cers hastened to the assistance of the two who
had led Amine forward, and proceeded to disengage her from Philip's
arms. The struggle was severe. Philip appeared to be endued with the
strength of twenty men; and it was some minutes before they could
succeed in separating him and when they had so done, his struggles were
dreadful.

Amine, also, held by two of the familiars, shrieked, as she attempted
once more, but in vain, to rush into her husband's arms. At last, by a
tremendous effort, Philip released himself; but as soon as he was
released, he sank down helpless on the pavement; the exertion had caused
the bursting of a blood-vessel, and he lay without motion.

"Oh God! Oh God! they have killed him! monsters--murderers!--let me
embrace him but once more!" cried Amine, frantically.

A priest now stepped forward--it was Father Mathias--with sorrow in his
countenance; he desired some of the bystanders to carry out Philip
Vanderdecken, and Philip, in a state of insensibility, was borne away
from the sight of Amine, the blood streaming from his mouth.

Amine's sentence was read--she heard it not, her brain was bewildered.
She was led back to her seat, and then it was that all her courage, all
her constancy and fortitude gave way; and during the remainder of the
ceremony, she filled the cathedral with her wild hysterical sobbing; all
entreaties or threats being wholly lost upon her.

All was now over except the last and most tragical scene of the drama.
The culprits who had been spared were led back to the Inquisition by
their godfathers, and those who had been sentenced were taken down to
the banks of the river to suffer. It was on a large open space, on the
left of the custom-house, that this ceremony was to be gone through. As
in the cathedral raised thrones were prepared for the Grand Inquisitor
and the who, in state headed the procession, followed by an immense
concourse of people. Thirteen stakes had been set up, eight for the
living, or the dead. The executioners were sitting on, or standing by,
the piles of wood and faggots, waiting for their victims. Amine could
not walk she was at first supported by the familiars, and then carried
by them, to the stake which had been assigned for her. When they put
her on her feet opposite to it, her courage appeared to revive, she
walked boldly up, folded her arms and leant against it.

The executioners now commenced their office: the chains were passed
round Ami