d. She considered a moment,
and then rushed to the cabinet where Felicia's pernicious gift was
deposited. There indeed she found it with its "bright tint turned to a
sickly and disgusting hue." She contemplated it with an aspect of wild
despair, then with an effort of desperate resolution flew back to the
glass, where, for the first time for many months, she looked at herself
with eyes not blinded by vanity. What a spectacle presented itself to
her view! Gladly would she have found herself only reduced to her
original plainness. Her eyes then, though they sparkled not with the
lustre with which the fairy afterwards endowed them, were yet brightened
by the vivacity of youth. The texture of her skin was not so delicate,
but her cheeks glowed with ruddy health, and though no fascinating
dimples accompanied her smiles, they were the playful smiles of
innocence. Now, sad reverse! her eyes were dimmed and sunk in her head,
her cheeks hollow and of ghastly paleness, and the malevolent passions
that had corroded her heart, were traced in deep furrows over her
countenance. Almost frozen with horror she uttered a piercing shriek,
and fell lifeless on the floor. Claribel affrighted, endeavoured to
raise her, and called for assistance, but no one came near her. She
thought she heard an unusual disturbance in the castle. Sounds of
strange voices speaking loud, trampling of feet, and clapping of doors
met her ear, and appeared as if a general uproar prevailed throughout.
After she had for some time tried in vain to recover Amaranthe, Ursula
hastily entered the apartment, her face pale with terror and dismay,
which were increased by seeing the alarming state of her young mistress.
Claribel, while she assisted in restoring her, briefly related what had
happened, and the poor governess, on hearing it, broke out into bitter
lamentations. "Ah! wicked, treacherous fairy," said she, "how have you
abused my poor innocent children! would that you had never appeared with
your vile gifts, only to betray them to their ruin, and plunge them into
a thousand times greater misery than they could have experienced had
they never seen you."

Claribel earnestly enquired her meaning, and the cause of the
confusion she had heard, and with difficulty, amidst her sobs and moans,
gathered what Ursula had herself learned from Gabriel. The creditors of
Adrian, hearing of the extravagant style in which he lived, concluded he
must soon expend his fortune, and th