ue suspicions were,
after a time, communicated to his sister; but being, as she thought, the
young lady's sole companion, and not able to reproach herself with any
enlivening qualities, she could not account for this contented
demeanour. At length she was commanded to conceal herself in his wife's
apartments during his absence, to watch indefatigably, and report
whatever she could discover. The result was a full confirmation of all
his suspicions. He now exerted himself in devising means of vengeance:
he secretly prepared and placed before the fatal window a trap, composed
of sharpened steel arrows, and, rising long before day, set off on his
usual occupation. The old lady, carefully shutting the doors after him,
returned to her bed till day break; and his wife, awakened at this
unusual hour, could not refrain from uttering an ardent wish for the
company of her dear Muldumaric. He was instantly at her side; but had
received his death wound, and she found herself sprinkled with his
blood. Overpowered by fear and surprize, she could scarcely hear him say
he died for her, and that his prophecy was accomplished. She fainted in
his arms; but he conjured her to preserve her life, and announcing she
would have a son, whom she must call Ywonec, and who was destined to be
the avenger of both his parents. He then hastily departed through an
open and unguarded window. His mistress, uttering a piteous scream,
threw herself out of the same window, and pursued his flight by the
trace of his blood, which the first beams of morning enabled her to
distinguish. At length she arrived at a thick wood, where she was soon
surrounded with darkness; but pursued the beaten track, and emerged into
a meadow, where, recovering the trace of blood, she pursued it to a
large city of unexampled magnificence, which she entered, and proceeded
to the palace. No one was visible in the streets. In the first apartment
she found a knight asleep. She knew him not, and passed on to the next,
where she found a second equally unknown to her. She entered the third
room; and on a bed, which almost dazzled her by the splendour of its
ornaments, and which was surrounded by numerous torches blazing in
golden candlesticks, she recognised her dear Muldumaric, and sunk almost
lifeless with fatigue and terror by his side. Though very near his last
moments, he was still able to comfort and instruct her. He adjured her
to return instantly, while she could escape the notice o