features, convulsed for an instant with fiendish triumph, resumed their cold and even more appalling aspect. A threatening gesture from his hand arrested me, as I was about to call aloud. My voice came not, though my lips moved. I could not rise from the seat--a dreadful scream rang through the building--another, and another followed--the figure was gone. At the same moment the Count rushed forward--his dress disordered, his hair falling loosely upon his shoulders--madness, wild insanity, in his look. He turned and saw me; and bursting into a torrent of hysterical laughter, cried out,-- “Ha, ha, Carl!--welcome to our abode of pleasure; here, all is gaiety and happiness. What sorrow ever crosses this threshold?” and then, with a sudden revulsion, he stared me fixedly, and said in a low sepulchral voice, “She is dead--dead! But the time is passing--a few minutes more, and ‘twill be too late. This, Carl, will explain all. Take this, and this--these papers must be your care--promise me to observe them to the letter; they were her--her last wishes, and you knew her. Oh, is this a dream? it is too, too horrible to be real. Ah!” said he, after a moment’s pause; “I am ready!” and springing from me wildly, rushed through the door towards the inner apartments. I started up and followed him--I knew not which way he took in the corridor; and as I stood uncertain, a loud report of fire-arms crashed on my ear. I flew to the sick chamber--servants stood gasping and trembling without, I tore open the door; there, lay the Count upon the floor, his head rent asunder by the bullets from the pistol his hand still grasped. He had endeavoured to reach the bed, and fell half upon a chair. In the bed lay the still warm corpse of the Countess, beautiful as in life. I looked from one to the other; my seared and stony heart, turned to apathy by the horrors I had witnessed, gave no relief to its feeling in tears, and I spoke not as I slowly left the room.