that of a man devoted to eating. The concealment of the disease, nevertheless, preyed a good deal upon me. I was always apprehensive of being discovered, and I knew enough of Berthe's refinement to feel assured that the knowledge of my weakness would prove an immovable barrier to our union. She who was so spirituelle, so cultivated, so purely intellectual in her enjoyments, to be wedded with a man whose mind was by a dire necessity continually bent on eating-the idea even sometimes made me shudder, and ask myself whether I was honorable in pursuing the affair. Her beauty and attractive manners, together with some family considerations, overbalanced any scruples I might have, and I prosecuted my suit with an ardor second only to my ruling passion. How little did I know what terrible events lay right in my course, on which in a few weeks I should strike, and shipwreck all I had in life, even to my own self-respect!

Our marriage approached. All the preliminaries were arranged; our parents looked to the settlements, which, on the side of M. Lefolles, were everything that could be desired, while my father laid down a genealogical table, the extent of which so evidently confused M. Lefolles, that I believe he imagined that the dowry of a princess of the blood would be scarcely enough to balance it. Raoul still continued his visits, but with what object I could scarce imagine. He was treated by me with the utmost hauteur, and by Berthe with polite indifference. Yet he called day after day, never affected for an instant to notice the style of his reception, but invariably preserved a smooth and polished manner, calm and unalterable.

I had ridden over one day to the Chateau Guaire, rather early in the morning, and by a chance which did not often occur to me, I entirely omitted to take my usual preliminaryI might say preventive, repast. A ride of two miles sharpened my appetite considerably, and I felt the demon gnawing inside, and all those fearful premonitory symptoms, which foreboded the approach of a power which was not to be controlled. Luncheon was on the table when I entered the dining-room, and I found seated round the table a number of persons whom I had never seen before, but who proved to be friends and relatives of M. Lefolles, just arrived on a visit. I was of course introduced as the bridegroom elect, and met with all the commiseration suitable to such an announcement. I sat down to

eat; but Berthe sat opposite to me. It was out of the question that I could brutalize myself before her. I could not devour in her presence as my nature dictated-I twisted uneasily on

my chair, and cast longing eyes at the goodly joints which were spread upon the table. My appetite raged furiously, but I dare not indulge it; Berthe was near me. Immediately when luncheon had concluded, Berthe announced that an expedition to the Castle of Kiok was on foot, and expressed her satisfaction at my arrival, as they were in want of a cavalier; my heart sunk within me at this intelligence, but I had nothing to do but acquiesce. As the party left the room to prepare, I made a desperate but ineffectual attempt to possess myself of some bread, but the loaf being too large to enter my pocket, I was forced to leave it after all. In a few moments all was organized, and we set out for our destination; I went with a feeling of collapse about the abdominal regions, that was perfectly frightful.

The Castle of Kiok, whither we were bound, was one of the lions of our neighborhood. It consisted of an almost undistinguishable ruin that stood on the crest of a rocky peak, which lay a little way from the shore. The interest did not attach itself to the castle-a mere mass of stones and ivy at best, with a dilapidated gable at one end; the chief attraction that led people to the spot, seemed to be the difficulty of access. The rock on which it was situated was high and pointed, and lay about two roods from the shore. In the intervening chasm the sea swelled and foamed with a furious current unknown on any other part of the coast. This chasm was spanned by an upright ledge of rock which sprang sheer up from the bottom of the channel, and ran edgeways from the face of the steep cliff which formed the shore, to an angle of the rock that jutted out to meet it. The upper edge of this slaty, perpendicular rock, formed a causeway, or sort of natural bridge, that spanned the chasm. In the olden time, when the ruined castle on the rock was held by certain lawless gentlemen of the seafaring profession, this narrow pathway formed the only means of access to their stronghold; and as not more than one person could tread it at a time, the Castle of Kiok had little cause to fear invasion. To this day the remains of old masonry clung to the rock, rendering the path even still more dangerous than it was in the days of the pirate chieftains. It was only on calm days, however, that the castle was at all accessible. The sea flowed with a powerful current through the narrow channel until it met the broad slab of rock; here it was suddenly arrested in its furious course, and had to grope its way through cracks and crevices, an indignity that it chafed at sorely, and roared and foamed with passion.

Thus even on a calm summer's day, the sea beat against this narrow ledge with tremendous fury, and the adventurous wight, who was picking his way cautiously on the top, would suddenly feel a blow on his cheek as if given by some misty hand, and a whole cloud of cold, white spray would sweep over him amid the roar and thunder of the bursting wave. But when the wind was high, woe to the wretch who attempted the passage, or was caught by the gale on the island. The rock-path was then wholly impassable. Wave after wave swept over the very top, with unintermitting fury, and poured in torrents of foam down the other side. No human being could stand for the tenth part of a second against such an avalanche of water. If the gale continued, as it sometimes did, for whole weeks together, the castle was completely shut off from the main-land, and frequently some of the stunted sheep that obtained a scanty subsistence from the tufts of herbage growing in the clefts of the rock, were swept completely into the sea and drowned. Tradition said, that some fifty years before the date of my story, a peasant who had gone out on the rock for the purpose of bringing home a sheep, was caught by a gale that suddenly arose, and found all return impossible. The storm continued for a week; and though within call of his own relatives, who watched him from the cliff, but could not assist him, he perished of cold and hunger in their very sight.

