"Praised be the Lord, they see my virtues. Sister— mean, Donna Melindrosa holds me as the apple of her ye; and Don Cesar cannot do a moment without me,—I iclieve he'd rather part with all his slaves."

"And the young lady?"

"-O, the young lady is still giddy, for she's but a child:

,ut her heart is in a seeking way that is," (quickly

idded Malachi, ashamed that he had forgotten his apos. acy,) "I hope, by the aid of our Blessed Lady," (crossng himself,) "she may yet do well."

"Admirable.—Now, listen, Mr. Snubbs. I believe ?ou, sir, to be the most infernal scoundrel in the whole

:aptain-generalship of Caraccas: Turn down thy

jroanut head, Father Joseph,—you make me laugh, when

i'ou open your eyes so widely :But we must sometimes

ise a dirty thing when our necessities urge us. You see his purse. It is small, but richly lined. Do what I wish you, and the purse is yours."

"But, Mr. Levis, you forget my sacred character."

"No, sir, I do not; nor do I forget your partiality to missionary funds, and admiration for lady's ornaments. How can you play the fool so seriously! Can you not deal with me as plainly, as I do with you? I tell you, sir, I know you to be a rascal, and I believe myself to be an honest man ;—Shall we make a bargain together?"

The priest looked gloomy. "If you don't believe in my honesty, Mr. Levis, why will you trust me? I see no good it can do you to insult me in this manner."

"Well, sir, perhaps you are right. I will cease my abuse, if you will lay aside your hypocrisy. I would deal with you openly. I trust nothing to your honesty; hut I bribe your interest.— I wish you, sir, to take a letter from me to the diiughter of Don Cesar. You stare. It is, 1 acknowledge, asking you to turn traitor to your patron, Don Gaspar; but that's of little importance; you have already turned traitor to your God for the sake of money, and forthis treachery I will pay you to your heart's content. Carry the letter safely, and do whatever else I shall bid you, and that purse shall be made any amount you ask, I care not what, provided it be within the limits of what I can afford. But play me false, and—! you will find, perhaps, I have more power to harm you than you imagine. Will you do it, or not ?—Don Gaspar will not reward you so liberally as I will, if you serve me truly; Don Gaspar cannot punish you so cruelly as I can, if you dare betray me.—Speak out, sir! Drop your half-saint's mask, and show the devil at once.—Quick! Will you serve me?"

"If you will promise one thing."

"And what is that, sir?"

"That the letter contains nothing against the senorita's spiritual welfare."

"O, fool to the last! Well, I promise you—it shall be upon a point that wholly concerns her future happiness. —Now, are you willing?"

"Yes," answered the priest—but very sulkily. Indeed, I had goaded him beyond bearing,—and most fool ishly, to say the least of my conduct; but my impatien temper could not brook to be trifled with by so black: villain.

"Well then," I said, my good-humour returning at his concession, "I'll retire for a few moments to the next room, and write the letter. You can amuse yourself. holy Father, by counting your beads, or your money."

When I returned, the priest received me with a smile ot satisfaction, which at the time merely gave me surprise, though it should have excited my suspicions, coming as it did from one of his character, one too who had such good reason to hold me in mortal hatred.

I handed him the letter. "I know," I said, "the dunger I incur by thus confiding in you,—the lover ot Beatriz is an Andalusian, and her father is scarcely less to be dreaded; but I have no other resource, for my object can be attained only through your agency. It isi sir, to induce the senorita to grant me a private, and immediate interview, and you must add your influence toim entreaties, promising to sanction this step by being present—Yes,. I mean it—you must be present at our interview; for I'm confident the young lady, impetuous though she is, will not so far forget the respect due to herself a? to meet me alone—nor do I wish she should."

"But, Mr. Levis—are you known to—that is—"

"Sufficiently. Don't trouble yourself about that, Mr. Snubbs."

"Then, sir, you needn't fear. The sehorila shall meet you—and that as soon as I can arrange the matter.—I'll let you know when, to-morrow morning, Mr. Levis,', added Malachi, softening his voice as though he were speaking to a friend he dearly loved and respected.

I led the priest to the door. As we were about to part, I took his hand, and, facing him, said impressively, "My safety, sir, is now in your hands. To one that hates me as you must—Peace! no more foolery. To one, I say. that hates me as bitterly as you do, the temptation is strong to betray the trust; but let your avarice keep you honest. for I give you my honour, that, if you please me, I shall think no recompense too great that a man in my circumstances can afford. And—mark my last words, sir! 1 am not of a revengeful temper; but, by the God that made us both, if you dare deceive me, I will wreak such vengeance on your head, that you shall wish you had staid in England and met there the punishment of your villainy!"

"You needn't fear me," answered the apostate, with i strange smile,—" I'll serve you even better than you wish. Good night, Mr. Levis."

"Sweet visions to you, beautiful Joseph."

CHAPTER V.

O, I am spoil.d, undone by villains.
Civemesome help.

Othello.

The apostate Snubbs was faithful to his promise. H£ came the next day to inform me that all thmgs were ar ranged for the interview with Beatriz, which would take place that very night, as soon as the fall of darkness should render the step sufficiently safe. For this purpose he had engaged an Indian and his wife to leave their hut for an hour, in return for a few worthless relics, whose influence with the superstitious race the holy father knew well enough to save his pocket other coin. Besides himself, Beatriz would be attended by her two maid-servants, who were wholly devoted to the interests of their young mistress; and she had made it her particular request, that, if I had a servant in whose honesty I could confide. I would bring him with me,—as thus, in case any untoward circumstance should occur to betray our intercourse, her character might not suffer.—How my Mercury came to deliver the latter part of his message, from Beatriz, so faithfully, is a subject of wonder, as the Reader will very soon acknowledge. It can only be accounted for by supposing, that, as the headof the evangelical go-between was an exception to all scientific principles, the angle oi' incidence, which a ray of light might drop upon his brain. was always more than equal to the angle of reflection.

At sunset, then, I proceeded to the bank of the Manzanares,* attended by my servant Juan, a freedman

whose head and heart, though closed in a vessel of black earth, would have done honour to the whitest clay. I found, of course, that the other party was not not yet arrived. Therefore, acting with the wisdom all men display on such occasions, I did the best I could to unman my nerves, and unfit myself completely for the approaching interview, by fancying how the lady would behave, and forming regular plans of speech and action, which would assuredly be found missing the very moment they were to come into use. Luckily, however, for my impatience, the night in this climate does not keep one waiting long its coming, when the sun has once retired, but seems to march upon him without its usual forerunner, twilight. Very soon after I had taken my station, the few pink clouds that rested motionless on the horizon, scarcely to be distinguished, in their fleecy lightness, from the portion efthe sky before whose glowing beauty they appeared in faint relief, lost all their colour, or assumed a darker hue; the unsullied azure of the rest of the heavens grew deeper and deeper in its shade: then the stars came forth, in number and brightness never known to northern climes; millions of fire-flies sparkled in the air; while the gloom of night, descending thicker, wrapped in terrour the giant forms of the trees which crowded the luxuriant banks of the Manzanares. For many minutes, that seemed, of course, as though they never would have end, I walked up and down the little garden of the hut, rapt in thoughts