perfidy, of which she was to be the unsupecting agent.

The belief in talismans is still prevalent throughout the East; and perhaps even the enlightened Mahmoud himself, is not superior to the rest of his nation in matters of traditionary superstition. He sent one day for the fair Georgian, and affecting a great love for her person, and desire to advance her interests, told her that it was his imperial will to send her to Egypt, as a present to Mahmet Ali, whose power and riches were as unbounded as the regions over which he held the sway of a sovereign prince, second to no one in the universe but to himself, the great Padisha. He observed to her how much happiness would fall to her lot, if she could contrive to captivate the affections of the master for whom he designed her; that she would become as it were the Queen of Egypt, and would also reign over boundless empires. But in order to insure to her so desirable a consummation of his imperial wishes for her welfare and happiness, he would present her with a talisman, which he then placed upon her finger.

'Watch,' said he, 'a favourable moment, when the Pacha is lying on your bosom, to drop this ring into a glass of water, which, when he shall have drunk, will give you the full possession of his affections, and render him your captive for ever.'

The unsuspecting Georgian accepted eagerly the lot which was offered to her, and, dazzled by its promised splendour, determined upon following the instructions of the Sultan to the very letter.

In the due course of time she arrived at Cairo, with a splendid suite, and many slaves bearing rich presents. Mahmet Ali's spies had, how ever, contrived to put him on his guard. Such a splendid demonstration of esteem from his imperial master alarmed him for his safety.

He would not suffer the fair Georgian to see the light of his countenance; but, after some detention in Cairo, made a present of her to his intimate friend, Billel Aga, the Governor of Alexandria, of whom, bythe-bye, the Pacha had long been jealous. The poor Georgian having lost a Pacha, thought she must do her best to captivate an Aga, and she administered to him the fatal draught in the manner Sultan Mahmoud had designed for Mahmet Ali. The Aga fell dead upon the floor; the Georgian shrieked and clapped her hands; in rushed the eunuchs of the harem, and bore out the dead body of their master.

When the Georgian was accused of poisoning the Aga, she calmly denied the fact. What did you give him?" was the question. 'I gave him a glass of water, into which I had dropped a talisman. See! there is the glass, and there is the ring. The ring, it was true, remained, but the stone which it had encircled was melted in the water." From the unpublished Travels of Captain Franklin.

The Novelist.

CONSTANCE, THE MERCHANT'S DAUGHTER;

OR, THE STRANGER OF THE HOLLOW OAK

THE night had begun to sink on Sherwood Forest, after one of the stormiest days that had been known in the reign of King Henry the Third. The old merchant, Leonard Lorimer, who was journeying through the forest with valuable baggage, and a commodity that he valued still more-his beautiful daughter Constance, reputed the brightest-eyed damsel within the four seas of Britain, trembled as he looked around him-although guarded by a band of men-at-arms, whom he had hired for his protection at the last market-town he had passed, and called sadly to his mind the pre

L

diction of an old gypsey, to whom he had that morning refused an almsgift, that he should meet with one in the forest, who would sadden his heart for ever.'

His apprehensions seemed about to be verified, for as he was sadly repeating the prophecy to himself for at least the thirtieth time, and vowing to the Virgin that he would atone for his hardness of heart by lighting thirty candles, and saying thirty Ave Marias before her shrine at Notting. ham, should she grant him a safe arrival there, one of the scouts whom had been sent on before to espy the path, returned with a report that he dreaded an ambush at the Hollow Oak, about a hundred yards in front. He could hear, he said, something stirring inside the tree, and the place had often been the scene of robbery and murder.

The merchant wrung his hands in despair, and the cavalcade suddenly stopped; a consultation was held as to what was to be done: the old trader, irresolute, unwilling to stake his property on the hazard of a combat, could do nothing but wring his hands, and make vows to the Virgin. His beautiful daughter, who had descended from her litter on the first intimation of danger, now offered her counsel. Could not one of them, she' said, go and treat with the robbers, and offer them a ransom-if it were refused, they must stand to their arms, and see if true men could not for once fight as well as rogues.

The counsel is good,' said the leader of the troop, an old grey-headed man, who seemed rather more alive to danger than befitted one of his profession; the counsel is good, if you can but get any body to go and offer that ransom. I will not, for one. The leader of these robbers, Walter the Wolf, as he is called, will no more listen to reason, than the beast he is named after his patron saint, as he calls him. He is like to greet the

bearer of any proposals with three inches of cold steel, by way of answer; and for my part, if die I must, I prefer dying with arms in my hands, and and a few slain bowmen around me.'

His companions all declared their acquiescence, in spite of the reproaches of the old man, and the ample reward which, in the anguish of his heart, he offered for their obedience. Nay, some of them seemed inclined to make a retreat altogether. They had contracted, they said, to defend him if attacked, which he had not been as yet, but they had not agreed to stake their lives, if he wilfully persisted in running into danger, which he now seemed bent upon.

