at his command;--the complete and all-armed man, prepared for defence
and offence against every foe--a man who, once roused in a righteous
quarrel, would not have quailed before an army; and there and thus was
his dark and fierce purpose dashed from his soul, shivered into atoms at
his feet. He felt the nothingness of man and man's wrath--in the
presence of the madman on whose head the thunderbolt of a greater curse
than human anger ever breathes had fallen. In his horrible affliction
the Criminal triumphed over the Avenger!

"Yes! yes!" shouted Cesarini, again; "they tell me she is dying; but he
is by her side;--pluck him thence--he shall not touch her hand--she
shall not bless him--she is mine--if I killed her, I have saved her from
him--she is mine in death. Let me in, I say,--I will come in,--I will,
I will see her, and strangle him at her feet." With that, by a
tremendous effort, he tore himself from the clutch of his holders, and
with a sudden and exultant bound sprang across the room, and stood face
to face with Maltravers. The proud brave than turned pale, and recoiled
a step--"It is he! it is he!" shrieked the maniac, and he leaped like a
tiger at the throat of his rival. Maltravers quickly seized his arm,
and whirled him round. Cesarini fell heavily on the floor, mute,
senseless, and in strong convulsions.

"Mysterious Providence!" murmured Maltravers, "thou hast justly rebuked
the mortal for dreaming he might arrogate to himself thy privilege of
vengeance. Forgive the sinner, O God, as I do--as thou teachest this
stubborn heart to forgive--as she forgave who is now with thee, a
blessed saint in heaven!"

When, some minutes afterwards, the doctor, who had been sent for,
arrived, the head of the stricken patient lay on the lap of his foe, and