The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-01-16 00:00:00

she does not want counsellers about her to fan up the
flame that devours her, and yourbrother is not one whose
advice is least attended to ; indeed, M. de Mazarin, who
from the frontier directs the sentiments of the Court—
approves of this plot of a tragedy, in which you are to
play so serious a part ; judge now if the Queen will hang
back from this form which you require her to go through ?
What does it matter to her after the verbal order which
she has given you, if you should have to appear before a tri-
bunal, and you should let the truth escape ?—they will not
believe you! Think then what your position now is and
what it will be should you he brought before the solemn as-
semblage of parliament and accuse the Queen and her courtly
minions of having urged you on to commit this crime!
Out of respect for the royal authority your voice will be
stopped at the first word, all those that you denounce will
disavow any connection with you,—your brother will be
among the first—and were I even to speak to the truth
what could I do, weak and friendless as we are, against
an authority which has but a superior above? Do you not
recollect besides, that every precaution has been taken
to render any indiscretion on your part unnecessary even
before you are brought up to judgment. What is to pre-
vent you becoming an inmate of the deep cells of Chate-
let, when it would he of so much importance to stop your
voice? The Queen knows all this too well Fabien ; be sure
she will not refuse to see you, nor to give you the pittiless
command; are you ignorant of what a proud and passion-
ate woman is capable of,—who is not only a mother but
a sovereign also.
Fabien remained silent a few minutes.—
Elizabeth, said he at length, you have told me that the
Queen is mislead by bad councillors, and that alone suffi-
ces to induce me to persist in my project. I will see her,
I will make her hear the truth, and perhaps God will give
my feeble voice the gift to touch her heart and make her
see how such an act as is contemplated, is unworthy the
majesty of the throne. Sometimes a free and frank word
suffices to calm the most violent and obstinate tempers.
Do not attempt to persuade me to abandon my project,
from that moment, I will make a sacrifice of my life—l
will fulfil that which I consider to be a duty, let what will
become of me—you, Elizabeth, at least, if I fall shall not
have occasion to despise me.
" Oh, adandon this fatal resolution Fabien," ssid the
Countess, in a voice intense with emotion—" it is foolish
and fraught with danger—listen," added she, quickly,
" these is yet time to fly—seek in Paris some obscure re-
treat and remain in that obscurity till the storm has passed
away."
" Fly," said Fabien with dejection—" do you forget the
most rigourous precautions have been taken to prevent
my escape ?'
Madlle. de Montglat sprung towards the window and
cast over the court yard a rapid glance. The followers
of the Baron still paced to and fro, in front of the house.

" They are still there,"—murmured she, with despair—
" What is to he done ?" I—l am free, added she struck
with an idea that flashed across her brain, " my coach is
two steps from this, and if we could but gain it"
" They would allow you to pass, but they would restrain
me by force."

" But these people do not know you, and if you could
disguise yourself somewhat like the Baron they might
not perhaps recognise you, it would not take up a moment
to gain the coach and we should soon be beyond the reach
of search. Come Fabien—let us try—our assurance will
perhaps impose upon them, and perhaps they dare not
come to extremities. If they attack us you can defend
yourself with your good sword--if we have no means of
escaping—we will die together.•
" Elizabeth, I cannot suffer you "
" But I can—l can"—

Fabien was about to yield to her entreaties and attempt
an enterprise which could only succeed by great audacity,
when a loud noise in the house arrested the footsteps of
both. It approached the chamber, and in the next mo-
ment the Baron de Croissi, with heightened colour, and
vestments in disorder entered precipitately into the cham-
ber : through the half-opened door the lovers could per-
ceive several persons of brutal aspect waiting without,
who had followed the Baron to execute his commands.
The maiden at once concluded that some fearful scene
was about to take place, and with a piercing cry thew her-
self before Fabien, as if to defend him.
Fabien instantly drew his sword, and stood on his
defence, gently putting the enthusiastic girl aside ; Albert,
without noticing these signs of defiance, strode rapidly
towards his brother—

" Sir," said he in a low voice—" you must instantly
quit this house and follow me. A coach awaits us, and I
trust that your good sense will suggest to you the inutilty
of resorting to violence."
" Whither would you conduct us, sir," said Elizabeth,
in terror.

" That I will tell you presently," said the Baron, dryly.
"And what would you with us, sir," asked Fabien, if
we refuse to accept your invitation. Oh ! Albert, have you
not cruelly abused the authority that you assume over
me ?"

" Do not oblige me to resort to extremities that are in-
consistent with my feelings : follow me—listen," con-
tinued he, drawing Fabien aside, " these fellows will exe-
cute, without the least compunction, whatever orders I
give them,—l have provided in every way to meet you ;
I have given out that you are subject to madness—your
conduct has not belied the assertion, and all that you do
or say will be attributed to the malady you are supposed
to labour under.

" Oh ! what villany," cried Elizabeth.
Fabien grew pale with anger, he ground his teeth with
rage, and with the feeling of a tiger he hurled his bro-
ther aside and was about bearing off Elizabeth,
when the Baron's followers impeded his progress at the
door, and in the next moment Fabien found himself un-
armed within their grasp.
Albert de Crossi recovering himself and adjusting his
dress,—its spike vF his anger—zwileerin aenston. Taxing
Elizabeth by the hand, who naw would have clung to
Fabien for protection, said with an attempt at gallantry,
" Permit me mademoiselle to hand you to your carriage,"
Elizabeth relinquished her grasp of Fabien, and was borne
fainting to her carri ge. In another moment, the two
vehicles were hurried off in different directions. .
(To be continued.)

NOTICES.
Birkenhead and its Dock. By Samuel Stanafield.

In the pamphlet before us Mr. Stansfield has undoubt-
edly introduced much very valuable and ably compiled
statistical matter, and thus far it is highly creditable to
his industry. But we must record our conviction—and
we say it with all candour, notwithstanding the little
fracas which we had recently with the author, or rather
the compiler, for the bulk of the work consists of compi-.
lation, and no trifling portion of it from our own columns
—that the public would havebeen disposed-to place much
more confidence in the accuracy of his statements and
views, had the pamphleteer- betrayed a little less anxiety
to write up the superhuman-wisdom of the commissioners
of Birkenhead, and the supremacy of that locality over
all the other portions of this favoured land. We are
quite ready to admit the existence of great spirit amongst
the population of Birkenhead, in the carrying on of their
improvements. They are laying, no doubt, the founda-
tion of a populous and flourishing town. But they should
not enact the part of chanticleer over the denizens of this
side of the river quite so boisterously. The town of
Liverpool, it is true, did not spring quite so phenix-like
into greatness as Birkenhead is doing ; but the former
had not the advantage of vast capital, as Birkenhead has
—and that Liverpool capital too—to aid her in her early
struggles into being. Besides, Mr. Stansfield might
recollect, that !people, quite as enterprising as the people
of Birkenhead, and as wise too, have met with most
disastrous checks ; and that it is quite possible that the
sanguine tone and the bright colouring in which he has
represented matters in the work before us may lead not a
few of his readers into speculations, for the result of
which they will have small cause to thank him. The
illustrations of the pamphlet, we may remark, are very
good,—one of them the very plan of the proposed docks
at Wallasey, as designed by the late William Laird which
Mr. Stansfield was so angry at our presenting to our
readers.