usting and disgraceful fact!--Hath he endeavored to engraft the
impurity of his source on the untarnished stock of a noble and ancient
family! There is something exceeding mere duplicity in this, Signor
Grimaldi. There is a dark and meaning crime."

"There is that which much exceeds our means of remedying, good Melchior.
But let us not rashly blame the boy, whose birth is rather to be imputed
to him as a misfortune than as a crime. If he were a thousand Balthazars,
he has saved all our lives!"

"Thou sayest true--thou sayest no more than the truth. Thou wert always of
a more reasonable brain than I, though thy more southern origin would seem
to contradict it. Here, then, are all our fine fancies and liberal schemes
of generosity blown to the winds!"

"That is not so evident," returned the Genoese, who had not failed the
while to study the countenance of Adelheid, as if he would fully ascertain
her secret wishes. "There has been much discourse, fair Adelheid, between
thee and the youth on this matter?"

"Signore, there has. I was about to communicate the intentions of my
father; for the circumstances in which we were placed, the weight of our
many obligations, the usual distance which rank interposes between the
noble and the simply born, perhaps justified this boldness in a maiden,"
she added, though the tell-tale blood revealed her shame. "I was making
Sigismund acquainted with my father's wishes, when he met my confidence by
the avowal which I have just related."

"He deems his birth--?"

"An insuperable barrier to the connexion. Sigismund Steinbach, though so
little favored in the accident of his origin, is not a beggar to sue for
that which his own generous feelings would condemn."

"And thou?"

Adelheid lowered her eyes, and seemed to reflect on the nature of her
answer.

"Thou wilt pardon this curiosity, which may wear too much the aspect of
unwarrantable meddling, but my age and ancient friendship, the recent
occurrences, and a growing love for all that concerns thee, must plead my
excuses. Unless we know thy wishes, daughter, neither Melchior nor I can
act as we might wish?"

Adelheid was long and thoughtfully silent. Though every sentiment of her
heart, and all that inclination which is the offspring of the warm and
poetical illusions of love, tempted her to declare a readiness to
sacrifice every other consideration to the engrossing and pure affections
of woman, opinion with its iron gripe still he