The Jew arose. "Nay, my good brother," said the queen, " forgive this weakness. I would fain speak with thy friend." Procida came forward and stood in respectful silence waiting her commands. " Hast ever been in London ?" inquired she, earnestly re-garding him. " My noble queen recalls not then the face of Raymond Lullius, who coined rose nobles for her royal lord. She may, perhaps, remember the curiosity of the young Prince Alphonso, whose little hand no doubt still bears the scar of the melted metal he snatched from the crucible." At the mention of her son, the mother's tears began to flow. " My sweet Alphonso sleeps in the tomb of his an-cestors," replied she, when she had somewhat recovered h*er composure ; " but I mind me of the accident, though surely 'tis another scene that hath impressed thy features on my memory." " Your majesty refers to the slaughter of the Jews," re-turned Procida, in a sorrowful tone, " and the victim slain at your feet was my aged father Ben-Abraham. Of all my family I alone escaped, through the timely interposition of the gallant Prince Edward." " Ah ! now I comprehend thy haste to serve my brother," interrupted Alphonso. "Thou must know, sweet sister mine," said he, turning to the queen, " that the secrets of our art are for the learned alone, but king as I am, I found it impossible to prevent my worthy Procida from leaving ïhy court to aid the English sovereign in increasing his revenue by transmuting mercury into gold." " It is then true that metals can be thus transmuted," said Eleanora, with an incredulous smile. The alchemists exchanged glances of intelligence, but Alphonso, remembering her ready appreciation of his as-tronomical theory, answered Procida's hesitating look, with " Nay, 'tis but for once—our sister is an earnest seeker of truth, and if she comprehend will not betray our secret." Thus saying, Alphonso threw open a door and conducted ELEANORA. 423