Look deep within, if all be pure and sound!

Hold fast by heaven! Then, let the changing world Slide from beneath thy foot; and, as it lapses, Smile in thine own security!"

DAY had already risen over the towers of Vienna, when the maskers began to disperse, and the gala of Princess Stolberg was mingled with the events which have been ;-the flowers were faded, the lights extinguished, the music silent, and the merry groups vanished. But that gala had traced its memorial on many a bosom-memorials, which a long succession of days and nights would fail to erase. The lively lady of the feast was not the one least interested in the con

sequences of the departed hour, albeit, practised in courts from infancy, her countenance was skilful to conceal the emotions of her heart. She loved Vallenstein almost as devotedly as he loved Louisa-loved him even to the annihilation of that pride which might have caused her to revolt from the idea of accepting the homage which another scorned. His obstinate persuasion, that her own chestnut ringlet had been cut from the brow of her rival, was a severe trial of her fortitude, which, however, was victorious, and did not permit a symptom to escape of her pained and irritated feelings. She resolved to await calmly the healing of Vallenstein's wound, and to pick up, even from the earth, that heart which another disdainfully flung away. Of the result of his declaration, her own accurate observations did not permit her to harbour a doubt. She awaited him at some dis. tance, trembling at the thought of wit

nessing his despair, yet incapable of letting him depart without being enabled to judge for herself how he bore his final sentence. He was silently passing her, but, as if recollecting himself, he turned, and, fervently pressing her hand, said—

"God bless you, my sweet friend!Good night."

The calmness of his manner alarmed her.

"Ah, Casimir!" she exclaimed :— "how is it with you?"

"Ill enough," replied he, with a pallid smile; "but fear not for me, Princessit is but a pang, and all is over!"

He left the assembly, eager to find himself alone; but the Princess, although greatly re-assured by his words and manner, which bespoke far more of resolution than she expected to see him evince, sent Desmond after him, relating to that faithful friend the utter rejection his hopes had suffered, and conjuring him to watch over and support his

spirits.

Vallenstein, therefore, had

scarcely reached his hotel, when Desmond joined him.

66

My dear fellow," said the former, "give me joy for the extinction of that delusion which has so long enslaved me." He spoke firmly; but Desmond's voice faltered as he said

"Is it quite gone?—Then let us think no more of it!"

As Vallenstein opened the bosom of his vest, his father's packet fell to the floor, and the lieutenant took it up.

"There is no sleeping now," said Vallensteïn, glancing at the broad light that shone through the windows; " we will have coffee, and examine these papers; and then a walk by the Danube will cool and refresh us, and give us leisure to meditate our reply."

"But the packet is marked private, my lord."

"True," said the Count, recollecting the words of him from whom he received

it;

"but as Wolfsteïn knows its purport, you shall not be excepted."

He tore open the envelope, and, as usual, found that it contained divers cyphered papers, with various addresses, besides the one directed expressly to himself, and which ran as follows:

"The planet under which I was born has again turned the tide of human events, and the result of all present operations, visible and invisible, is my glory! This is their end and tendency, and in this point they must perforce concentrate. The web of a great man's destiny employs the hands of unseen legions, and the things which lead apparently to its accomplishment are the work of those mysterious ministers to whom the inevitable task is allotted. I must be great -the sentence was, ages ago, written amongst the stars, and no human wit or force shall frustrate or evade it. Nature has conspicuously fitted me to co-operate with, and adorn, my destiny; my dis