in her eternal darkness. She thought of her own
desolate fate, far from her native land, far from the bland cares that
once assuaged the April sorrows of childhood--deprived of the light of
day, with none but strangers to guide her steps, accursed by the one
soft feeling of her heart, loving and without hope, save the dim and
unholy ray which shot across her mind, as her Thessalian fancies
questioned of the force of spells and the gifts of magic.

Nature had sown in the heart of this poor girl the seeds of virtue
never destined to ripen. The lessons of adversity are not always
salutary--sometimes they soften and amend, but as often they indurate
and pervert. If we consider ourselves more harshly treated by fate than
those around us, and do not acknowledge in our own deeds the justice of
the severity, we become too apt to deem the world our enemy, to case
ourselves in defiance, to wrestle against our softer self, and to
indulge the darker passions which are so easily fermented by the sense
of injustice. Sold early into slavery, sentenced to a sordid
taskmaster, exchanging her situation, only yet more to embitter her
lot--the kindlier feelings, naturally profuse in the breast of Nydia,
were nipped and blighted. Her sense of right and wrong was confused by
a passion to which she had so madly surrendered herself; and the same
intense and tragic emotions which we read of in the women of the classic
age--a Myrrha, a Medea--and which hurried and swept away the whole soul
when once delivered to love--ruled, and rioted in, her breast.

Time passed: a light step entered the chamber where Nydia yet indulged
her gloomy meditations.

'Oh, thanked be the immortal gods!' said Julia, 'I have returned, I have
left that terrible cavern! Come, Nydia! let us away forthwith!'

It was not till they were seated in the litter that Julia again spoke.

'Oh!' said she, tremblingly, 'such a scene! such fearful incantations!
and the dead face of the hag!--But, let us talk not of it. I have
obtained the potion--she pledges its effect. My rival shall be suddenly
indifferent to his eye, and I, I alone, the idol of Glaucus!'

'Glaucus!' exclaimed Nydia.

'Ay! I told thee, girl, at first, that it was not the Athenian whom I
loved: but I see now that I may trust thee wholly--it is the beautiful
Greek!'

What then were Nydia's emotions! she had connived, she had assisted, in
tearing Glaucus from Ione; but only to transfer, by all the power