rd was spoken by any of the spectators of this mournful
ceremony, at the conclusion of which the four witnesses, bowing with
deep but silent respect to the prince, quitted the room.

"Brother," said Sarah, in a low voice, "request the clergyman to
accompany you to the adjoining room, and to have the goodness to wait
there a moment."

"How are you now, my dear sister?" asked Seyton. "You look very pale."

"Nay," replied she, with a haggard smile, "fear not for me; am I not
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein?" Left alone with Rodolph, Sarah murmured in
a feeble and expiring voice, while her features underwent a frightful
change, "I am dying; my powers are exhausted! I shall not live to kiss
and bless my child!"

"Yes, yes, you will. Calm yourself; she will soon be here."

"It will not be! In vain I struggle against the approach of Death. I
feel too surely his icy hand upon me; my sight grows dim; I can scarcely
discern even you."

"Sarah!" cried the prince, chafing her damp, cold hands with his. "Take
courage, she will soon be here; she cannot delay much longer!"

"The Almighty has not deemed me worthy of so great a consolation as the
presence of my child!"

"Hark, Sarah! Methinks I hear the sound of wheels. Yes, 'tis she,--your
daughter comes!"

"Promise me, Rodolph, she shall never know the unnatural conduct of her
wretched but repentant mother," murmured the countess, in almost
inarticulate accents.

The sound of a carriage rolling over the paved court was distinctly
heard, but the countess had already ceased to recognise what was passing
around her, her words became more indistinct and incoherent. Rodolph
bent over her with anxious looks; he saw the rising films of death veil
those beautiful eyes, and the exquisite features grow sharp and rigid
beneath the touch of the king of terrors.

"Forgive me,--my child! Let me--see--my--child! Pardon--at least!
And--after--death--the honours--due--to my--rank--" she faintly said,
and these were the last articulate words she uttered,--the one, fixed,
dominant passion of her life mingled, even in her last moments, with the
sincere repentance she expressed and, doubtless, felt. Just at that
awful moment Murphy entered.

"My lord," cried he, "the Princess Marie is arrived!"

"Let her not enter this sad apartment. Desire Seyton to bring the
clergyman hither." Then pointing to Sarah, who was slowly sinking into
her last moments, Rodolph added, "Heaven has refused her the
gr