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 mitted?—Ah! who could have thought that the hand of a brother could have perpetrated so cruel a deed!'

'I was wounded to the heart (said the monk) at hearing he was acquainted with the dreadful affair. I asked him what he knew concerning it.'

'I left the castle (answered he), a considerable time before my Lord, in order to apprise the nurse of his intended visit to the child. Tired at last of waiting for him, or rather apprehensive, from his long stay, that he was taken ill, and could not come, I was returning to the castle to terminate my suspense, when, in this very spot, I was suddenly stopped by surprise at seeing Monsieur Lausane a few yards before me, with a dagger in his hand, and an expression of the most violent rage in his face. I will not deny that I was panic-struck and unable to move even when I saw my Lord approaching. Oh! never shall I cease to regret my want of courage; though, alas! nothing but the greatest, the quickest exertion of it could have saved his