ple for life. Carlo was allowed to accompany his friend, and attend upon him during the course of a tedious confinement, succeeded by but a partial recovery. The mind of Lorenzo was irreparably shattered; the aspirations of genius chilled; and the vainlycherished dreams for the future dissipated for ever.

'A distinguished English artist, who had previously known and valued his talents, chancing to revisit Florence, and becoming acquainted with his sad state, though unaware of the facts of the case, saw enough to convince him that the major part of the disease was not in the body. offered, therefore, to furnish a total change of scene, by taking the friends with him to London, and there find them sufficient employment for their maintenance.

He

Lorenzo was perfectly indifferent to the present and the future the horrid past alone being ever before his imagination; but Carlo, thoughtful beyond his years, and anxious to withraw his companion and escape himself from the scenes of recollections so painful, easily persuaded him to accept the kind offer.

It may be wondered at that no active stir was made for the discovery and punishment of the murderers of the marchese; but the state of the government was not yet settled enough to work the requisite machinery for their pursuit and identification; and the principal surviving relatives of the deceased noble, Bernardo and Adine-the latter incapacitated by affliction, and the former passive through dread of his own participation in the midnight attack being divulged-not actively urging the authorities, the tragedy, at a period so eventful, soon passed from general memory. Νο obstacle, then, was offered to the departure of Lorenzo and Carlo from Florence.

'The very morning of the consummated crime, Filippo had contrived-having previously procured a passport-to evacuate Tuscany, and eventually found his way to the English metropolis, with a considerable share of the ill-gotten booty. Adine, past all thought for worldly affairs, virtually allowed her cousin the management of her property; and, influenced more by a wish to

escape daily intercourse with him, than by aught else, accepted the invitation of an English family of high rank, to accompany them to London for an indefinite period. Thus were some of the principal personages of our drama once more-though unwittingly and far apart--consorted in the same metropolis.

6

The family with whom Adine resided belonged to that modern section of the religious world that strives to appropriate the better characteristics of the papal faith; devoting themselves with sincere and untiring energy to the assuagement of the calamities of fallen humanity. Adine enthusiastically entered into all their benevolent plans; and the very sight of her angel face, beaming amid the humble garb of a sister of mercy, brought solace to many a suffering invalid. Filippo found congenial employment by entering into partnership with a fellow-countryman in a night gamblinghouse in the neighbourhood of Leicester Square.

Misfortune, in the meanwhile, still dogged their path, and laid a heavy hand upon our hapless heroes. Not very long after their establishment in a tolerably comfortable position, their kind patron met with serious pecuniary losses from the bursting of one of those bubble companies, the careless and culpable supineness of whose directors--taking into account the real amount of distress and wretchedness occasioned-cause the follies and crimes of the Bernardos and Filippos of society to mount with feathery lightness in the recording balance. A naturally nervous temperament was SO greatly shocked by this occurrence, as to necessitate a temporary retirement from active life; and Lorenzo, now, alas! mentally bereaved of artistic skill, and physically disqualified by his maimed arm, lost the remunerative, if undignified, employment of filling in backgrounds.

'Not long since, I heard my present owner reading in a popular work of fiction,* scenes illustrating a character depicted therein. It is the daughter of a clergyman, restricted by a malady from other exercise than removal from bed to sofa and vice versa; yet repre* Chronicles of Carlingford.

sented as taking interest in all the busy concerns of the community around her, though in a sarcastic and unamiable way. In a suburb of this city resides a lady, alike and yet how unlike! With the same corporeal disqualification, and the same interest in the society from which she is partially secluded, the better spirit rises superior to the mortal clay; and her time and talents are devoted to solacing the troubles, and in some way contributing to the welfare of all that are so fortunate as to fall within the sphere of her influence.

'Through her instrumentality, young Carlo had obtained a situation in a foreign merchant's warehouse, in which employ his knowledge of the Italian language made him a valuable acquisition. Through her, also, his presence in London became known to Adine, to whom he had been mentioned as a fellow-countryman, during one of the calls of the latter, while co-operating in some kindred scheme of benevolence; little aware as the speaker was of any former connection between them. Adine did not fail to forward him many a handsome present through her kind informant, but requesting their source might not be divulged. Till the affliction, therefore, alluded to in the preceding paragraph, fortune seemed to smile again upon the boy; but after that, the desolate and helpless state of his friend obliged the resignation of his situation.