With this nice distinction for their justification, several made no scruple to slink away behind the trees, and every minute that the altercation continued, the train was visibly lessening in numbers.

'Cowards!' said Constance, her eyes flashing with indignation, 'give me a sword and shield, and I, a woman, will undertake the task which none of you dare to accept. I will advance to this ambush, and propose terms to this robber-captain. If they are refused, if violence is offered, I have a sword- and a heart that fears not death. Shame on ye, that ye call yourselves men, and allow yourselves to be surpassed by a woman in the virtue men boast of as their own.'

The weapons were offered her, although the men who did so seemed sorely ashamed at their conduct-and thus Constance, armed amid the contradictory exclamations of her father, who now applauded her courage, now called on her to come back, and not risk her life, advanced along the path. On the right hand stood a gigantic oak, the trunk of which was so enormous, that the inner part of it, which was completely hollow, might have served for an apartment, and the branches cast a deep shade all around. To this she bent her eyes, and saw

perfidy, of which she was to be the unsupecting agent.

The belief in talismans is still prevalent throughout the East; and perhaps even the enlightened Mahmoud himself, is not superior to the rest of his nation in matters of traditionary superstition. He sent one day for the fair Georgian, and affecting a great love for her person, and desire to advance her interests, told her that it was his imperial will to send her to Egypt, as a present to Mahmet Ali, whose power and riches were as unbounded as the regions over which he held the sway of a sovereign prince, second to no one in the universe but to himself, the great Padisha. He observed to her how much happiness would fall to her lot, if she could contrive to captivate the affections of the master for whom he designed her; that she would become as it were the Queen of Egypt, and would also reign over boundless empires. But in order to insure to her so desirable a consummation of his imperial wishes for her welfare and happiness, he would present her with a talisman, which he then placed upon her finger.

Watch,' said he, 'a favourable moment, when the Pacha is lying on your bosom, to drop this ring into a glass of water, which, when he shall have drunk, will give you the full possession of his affections, and render him your captive for ever.'

The unsuspecting Georgian accepted eagerly the lot which was offered to her, and, dazzled by its promised splendour, determined upon following the instructions of the Sultan to the very letter.

In the due course of time she arrived at Cairo, with a splendid suite, and many slaves bearing rich presents. Mahmet Ali's spies had, how ever, contrived to put him on his guard. Such a splendid demonstration of esteem from his imperial master alarmed him for his safety.

He would not suffer the fair Georgian to see the light of his countenance; but, after some detention in Cairo, made a present of her to his intimate friend, Billel Aga, the Governor of Alexandria, of whom, bythe-bye, the Pacha had long been jealous. The poor Georgian having lost a Pacha, thought she must do her best to captivate an Aga, and she administered to him the fatal draught in the manner Sultan Mahmoud had designed for Mahmet Ali. The Aga fell dead upon the floor; the Georgian shrieked and clapped her hands; in rushed the eunuchs of the harem, and bore out the dead body of their master.

When the Georgian was accused of poisoning the Aga, she calmly denied the fact. What did you give him?' was the question. 'I gave him a glass of water, into which I had dropped a talisman. See! there is the glass, and there is the ring. The ring, it was true, remained, but the stone which it had encircled was melted in the water." From the unpublished Travels of Captain Franklin.

The Novelist.

CONSTANCE, THE MERCHANT'S DAUGHTER;

OR, THE STRANGER OF THE HOLLOW OAK

THE night had begun to sink on Sherwood Forest, after one of the stormiest days that had been known in the reign of King Henry the Third. The old merchant, Leonard Lorimer, who was journeying through the forest with valuable baggage, and a commodity that he valued still more-his beautiful daughter Constance, reputed the brightest-eyed damsel within the four seas of Britain, trembled as he looked around him-although guarded by a band of men-at-arms, whom he had hired for his protection at the last market-town he had passed, and called sadly to his mind the prediction of an old gypsey, to whom he had that morning refused an almsgift, that he should meet with one in the forest, who would sadden his heart for ever.'

His apprehensions seemed about to be verified, for as he was sadly repeating the prophecy to himself for at least the thirtieth time, and vowing to the Virgin that he would atone for his hardness of heart by lighting thirty candles, and saying thirty Ave Marias before her shrine at Notting. ham, should she grant him a safe arrival there, one of the scouts whom had been sent on before to espy the path, returned with a report that he dreaded an ambush at the Hollow Oak, about a hundred yards in front. He could hear, he said, something stirring inside the tree, and the place had often been the scene of robbery and murder.

The merchant wrung his hands in despair, and the cavalcade suddenly stopped; a consultation was held as to what was to be done: the old trader, irresolute, unwilling to stake his property on the hazard of a combat, could do nothing but wring his hands, and make vows to the Virgin. His beautiful daughter, who had descended from her litter on the first intimation of danger, now offered her counsel. Could not one of them, she' said, go and treat with the robbers, and offer them a ransom-if it were refused, they must stand to their arms, and see if true men could not for once fight as well as rogues.

'The counsel is good,' said the leader of the troop, an old grey-headed man, who seemed rather more alive to danger than befitted one of his profession; the counsel is good, if you can but get any body to go and offer that ransom. I will not, for one.The leader of these robbers, Walter the Wolf, as he is called, will no more listen to reason, than the beast he is named after his patron saint, as he calls him. He is like to greet the

bearer of any proposals with three inches of cold steel, by way of answer; and for my part, if die I must, I prefer dying with arms in my hands, and and a few slain bowmen around me.'

His companions all declared their acquiescence, in spite of the reproaches of the old man, and the ample reward which, in the anguish of his heart, he offered for their obedience. Nay, some of them seemed inclined to make a retreat altogether. They had contracted, they said, to defend him if attacked, which he had not been as yet, but they had not agreed to stake their lives, if he wilfully persisted in running into danger, which he now seemed bent upon.

With this nice distinction for their justification, several made no scruple to slink away behind the trees, and every minute that the altercation continued, the train was visibly lessening in numbers.

'Cowards!' said Constance, her eyes flashing with indignation, 'give me a sword and shield, and I, a woman, will undertake the task which none of you dare to accept. I will advance to this ambush, and propose terms to this robber-captain. If they are refused, if violence is offered, I have a sword- and a heart that fears not death. Shame on ye, that ye call yourselves men, and allow yourselves to be surpassed by a woman in the virtue men boast of as their own."

The weapons were offered her, although the men who did so seemed sorely ashamed at their conduct-and thus Constance, armed amid the contradictory exclamations of her father, who now applauded her courage, now called on her to come back, and not risk her life, advanced along the path. On the right hand stood a gigantic oak, the trunk of which was so enormous, that the inner part of it, which was completely hollow, might have served for an apartment, and the branches cast a deep shade all around. To this she bent her eyes, and saw

some object stir within. A sound caught her ear-it was not the clash of arms, nor a robber's war-cry-it was a human groan. She started at the unexpected sound-her cheek grew pale, and for a moment she trembled like an aspen leaf--but it was only for a moment. Recovering her courage, with a blush at her fears, she rapidly advanced towards the oak, paused, and entered it.

By the imperfect light of the moon, which was now struggling through a mass of storm clouds, she discovered a figure lying on the ground within, seemingly writhing in agony.

Who art thou ?" exclaimed she. '1 am a dying man,' was the reply, uttered with evident difficulty and pain. Kill me, I beseech thee-release me from my misery, and may the Virgin pardon all thy crimes for the good deed.'

Thou thinkest_me a robber,' said Constance, but I am not-I leave thee but for a moment-I will be back hither instantly.'

The men-at-arms could hardly believe the information of Constance, when she told them that the supposed ambush was after all nothing but a wounded man. Her safe return, how ever gave evidence in her favour, and they were persuaded to kindle torches and advance towards the hollow oak. Its unhappy inmate closed his eyes with a groan, at the intrusion of the dazzling light. Though pale with loss of blood, his features appeared to Con. stance the handsomest she had ever seen. He had seemingly not long passed the twenty-first year of his age, and was clad in a magnificent suit of armour of Milan steel, such as was then only worn by knights of distinguished rank.

Poor fellow!' said Leonard Lorimer, our entrance seems to disturb him much. Let us leave him, and pray to the Virgin on our onward way for the good of his soul. Come, Constance, my dear girl, if we stay longer

here, the robbers that have done this foul work may espy us, and treat us worse. Delay no longer, I beseech you, for I can hardly think myself safe till I am within the walls of Nottingham. We can do nothing for this unfortunate knight.'

Nay, father, I think differently,' said Constance, who, like most ladies of King Henry's days, had acquired a passable knowledge of surgery, especially such as related to the cure of wounds, and who had spent a few minutes in carefully examining that which the knight had received; ' this wound is not mortal, and with the Virgin's blessing, I think even my poor skill would suffice to cure it.it is our duty as Christians to look carefully to it, and not suffer to pass idly so favourable an opportunity of doing good.

• Ay, it is our duty, child, said the old merchant peevishly, that is, it would be our duty, if the time and tide were fitting. But it is not right as times stand, to risk all our lives for this stranger knight, who seems half killed already, and who, perhaps, would hardly thank us for keeping him alive in such pain as he suffers. I know what you would say, child,' he continued, as the eye of his daughter was fixed somewhat reproachfully upon him, and his own heart smote him for what he said: 'I know what you would say, and I would gratify you if I could-but even supposing we took pity on the stranger, how could we provide for his conveyance? what is there to carry him on in our train?"

'He can take my litter,' said Constance, and I will ride on one of the horses. Nay, my dear father, do not object; let no petty feeling of expense or inconvenience be allowed to interfere with the dictates of your own kind heart. Let us do to others as we would be done by.'

Well, well, order it as you like,' said the old merchant, all I bargain

1