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286 remains, which divested of their life-giving principles, were mouldering into dust! It was there, like the vulture seeking for its food, Sir Howard loved to hover, and indulge his gloomy taste in meditations suited to it.

Thus the spot had become familiar to Melliphant, who, since the residence of Rosilia at the neighbouring mansion, had never ceased to wander in its vicinity, like an evil and disturbed spirit, viewing the tomb as an asylum in cases of necessity; leaving it at times to take only a hasty circuit amidst the interior of the grounds, under the shade of those groves, whose avenues could offer so many escapes, to ward off that attention he was so fearful of attracting.

It was thus that Rosilia had chanced to see him. He had passed her, as we have described, not being able to deny himself the supreme felicity of gratifying awhile his senses; burning with the desire of feasting his eyes once more upon a form, so long withheld from his outward vision—admitted to his mental but through the medium of a delirious and frenzied fancy.