ies revealed, and vengeance
demands a hasty recompense."

Hildebrand prostrated himself on the ground in the most abject
humiliation, and besought mercy.

"I will not harm thee, wretch," exclaimed the gallant knight: "to a
higher power I leave the work of retribution. The ministers of justice
await thee at my castle. I came hither first to seek my wife!--Lead the
way; thou shalt be witness to our meeting--wife, children, all. Our
bliss will to thee be misery that the most refined tortures could not
inflict. On--on."

Hildebrand, with imbecile agony, grasped at the very stones for succour.
He then rushed towards the bridge, and, ere his purpose could be
anticipated, with one wild yell, precipitated himself into the waters!

A few lines will suffice by way of explanation to this unlooked-for
termination of their sufferings.

When Lady Fairfax fled from the castle, in order to elude his
search,--for Hildebrand had the audacity to threaten by force to make
her his wife,--she threw off her cloak and head-dress, laying them on
the river's brink that it might appear as though she had accomplished
her own destruction. To the care of the faithful Alice she had committed
her children, and likewise the secret of her concealment. Alice was in
continual correspondence with her unfortunate mistress; and great was
the joy and exultation with which she communicated the arrival of a
messenger from her lord, whom she had long mourned as dead.
Providentially, no interview took place between Hildebrand and the
stranger on the night of his arrival; and sufficient time intervened to
enable Lady Fairfax to make a desperate attempt, in the hope of gaining
possession of the papers for which he had been sent. She well knew
Hildebrand would not relinquish the possession of credentials that might
ensure his lord's return. It was Lady Fairfax who had alarmed him the
same night by her appearance in his chamber. She hoped to have found him
asleep; but was enabled to get possession of the writings through his
timidity and surprise. With these she met the envoy, as he was returning
from the castle. Disclosing all the tortuous and daring villany of
Hildebrand, she committed the real documents to his care, instructing
him at the same time to lay before her sovereign the narrative of her
wrongs. Soon was the captivity of Sir Henry terminated; and joy,
heightened by recollection of the past, and chastened by the severity of
their misfortunes, attende