hair--her frame prostrate before the King of
Terrors who hovers over her with uplifted dart, and longs for the fiat
which should permit him to pierce his unconscious victim.

"Alas!" thought Philip, "is it thus we meet, Amine? Truly did Father
Mathias advise me, as I hurried so impetuously along, not (as I fondly
thought) to happiness, but to misery. God of Heaven! be merciful and
forgive me. If I have loved this angelic creature of Thy formation,
even more than I have Thee--spare her--good Heaven, spare her--or I am
lost for ever."

Philip covered up his face, and remained for some time in prayer. He
then bent over his Amine, and impressed a kiss upon her burning lips.
They were burning, but still there was moisture upon them, and Philip
perceived that there was also moisture on her forehead. He felt her
hand, and the palm of it was moist; and carefully covering her with
the bedclothes, he watched her with anxiety and hope.

In a quarter of an hour he had the delight of perceiving that Amine
was in a profuse perspiration; gradually her breathing became less
heavy, and instead of the passive state in which she had remained, she
moved, and became restless. Philip watched, and replaced the clothes
as she threw them off, until she at last appeared to have fallen into
a profound and sweet sleep. Shortly after, Father Seysen and the
physician made their appearance. Philip stated, in few words, what
had occurred. The doctor went to the bedside, and in half a minute
returned.

"Your wife is spared to you, Mynheer, but it is not advisable that she
should see you so unexpectedly; the shock may be too great in her
weak state; she must be allowed to sleep as long as possible; on her
awaking she will have returned to reason. You must leave her then to
Father Seysen."

"May I not remain in the room until she wakes? I will then hasten away
unobserved."

"That will be useless; the disease is contagious, and you have been
here too long already. Remain below; you must change your clothes, and
see that they prepare a bed for her in another room, to which she must
be transported as soon as you think she can bear it; and then
let these windows be thrown open, that the room may be properly
ventilated. It will not do to have a wife just rescued from the
jaws of death run the risk of falling a sacrifice to the attentions
necessary to a sick husband."

Philip perceived the prudence of this advice, and quitting the room
with the medi