It was to this wild place that we were bound, and emboldened by the calmness and mildness of the day, we made many jests about our being caught upon the island, and consulted gravely upon our course of conduct under such circumstances. The descent down the steep face of the cliff was fairly accomplished, and to our great delight, the channel was found to be as calm as a mill-pond. We had no hesitation, therefore, in crossing the narrow causeway to the castle; and after the usual amount of declarations from the ladies, that " they couldn't possibly-they were quite sure they should fall," &c., we succeeded in gaining our destination. As if by gen

eral consent, Berthe and I were left to ourselves, and we wandered off to the farther end of the island and lost ourselves amid the old ivied fragments of what had once been a tower of strength. Fierce as my appetite had been up to this time, the excitement of the walk, and the delightful conversation of my companion, made me a while indifferent to it; and overjoyed at the fact, I already began to build hopes, that perhaps the demon was losing its power.

"Those must have been brave old times," I said to Berthe, as

we stood in the shade of a wide fire-place, which would have held a small oak tree-" those must have been brave times when this castle pulsed with life. With all their faults, those knightly pirates were splendid fellows, and charitable withal. If they robbed some rich vessel, the poor for miles around were the better for it next day. How would you like to be such a one's bride, Berthe?"

"Not at all.

They were mere animals. Brave and generous, it is true, but still mere animals. When they were not fighting they were eating, and when they were not eating they were drinking. Such were your brave old pirates' occupations."

I shuddered, as if touched with a hot iron. How little did Berthe know that the man upon whose arm she was leaning was infinitely more the slave of his appetite, and with less excuse, than even the most sensual of those old sea-kings!

"Do you then find fault with them for obeying their natural instincts?" I asked. "Recollect that they were of large stature, and active habits, and if they did roast bullocks whole, and drink buckets of wine at a single draught, it was no more than their large natures and habits of life necessitated. You surely would not measure a man by what he ate ?” "Certainly not," she replied, "provided he kept within ordinary bounds; but I could never esteem a man who was a glutton. I may pity him, but I could not love him."

"But if he was estimable in all other points. If he was intellectual, and moral, you surely would not exile him from your heart because an unhappy dispensation of Providence caused him to eat a pound more of meat than other people ?"

"Well, the subject is so strange a one, that I have had scarcely any time to form an opinion on it. But of this I feel assured, that I could never make up my mind to marry either a gourmand or a glutton." This was said in a very decided tone, and I felt my own weakness so thoroughly that I could not do such violence to my feelings as to pursue the topic any farther. I changed the subject, and we walked on discoursing of many interesting things.

Up to this period the day had been cloudless and bright. There was scarce a ripple on the waters, and the sea-birds dozed lazily upon the smooth ocean. Suddenly, however, my attention was attracted by a white mist which arose on the eastern horizon, and spread rapidly. A low, moaning sound buzzed in the air, and the sky was in a few moments overcast with a filmy veil of grayish vapor.

"It looks as if it was going to be stormy," said I; "we had better hasten home."

"But our party," replied Berthe.

"Where are they?"

"Oh! they will join us: they cannot help seeing the threatening appearance of the sky, also."

We hastened in the direction of the natural bridge, and as we walked rapidly along, the sky grew darker and darker each moment. In about half an hour we reached a little elevation from which we could catch a sight of the landingplace. The first thing we saw was a group of figures on the top of the cliff, waving handkerchiefs, and beckoning to us to hasten on.

"They have been before us," said Berthe. "I wish that we were on shore too."

As she said this I looked towards the narrow ledge over which we had to pass. God of heaven, it was not visible! In its place a long white crest of foam creamed up, and the awful thunder of the sea, as it raged against the flat surface of the rock, broke upon our ears. I felt sick and faint at the sight, but I tried to assume an indifferent demeanor to my companion.

"I am afraid, dear Berthe," I said, pointing to the foaming pass, "that we are doomed to a few hours' delay. The sea has risen, and it will take a little time before it subsides." "It is unpleasant certainly," she replied, without any apparent fear; "but if the storm continues long, we run a risk of being starved to death."

I shuddered. The words suddenly recalled my infirmity to my recollection, and straightway the monster raged and tore at my vitals.

"Can no boat be had to cross in ?" asked Berthe.

"The best boat ever built would not live a minute in the channel," I replied.

"Then we shall have to pass the night here," said Berthe calmly. "We had better return to the old ruin. It will afford us some shelter. I confess," she added gayly, "that I am unspiritual enough to wish for some dinner."

I would have given worlds to pour forth my tale of wants into her ear, but I dare not, so I affected an indifference that I little felt, to conceal the agony of hunger which I suffered.

As nothing could be done, we waved our handkerchiefs to the party on the cliffs, among whom I thought I could discover Raoul's form, and made the best of our way back to the ruin. On the road, my attention was attracted by something