Year: 1860

most sickening agony 10 the fair girl, whose
vigilance could detect no preference either
for herself or for any one in particular
+ amongst her companions in the Dukes


assiduities, so equally were they distributed


amongst all. She was Of too bold and de-


cisive character to submit for any length


of time TO this Improbable torturing OF the


soul.


A grand bal maS9ie was gwen by the
| QIeen. She resolved that this occasion
which is always considered one wherein
the greatest freedom of speech is permit,ed
should put an end 10 the uncertainty


which was eating her very heart away
! Alone of The family she excused herself
| from attendance al the ball. Aided in her
romantic scheme by an aunt 10 whom she
was much attached, she feigned indisposi-
lion, and retired tc bed before her com


panions had departed for the palace; no
| suspicion was therefore aroused.


| When the family carriage had driven
/ from the door, she rose, and Disgusting her


self in long black domino instead of the


brilliant neurological costume which had


been prepared for her, she proceeded TO
the palace under the escort of her aunt
| In the midst of the splendid scenes which


burst upon her vision she entered the
great ballroom but one thought occupied
/ her miud-she beheld but one object among
| the highly decorated crowd which swayed
TO and fro in the dance. 1t was the Due
! d'Al6e, whose costume she knew at once,
/ II having been chosen for him at general
conclave in the Montijo salon some little
! while before She soon managed to thread
her way towards where he Stood, talking
eagerly, as was his wont, to one of the
| ladies of the Montijo family But she
| feared not recognition and pulling him by
| The sleeve, asked him, in the shriI bal
masqte tone adopted on like occasions,
whether he would fear TO dance with one
! who had come 10 the ball with no other
! purpose than that OF treading one single
| measure with the hero oil the night, the gal
/ liant '.Don Joh of Auslria''-whch was the
| character the Dake had assumed, and in
which he was the observed of all observ ers.
! Both his real and assumed character
Z
/ wish, and Immediately turning from the
group of friends wilE whom he'was con-
versing he gaIlantly offered his hand to the
domino, and led her, with a compliment,
10 the qnadrile Just then forming beneath
the middle chandelier of the great gallery.
Can YOU not fancy how the heart OF that
Young girl mnst have beat as, determined
10 attain the object for which she had run
this risk, she whispered in her partners
ear words of deep meaning: upon which


her whole future life was hung! Can you
not iarcv how that stricken heart must have
/ falrered when the words OF truth. bright
! with his unstained honor, fell from the lips
of the duke? For the first time, perhaps,


the name of The real object of his love was


breathed by him. 1t was the eldest daugh-


ter of The Countess de Montijo 10 whom he
was devoted, and to her was he resolved 10
disclose the secret on this very night. No


hope conld therefore remain to the un


happy victim who had sought the secret


which was 10 be her own condemnation.
+ She withdrew from the ball. What had she


TO seek further amid that gay throng? She


hurried home and flung herself in despair


upon the couch she had leil but to seek he


despair with which the years of her future
life were 10 be embiitered.


At dawn the ladies returned from the


ball. All were glad and ioyous-but one


above the rest /; and she could not resist


the temptation 10 seek her best friend in


order to make her participate in the Joy


which the Dukes proposition had inspired


She entered softly, for she thought her


friend was sleeping. She approached The
bed. and shrieked loud with dismay al be-


holding the invalid, to whom she had


hidden adieu a few hours before, and who


had retired for slumber in nightcap and


bedgown, lying now outside the coverlet,


wrapped in black domino, with the mask


she had worn torn violently from her lace


and clutched, with convulsive pressure, in


her hand. She called aloud, but no answer


was returned. la another moment she per-
ceived, even by the light OF the moon,


which streamed in at the chamber window,


that the form was insensibe which lay be-


fore her and that the features were working


as if in Tie .hroes of the death agony.


4 The house was aroused, and the family


came in haste 10 the bedside to behold with


horror the confirmation of. the suspicion


which had struck them from the verT first.
Assistance had only just come in time-the
evidence which lay before them, in the
shape of the empty vial and IFS warning
LABEL indicated the nature of the antidote


10 be administered. Every help was given.
and after awhile AL effec. of this moments
ALTERATION had passed away, even to The
moral regret of behoding the Duke the
| Tho rnIe a