once more, in fair terms, entreat you to absent yourself from this place-till-till—”

She paused, and Julian eagerly interrupted her," Till when, Alice ?-till when ?-impose on me any length of absence which your severity can inflict, short of a final separation-Say, begone for years, but return when these years are over; and, slow and wearily as they must pass away, still the thought, that they must at length have their period, will enable me to live through them. Let me, then, conjure thee, Alice, to name a date to fix a term-to say till when."

"Till you can bear to think of me only as a friend and sister."

"That is a sentence of eternal banishment indeed," said Julian; "it is seeming, no doubt, to fix a term of exile, but attaching to it an impossible condition."

"And why impossible, Julian ?" said Alice, in a tone of persuasion; "were we not happier ere you threw the mask from your own countenance, and tore the veil from my foolish eyes? Did we not meet with joy, spend our time happily, and part cheerily, because we transgressed

no duty, and incurred no self-reproach? Bring back that state of happy ignorance, and

you shall have no reason to call me unkind. But while you form schemes which I know to be imaginary, and use language of such violence and passion, you shall excuse me if I now, and once for all declare, that since Deborah shews herself unfit for the trust reposed in her, and must needs expose me to persecutions of this nature, I will write to my father, that he may fix me another place of residence; and in the meanwhile I will take shelter with my aunt at Kirk-Truagh."

"Hear me, unpitying girl," said Peveril, ❝hear me, and you shall see how devoted I am to obedience, in all that I can do to oblige you. You say you were happy when we spoke not on such topics-well-at all expence of my own suppressed feelings, that happy period shall return. I will meet you-walk with you-read with you-but only as a brother would with his sister, or a friend with his friend; the thoughts I may nourish, be they of hope or of despair, my tongue shall not give birth to, and therefore I cannot offend; Deborah shall be ever by your side, and

1

her presence shall prevent my even hinting at what might displease you-only do not make a crime to me of those thoughts, which are the dearest part of my existence; for believe me it were better and kinder to rob me of existence itself."

"This is the mere ecstacy of passion, Julian," answered Alice Bridgenorth; "that which is unpleasant, our selfish and stubborn will represents as impossible. I have no confidence in the plan you propose-no confidence in your resolution, and less than none in the protection of Deborah. Till you can renounce, honestly and explicitly, the wishes you have lately expressed, we must be strangers ;-and could you renounce them even on this moment, it were better that we should part for a long time; and, for Hea ven's sake, let it be as soon as possible-perhaps it is even now too late to prevent some unpleasant accident-I thought I heard a noise."

"It was Deborah," answered Julian. "Be not afraid, Alice; we are secure against surprise."

"I know not," said Alice, "what you mean by such security-I have nothing to hide. I sought not this interview; on the contrary, averted it as long as I could-and am now most desirous to break it off."

"And wherefore, Alice, since you say it must be our last? Why should you shake the sand which is passing so fast? the very executioner hurries not the prayers of the wretches upon the scaffold. And see you not-I will argue as coldly as you can desire-see you not that you are breaking your own word, and recalling the hope which yourself held out to me ?”

"What hope have I suggested? What word have I given, Julian ?" answered Alice. "You yourself build wild hopes in the air, and accuse me of destroying what had never any earthly foundation. Spare yourself, Julian-spare me -and in mercy to us both, depart, and return not again till you can be more reasonable."... it is you,

"Reasonable ?" replied Julian; "it is Alice, who will deprive me altogether of reason. Did you not say, that if our parents could be

brought to consent to our union, you would no longer oppose my suit ?"

"No-no-no,” said Alice eagerly, and blushing deeply," I did not say so, Julian-it was your own wild imagination which put construction on my silence and my confusion.”

"You do not say so, then," answered Julian; "and if all other obstacles were removed, I should find one in the cold flinty bosom of her who pays the most devoted and sincere affection, with contempt and dislike.-Is that," he added, in a deep tone of feeling, "is that what Alice Bridgenorth says to Julian Peveril ?”

"Indeed indeed, Julian," said the almost weeping girl," I do not say so-I say nothing, and I ought not to say any thing concerning what I might do, in a state of things which can never take place. Indeed, Julian, you ought not thus to press me. Unprotected as I am—wisliing you well-very well-why should you urge me to say or do what would lessen me in my own eyes? to own affection for one from whom fate has separated me for ever? It is ungenerous -it is cruel-it is seeking a momentary and: