THE

MONK OF THE GROTTO..

A Tale:

(Continued)

Three months had elapsed since Virginiad assumed the white veil, when one evening the governess of the Noviciates were perusing, at the hour of recreation, one of the journals which were taken in at the Bonvent for the amusement of the Nuns, and read with a loud voice the following paragraph, which she obseлved could not but be highly interesting to the Lady Abbess :

Eight days after she received, agreeable to her request, a Noviciate's habit. Her zeal, the fervour with which she falfilled her duties, soon acquired the esteem, and even the veneration of her sisters. The AbThe Ab. bess was profuse of her attentions, and remained incessantly with her. Virginia, on her part, became daily more attached to that respectable woman, whosemild virtues, en. lightened piety and indulgence towards the weakness of those over whom she ruled, excited in the breasts of the fair vota. ry of devotion, an attachmeut bordering on ethusiasm. But the extreme delicacy of her health inspired them with the continual apprehension of loss-tion to the happy couple. We

ing her. The physicians had already pronounced that the air of San Cipriano was too prejudicial to her recovery, to to allow her to remain longer in it; and the Count Vizzani, her brother, had already solicited permission of the Pope to exchange her Abbey for some other more congenial to the state of her constitution.

"The young Count Eugenio Caprara, who has just returned. from a secret mission to the Court of Vienna, it is reported is on the point of being married to his cousin, Signora Rosalia, only daughter of Count Vizzani. The necessary dispensations have been obtained, and the ceremony only awaits the arrival of the young Count at Romc, where the Cardinal Caprara is to give the nuptial benedic

are assured that the ceremony will take place on the 15th of this month."

An exclamation of despair resounded throughout the Convent. The governess raised her eyes, and observed several young Nuns busily employed about Virginia, who had fainted in their arms.

Near an hour passed away during which she seemed bereft of life. When she recovered, she found herselt surrounded by several of the sisterhood, and her head reclined on the bosom of the Abbess, who pressed her to her heart with maternal affection

"Oh Madam!" said she in a tone ef voice scrcely intelligable.

The Abbess immediately gave orders that she should be

left alone with Virginia, and hastened to afford har every consolation in her power. She was acquainted with the secret sorrows that rent the heart of the lovely and ill faced maiden, whose excessive paleness and de pression of soul excited more than ever her unaffected sympathy and compassion.

*

perceived her calm, and resigned to the confirmation of her misfortune.

Two days after Virginia repaired to her presence, threw herself at her feet, and entreatedher, with tears in her eyes, to abridge the period of her Noviciateship, and invest her with the black veil without delay.

ex

"You are now, Madam, on the point of leaving us," said she, sighing; "it is the last misfortune which threatens my obtained permission to sad life. I learn that you have chance this Abbey for another. I ought perhaps to rejoice, since the exchange will restore you to that health so necessary to the happiness of all who love you; but, alas! I feel it impossible not to regret your loss : grant me at least the consola

presence, those vows which are to squester me for ever from that world I cannot contemplate without horror. The black veil, now become the object of my most ardent desires, if placed by your own shand, will be still more dea

The holy sisters had attri-on of honouring, by your buted the sudden illness of Virginia solely to accident, or perhaps to the effect of that kind of austere life she had embraced, and to which she was yet unaccustomed. But the Abbess, after reflecting upon the various circumstances that had come to her knowledge, doubted not that the fatal paragraph was the cause, She remained with her a full hour, nor quitted her till she

to me.

"Wait, my dear daughter," replied the Abbess; "be care. ful of yieldingtoo hastily ao an emotion which is doubtless the

Virginia listened to the Abbess without interrupting her; her tears ceased to flow-helished regulations of the moncountenance had assumed that calm serenity, which for some time had formed its habitual expression.

ST. HERBERT,

OR THE

VICTIMS OF PREJUDICE.

A TALE.

forget us; we will solace ourselves with the reflection that we have done our duty, and we will consider him as dead!'

“At our return to the house, we found some of our neighbours sitting at the door, who had come to spend the evening with us; and had brought with them a young lady, who with her mother had come from the village of, and was going to New-York for her education, We passed the hours as usual, in cheerfulness and innocence-Louisa alone did

4

So saying, he threw himself into the carriage, and drove away, while Louisa placed her arm under mine, and we proceeded slow and thoughtful toward home. He is quite out of sight,' said she at length, turning her head with a sigh. He will never tread this path again.' 'Perhaps not, my child (replied I), but he has promisnot seem to relish our rustic ed to write to us often, and though the conversation of such a friend is much to be desired, yet since it cannot be obtained, we must not only be contented with such of his sentiments as he may favour us with, but must consider them as his valuable substitutes." "They would certainly be a precious acquisition to our little library,' said she smiling, but I fear in that great city where he has so many friends, he will forget us.' 'It cannot be (returned I) for though the generality of men are prone to ingratitude yet I, believe Julius to be one of the few who treasure in their mind, the remembrance of past kind. ness; but should I be mistaken------shonld Julius indeed

chat as formerly-she conversed but little, and now and then turned her bright eyes with a thoughtful air towards the gate, as though there was some one still expected whose presence was necessary to render our festivity complete. The girls perceived it, and upon enquir ing for, Julias, and being informed of his departure, they failed not to rally her upon what they termed the loss of her lover; piqued at the insinuation of her gravity proceed; ing from the grief occasioned by his absence, she exerted herself, and soon assumed a gaiety equal to ours, and when the company retired, entreated my permission to pass the night with my neighbour's