d their walk, as if the sight of this departure were no
equivalent to the imposing spectacle they were going to witness. A few,
however, remained in order to discover the real object of so large a
concourse of people.

An old gray-headed peasant, after having listened to the conversation
going on among the peasants, recognized in the crowd a man from his own
village, who had been residing for some time in the city, near the church
of Saint James, and who consequently, he thought, must be better informed
than the others in regard to Miss Van de Werve.

He elbowed his way through the crowd until he reached his friend, struck
him on the shoulder, and said:

"What is going on here, Master John, to collect such an assembly? I heard
some one say that Miss Van de Werve was about to leave for Italy."

"Ah! Master Stephen," said the other, "call her Madame Geronimo Deodati."

"Is she married?"

"One would say, Master Stephen, that our village is at the other end of
the world. Even the children of Antwerp bless this marriage as a striking
proof of God's justice."

"I did hear, friend John, that God had visibly avenged virtue and punished
crime. The assassin dies by a frightful death, and the victim becomes the
husband of the noblest and wealthiest young lady in the marquisate. Do you
know her, Master John?"

"Do I know her? She passes my house twice every day in going to church. I
furnish the family with bread, and I have frequent opportunities of
speaking with this amiable young lady."

"I would like to see her," said the old man, "but if I wait, I shall
arrive too late at the public square."

"You need not fear," replied Master John. "The executioner's car will not
leave the prison for an hour to come."

The peasant hesitated as to what he should do.

"Are you sure that the young lady will leave at once?"

"Immediately, Master Stephen. Mr. Van de Werve urges the departure--he
wishes to be out of the city before the executioner commences his work."

"Why," said the peasant, "did they wait until to-day? In their place I
would have gone long ago."

"Ah!" replied Master John, "here is another evidence of God's intervention
in these terrible affairs. The vessel which bears them to Italy has been
ready to sail for a week. During all that time the wind blew constantly
from the south-west; it changed to the east only last night, so that their
departure before was impossible. But the tide is high now and will
commence