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as he continued, in tones of the deepest me

lancholy

"My Lord Mervyn has been with you, I understand."

"What, what!" she gasped in terror. "How did you know I had seen him?"

"Oh, I have myself just met him riding near the house, and received a glance, which, innocent as I am of the offence, I often receive from Lord Mervyn."

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Ah, yes, yes!" and Aline clasped her hands in an agony of supplication; "then for mercy's sake stay no longer, oh, he will be so enraged, he will insult, he will kill you-and I—and you -will be lost for ever!"

A glance of rapture illumined the countenance of the Italian.

"Mia Alina, mia Alina!" he breathed in a low voice, whose thrilling tones, more than the gentle force of the hand which pressed her own, drew her to his side.

"You-I-am lost? Perché, perché mia bene? perché io t'amo perché tu m'ami ?"

Oh weak, weak, young hearts! Aline, you were lost indeed, had Lord Mervyn seen you at that moment!

CHAPTER IX.

"Fill the bright goblet, spread the festive board!

Summon the gay,

the noble, and the fair!

Through the loud hall, in joyous concert pour'd,

Let mirth and music sound.

But ask thou not if happiness be there,

Lift not the festal mask !"

LORD OF THE ISLES.

THE Seytons left town soon after this day. The young people proceeded to their beautiful country home, Sir Alexander and his lady on a short tour of visits, previous to joining their family at Merriford.

Aline Seyton brought not back the free, unshackled heart of her childhood to the woods

and shades of Merriford; she could not walk

amidst her guileless sisters as before, and joy as they did in the innocent amusements of former days. She came with a secret, a concealment in her bosom. I do not mean to condemn her love-my young readers would smile at the old man implying as a crime, innocent love, excited involuntarily in the heart, and for one so fitted to inspire it.

No, as long as that love led not Aline from duty, it might rather be looked on as a pitiable than an unpardonable weakness-one which indeed she might have felt the necessity, the duty, of struggling to subdue, but need not so much as have blushed to feel.

But this was not now the case; she had left the right path, she had entered the wrong, she had yielded to the weakness, and had become a deceiver.

The deceiver must be bold and strong; witness therefore her becalmed eye, her unblushing, unblanching cheek. From that day of temptation she had a part to play-she must not betray

herself, or another-she must live for the day of reunion, when with the professional corps, he would arrive, whom she now, without shame or sense of degradation, had learnt to think on as her acknowledged, her accepted lover, to whom, by promise, her fate was linked. With his image was her soul now filled, as she roved at liberty amidst the sylvan shades of Merriford, weaving romantic visions of the future, when all difficulties and obstacles-by some means,overpast, she should have commenced the life, so brightly coloured by her imagination, with the husband of her choice.

What a rise, instead of a fall, to her conception would it be, to follow the path of so gifted a being! Into what a world of interest, romance, refinement,-yes, that mental refinement, with which talent surrounds its possessor its lustre how far brighter-how superior to the glare of rank and circumstances,-would that path lead her! The countries they would visit, the atmosphere of genius in which she

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