my darling," replied Lord Henry, though I fancied he did not altogether like the appearance of things.

When the doors were opened, they disclosed, by the lights carried by our host and his wife and another man, a court which was strewed over with straw and litter, as if many horses or cattle were accustomed to be kept there.

The man desired our postillions to drive into this yard, which they did; and a minute after I heard the great doors closed, and the bolts. drawn.

Lord Henry heard this too, and asked why they were locked in, as, till he had seen the accommodations, he was uncertain whether or not he should remain the night.

"Oh! Signor," said Jeronymo, rather officiously; "my friend Guido can accommodate double your party. Here, Laura, put down the child, and come and help the ladies out of the carriage."

Laura, apparently the wife of our host, was

VOL. III.

D

a tall thin woman about forty, with large, dark, wild eyes, and dishevelled hair. She had the remains of great beauty, but a look of such sorrow, and almost despair, about her, that she excited my interest and compassion, while I watched her putting her baby into the arms of a young girl of seventeen.

The husband was a handsome but most ferocious-looking fellow, about her own age, and as I watched him too, I plainly saw that he occasionally exchanged looks of intelligence with our late conductor.

Dear little Carlos had fallen fast asleep on my shoulder, and I was now obliged to wake him, that we might follow our lord and lady out of the carriage.

We were shown into a dreary, lofty, illfurnished sort of parlour, on the table of which Laura placed a dirty lamp, and was about to leave the room without uttering a word, when Lady Henry begged to have a fire, and Lord Henry desired that we might be shown into the kitchen, to warm ourselves, till every thing

was arranged comfortably in the apartments they were to occupy.

Laura hesitated, and at last said she would ask her husband, and hurried in an agitated manner out of the room.

I could see that Lord Henry was far from satisfied at his present position, but it was evident he wished to conceal his suspicions, for fear of alarming his wife.

I offered to go and see if the kitchen were a fit place for Lady Henry, and taking Carlos with me, I sallied forth, not a little frightened, I must confess.

At the end of a long pasage, on the floor of which stood a flaring lamp, I came out upon the court, where still stood the carriage, surrounded by our own servants and the people of the house.

The host and our guide were standing apart from the rest in a dark nook, conversing with great eagerness, and they were in a few minutes joined by a woman whom I had not before seen. She was, I should think, sixty years of age,

tall and stout; indeed her figure was majestic, and her features perfect, but with all these advantages she was not merely an unattractive, but a most repulsive-looking person.

She appeared a personification of strength, fearlessness, and vice, and I quite shuddered as I gazed at her. Even Carlos was riveted by her appearance, and whispered me,

"Oh! Theresa, what a dreadful-looking woman that is, don't go near her."

I had indeed no inclination, but hastened to join the group round the carriage, addressing myself to the young girl, who still held the infant.

I begged her to show me the way to the kitchen, telling her that the lady was very cold, and wished to remain there till her own apartment was ready.

The girl, who was very pretty, and apparently good-tempered, instantly said that she would go and inquire about it, and I was preparing to follow her, when she looked frightened and begged that I would not do so.

Not liking all this mystery about being admitted into the kitchen, I determined to follow her at a distance, and I had just reached the door of a passage where she had dissapeared when I found myself seized behind by the arm, and turning round, saw that my progress had been arrested by the tremendous-looking female who had so attracted my attention while talking with the two men.

She smiled sneeringly when I started, saying, "What are you afraid of, Signora?"

I told her my errand, when she, like the others, bid me wait, and she would see about it; adding that she would come and tell me when the place was fit for the reception of so great a lady as my mistress appeared to be.

"The English are very rich and noble?" she said, inquiringly.

"Some of them," I replied; adding, “they are all brave."

The woman looked at me as much as to say, "Do you suspect us?"