ng but the rosace-window which sparkled
magnificently in the back of the church. Hundreds of workmen, who were
singing merry songs, were on intricate, lightly-built scaffoldings,
occupied in making the towers a good third higher, and in covering the
cross and battlements, which had hitherto been only slated, with
strong, bright copper, which shone in the sunbeams. A thunder-cloud,
completely black, with borders of gold, was behind the building. When
it had spoken its thunder over Aix-la-Chapelle, and had darted some
ineffectual flashes in the direction of the cathedral, it sank
grumbling into the east, dissolved in vapour. It happened that while
the ladies were, from the steps of the spacious convent, contemplating
the double spectacle, absorbed in various thoughts, a nun who was
passing by learned who it was that was standing under the portico. The
abbess, therefore, who had heard of a letter respecting the affair of
the _Corpus Christi_ day, in the possession of the Netherland lady,
immediately sent the sister to her, requesting her to walk up. The
Netherland lady, although surprised for the moment, respectfully
complied with the request; and while her friend, at the invitation of
the nun, retired to a room near the entrance, the folding doors of the
beautifully-formed gallery were thrown open to the visitor who ascended
the stairs. There she found the abbess, who was a noble lady, of calm,
and even royal aspect, with her foot resting upon a stool supported by
dragons' claws. On a desk by her side lay the score of a piece of
music. The abbess, after she had desired her visiter to take a chair,
told her that she had been already informed of her arrival by the
burgomaster. When she had inquired after the state of the unfortunate
sons in the kindest manner, and had recommended her to console herself
as to their fate, now it was not to be altered, she expressed a wish to
see the letter which the preacher had sent to his friend, the
schoolmaster, at Antwerp. The lady, who had experience enough to see
what would be the consequence of such a step, felt confused for the
moment. However, as the venerable countenance of the abbess inspired
her with unlimited confidence, and it was by no means credible that she
could have any design of making a public use of the contents of the
letter, she took it from her bosom, after a short hesitation, and
handed it to the noble lady, fervently kissing her hand. Whilst the
abbess