor-the storms of infulted heaven affailed me-overpowered, I funk to the earth.

'How long I remained infenfible, I am unable to conjecture you found me, and your humanity afforded confolation to my depraved heart. Gratitude and contrition hath drawn me to a disclosure of crimes, dreadful in the recital.’

Sir Alwyne rofe-the pilgrim proceeded.

"In the paper now before you, are inferted a variety of atrocities, that are beyond the least hope of mercy!-I dare not kneel to pray, and my ftubborn knees refufe to bend before the altar of the creator of the world! Hark!heard you not a voice-fee-fee again the phantom-ha! fhe comes towards me!- -nay approach me not-point not to your gaping wounds.-Agnes, mercy-Elwina, fave me!"

The chieftain stood aghaft.

"Thou man of integrity!' fhrieked the suffering unfortunate, pray for me-I am the deceiver of your children -I ftole them from the fostering arms of their parent- I murdered your spotlefs wife I am your Brother!!'

Sir Alwyne funk upon the couch.