From low to lower they gradually sank; shame precluded application to their good patroness; and Lorenzo was eventually driven to the humble employment of a photographer in an inferior purlieu of the City Road; while Carlo acted, now as assistant manipulator inside, and now outside the door touting for the entry of the passers-by. Many chance customers that would not otherwise have been induced to

invest a shilling in their counterfeit presentment," were attracted by the engaging and intelligent countenance of the boy; and numbers of the (by courtesy) fair sex of the neighbourhood were lured by the desire of seeing the still handsome, though blighted countenance of the interesting "furriner."

In such situation I last saw him, and there they might now be remaining, but

'That sad narrative I promised, and, as eye-witness of the circumstances, am best qualified to relate,' curtly interrupted the Tuscan lion; and with the permission of our auditor will continue.'

The petulant cross resisted; but in the midst of the squabble-Hot water, sir,' was the accompaniment to a loud tapping at the door; and I awoke to the full glare of daylight.

THE DÉNOUEMENT.-PART I.

BIRCHIN LANE.

'Wheree'r we range

Appears a change.'

I AWOKE, as may well be imagined, unrefreshed by my night's quasi rest. After my matutinal sacrifice to the graces, and a hurried breakfast, I resolutely set to, with head all muddled as it was, to jot down the visions of the night as well as I could remember them, and such as they have been laid before my readers. Here, then, may find its appropriate place what I afterwards learned, and what the yellow Tuscan lion might, could, would, or should' have said.

The clock over the post-office in Lombard Street pointed to five. The usual two or three hours' block at each end of that busy thoroughfare no longer existed; and the bankers and merchants of the neighbourhood might be seen speeding homewards in substantial-looking equipages, hailing cab or omnibus, or taking a constitutional on foot.

An uninitiated observer could have comprehended that; but he would have been at a loss to account for the gradual congregation of individuals of all ages under the arches and in the courts connecting the rich street of the bankers with Birchin Lane, one of which was named years ago, from its proximity to the Great Exchange, but without the slightest anticipation of the peculiar appropriateness of the designation. in the middle of the nineteenth century'Change Alley.

The majority, especially the juvenile portion of the gathering, were holding thin books of various sizes, which they were assiduously pressing on the attention of the

numerous passers-by, most of whom seemed to have taken that way for the purpose; and silver and copper, nay, sometimes gold, passed from hand to hand in all directions.

This was the then-flourishing Stamp Exchange; and the curious observer would have been amused at the varied aspect of the component parts, and the conversation of the detached groups.

There was a sprinkling of dark foreigners who were sure to be objects of eager interest, as most probably prepared to barter South American or other coveted and rare specimens. There were sporting a silver watch

and gold chain, the proceeds of his novel but lucrative traffic; handsome —— -, joking, and larking, and chaffing the policemen; remarkable for never sporting the same waistcoat or tie for two consecutive days, and who only changed, never sold;' with primrose kids, apparently ashamed of his position as itinerant street vendor ; -, walking up and down, cigar in mouth, and disposing of his stock as if he honoured his customers by so doing. 'Cum multis aliis quos nunc perscribere longum est.'

The snatches of conversation were entertaining. Where is ?' 'Oh! the people at the eating-house threw some greasy water out of window yesterday, and spoiled his best cap, and his mother won't let him come here any more; and

what is become of him? He used to be a constant attendant.' 'Don't you know? He was taken before the Lord Mayor last week for obstructing the way, and doesn't want to repeat his visit.'

It is six o'clock. Policeman D 456, much more civil than the rest of his fraternity, leaves the beat, and D 457 takes his place. At his approach books and sheets of paper rapidly disappear, and everyone tries to assume the guise of a casual passenger. 'I tell 'ee what 'tis, now; if you don't clear away from this, you shall all go to the P'lice Station, whiskers and no whiskers.'

He passed on his beat; and the sight of his back turning the corner was the signal for the reproduction of the hidden books, and the renewal of the traffic. After a while, this choice specimen of a peeler again

showed himself, and again there was a lull in the transfers. This time his objurgations were accompanied by profane oaths; and on being rebuked by a respectable physician, one of the offending parties, his civil reply was, that he should curse and swear as much as he liked'!

