ued, though I fear too late, by your humanity
and benevolence."

She shed a flood of tears at the conclusion of this mournful tale, which
did not fail to affect the whole audience, especially Serafina, who
assured her, that, whatever should happen to her husband, she might
depend upon finding favour and protection, provided her conduct should
correspond with her professions. While this grateful creature kissed the
hand of her kind benefactress, Fathom uttered a groan, began to stir in
the bed, and with a languid voice called upon Elenor, who, instantly
withdrawing the curtain, presented the whole company to his view. He had
now retrieved the use of his perception by the operation of the blisters,
which began to torture him severely; he looked around him with amazement
and affright, and distinguishing the three persons against whom the chief
arrows of his fraud and treachery had been levelled, he concluded that he
was now arrived at the land of departed souls, and that the shades of
those whom he had so grievously injured were come to see him tormented
according to his demerits.

Fraught with this notion, which was confirmed by the bodily pain which he
felt, and the appearance of the clergyman and Joshua, whom he mistook for
the ministers of vengeance, he cried in a tone replete with horror, "Is
there no mercy then for penitence? Is there no pity due to the miseries
I suffered upon earth? Save me, O bountiful Heaven! from the terrors of
everlasting woe; hide me from these dreadful executioners, whose looks
are torture. Forgive me, generous Castilian. O Renaldo! thou hadst once
a tender heart. I dare not lift my eyes to Serafina! that pattern of
human excellence, who fell a victim to my atrocious guilt; yet her aspect
is all mildness and compassion. Hah! are not these the drops of pity?
Yes, they are the tears of mercy. They fall like refreshing showers upon
my drooping soul! Ah, murdered innocence! wilt thou not intercede for
thy betrayer at the throne of grace!"

Here he was interrupted by Melvil, who with a grave and solemn air
pronounced, "Great hath been thy guilt, unhappy Ferdinand, and great have
been thy sufferings. Yet we come not to insult, but to alleviate thy
distress. Providence hath kindly defeated thy dire intentions, which we
therefore now forgive and transmit to oblivion, whether it be thy lot to
yield up thy spirit immediately, or to survive the dangerous malady with
which thou art at prese