inexpressible fire, and his every feature became animated by the tortures which he was about to describe; but he suddenly checked himself, and only added: "Attend to these my directions, but try, if possible, to forget me. I am not what I seem. The time may come, will most probably arrive, when I shall appear in my real character to you. You, Wolfstein, have I singled out from the whole world to make the depositary" He ceased, and abruptly quitted the spot.
CHAPTER IV.
—Nature shrinks back
Enhorror'd from the lurid gaze of vengeance,
E'en in the deepest caverns, and the voice
Of all her works lies hush'd.
Olympia.
On Wolfstein's return to his habitation, he found
Megalena in anxious expectation of his arrival.
She feared that some misfortune had befallen
him. Wolfstein related to her the events of the preceding
night; they appeared to her mysterious and
inexplicable: nor could she offer any consolation to the
wretched Wolfstein.
The occurrences of the preceding evening left a load upon his breast, which all the gaieties of Genoa were insufficient to dispel: eagerly he longed for the visit of Ginotti. Slow dragged the hours: each day did he expect it, and each succeeding day brought but disappointment to his expectations.
Megalena too, the beautiful, the adored Megalena, was no longer what formerly she was, the innocent girl hanging on his support, and depending wholly upon him for defence and protection; no longer, with mild and love-beaming eyes, she regarded the haughty Wolfstein as a superior being, whose look or slightest