He took himself off at last, and once more the bustle re-commenced. A fresh comer appeared on the scene, --a handsome youth, with the olive tint and unmistakeable large dark eyes of Italy. It was the Carlo of our tale. His threadbare clothing, clean and neat as it was, and his emaciated appearance betokened months of privation. He had been a frequent attendant on 'change: one by one his cherished stamps had been disposed of, and the produce devoted to the diurnal necessities of his friend, whose frequent aberrations of mind now sadly curtailed their slender gains.

The yellow lion and Tuscan cross of the same colour were in his hand, reserved to the last, both from their rarity and as treasured mementos of almost the last happy hour he had spent, when they were given him so long since by his loved friend, just before the terrible events that had cast such an untimely blight on his youthful happiness.

No sooner was he in sight than a general rush was made towards him. 'Have you brought them?' 'You promised me the refusal.' 'I'll give you as much as any one.' Such were the greetings he met with. The two stamps were eagerly competed for; and the poor boy had much ado to follow them with his eyes from hand to hand, the tears welling up at parting with his treasures.

In the midst of all this confusion, P. C. D 457 re-appears more furious than ever. A man with a ladder across his shoulder was turning the corner of the alley, and drew back a moment, unable to pass the crowd. 'Go on, can't you?' yelled the policeman; break their heads, if they don't get out of the way.'

How much more prone we are to follow evil counsel than good! He was too well obeyed. Poor young Carlo, anxiously engaged in making the best of his precious stamping, did not back quickly enough out of the way.

He was knocked down by a

heavy blow on the back of the head, and carried home senseless and bleeding on that very ladder that had just proved the instrument of the reckless deed!

PART II.

REALIZATION.

'When the dream of life is past;
When the fatal die is cast;
Then the waking mind will feel
What is false, and what is real.'

THE greater part of my spare time for two or three days was occupied in writing and arranging the substance of my dreams. One morning my editorial friend called in to see how the Tale' was progressing; and hurrying over the manuscript, condescended to express himself very well satisfied on the whole.

'I think you have managed pretty tolerably,' said he; and I see you have contrived to introduce those romantic circumstances I was relating to you. The idea of the vision was very good, if not perfectly original. Why, what is the matter with you? You have knocked down the inkstand, and just missed spoiling those stamps.' 'Hang the stamps,' cried I; what are you talking about ? Do you mean to say He was paying no attention

that

to me. 'Ah! I see you have left the catastrophe for me. All right; you would have only made a mull of it. Here it is: I thought you would be ready for it by this time. Why, what are you staring so for?"

Well I might; for I could not then for the life of me tell what he was driving at. But he talked so fast, there was no getting in a word edgewise. By the bye, how are you engaged this morning? Why not come with me? I am going to see them,-for the last time, I fear. The poor boy's injury proves to have been more serious than was at first anticipated. We can take the city 'bus.'

Who were the 'them,' and where he spoke of going were myths to me; but having nothing particular else to do, I agreed. I had not left the house since the supper evening, and the fresh air would have soon had its wonted good effect on my faculties; when the stifling omnibus, the noise of the streets,

and the squalor and bustle of the dirty thoroughfares leading from the City Road to the place of our destination, added ten-fold to my bewilderment.

We reached a shabby-looking house in the Curtain Road. The door was open. In front of it was a cab, near which stood a powerful man of a bull-dog cast of countenance; and a plain private brougham, attended by a portly personage, evidently a superior confidential servant out of livery, was drawn up not far off.

We mounted the crooked, creaking staircase to the topmost floor, and entered a large but poor-looking room. Like an electric flash the reality burst upon me; for there, in one corner stood Lorenzo, hopelessly calm, with eye in which the light of intellect was for ever quenched, sadly gazing at, but apparently from some cause too spellbound to approach the bed on which was pillowed the bandaged head of his faithful young companion.

There, too, by the side of the lowly couch on which the dying boy was lying, in all the superlative beauty which the little postage stamp had not exaggerated-looking like some ministering angel prepared to take charge of the fast-fleeting spirit-knelt Adine!

PART III. CONCLUSION.

'Blame we Providence or Fate ? Is it chance? Or is it sin

That brought us to our present state? How different far

Is what we are

From what we might have been !'

Ir was not all a dream then! The dozes of the night had been but partial repetitions of the conversation of the evening, with an admixture of some historical and other events about which I had lately interested myself.

Little now remains to be told. All was soon over. The noble visitor, but recently made aware of the destitute state of her compatriots, after giving directions that everything necessary should be attended to at her charge, retired to the conveyance which was awaiting her; and Lorenzo, whom nothing but the extremest violence