" Thou speakest thus because thou knowest neither life nor love," replied the maiden. " Thou deemest wisely that a lofty purpose must call the strong man to effort, else lying dormant would his faculties perish with the rust of inactiv-ity. Our pious bishop, Aldred, used to say ; that any pur-pose so holy as not to need evil means to work its ends, like the consecration of the wafer, brings to the human soul the real presence of Christ." " Thy riddle is too deep for my poor wit," said Adela. " Tell me of the love I know not—thy love." " Thou fanciest thou lovest Connt Stephen," said Maude, with a sigh, " but should he plight his love to another, thou wouldst regard him with hate and scorn." " Aye, verily," replied Adela, her cheeks glowing, and her dark eye flashing, at the thought. . " So loved not Maude Earl Edwin. Thy father bade him give his hand to Agatha, and when I marked the un-divided current of their lives, flowing on in a stream of bliss, Ambition and Hope were quenched in my heart, but Love went forth to light their pathway, and gilds with heavenly radiance their early tomb." " Mande !" exclaimed Adela, enthusiastically, " thou wert not formed for this sinful world ; thou shonldst dwell with the angels, for verily thou art one of them." " Commend me not," said Maude, " thou little knowest the bitter repinings of my heart when I heard I might not enter the convent with Cicety, nor how my soul recoils from this unnatural alliance with Simon." "And thou wouldst rather kneel upon the cold stone floor, and scourge thy tender flesh with knotted cords, than live almost a princess in thy merrie England !" said Adela, with unaffected surprise. " Nay, rather would I work a weary pilgrimage to Pales-tine, and dwell an eremite in the lonely caves of Engaddi, had choice been left with me," answered Maude. " A pilgrimage were not so sad a fate," said Adela ; " the marvellous tales with which thou didst beguile my childhood hours, so wrought upon my fancy, that even to ADELA. 45