“If the recovery of my rights is to depend upon my abjuration of my principles, I may say at once, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Father! I fear not the censure of men, I court not their applause; but the voice of God and of my conscience resounds from the depths of this heart, warning me not to betray my everlasting soul for a perishable honour.” He now turned his softened eyes upon his wife, and went on. “I presume not to read the decrees of Providence; whatever be the cup presented me by the divine hand, shall we not drink it my Aziek? aye, drink it together!--Does not thy virtuous spirit make the same covenant with that of him who has known no joy on earth without thee, and almost fears there would be none for him in heaven if he had not thee to share it.” Aziek replied in whispered sighs upon her bosom, where she threw herself, oppressed to agony: she exulted in the magnanimity of her Sebastian; she shared his ardours, but she foresaw the price that must be paid for the immortal crown he preferred to that of earth, and some human weakness enfeebled without subduing her. Sebastian knew her thoughts, and prized her heroism the more, from seeing the tenderness with which it had to struggle. Father Sampayo was plunged in sorrow; his arguments were now succeeded by lamentations and entreaties; he wept, he prayed, but his tears only served to make Sebastian regret without altering his resolution. Day passed unheeded in this painful contest, till at length the confessor was obliged to quit the prison. “This hope then is over,” he said, preparing to withdraw, “your obstinacy, sire, is to be the signal for our great superior’s pronouncing you once more an impostor, and excommunicating all who appear in your defence. He persists in declaring that the true Don Sebastian was the elect of God, and could not fall into such accursed heresy. I have now no further hopes; all rests on the good offices of your protestant allies. May the blessed virgin and the saints intercede for your darkened soul! may a miracle restore you! perhaps these aged eyes will never more behold you till we wake together in--another world.”--The good man’s voice faltered as he uttered the last words, for he dared not say in Paradise, since he addressed a heretic. Sebastian bent his knee to receive his benediction, and Kara Aziek partook in the affecting farewel. Sampayo embraced and blessed them together, then hastened out of the apartment. The past scene would have dwelt long on their hearts, had not the father, as he departed, drawn a packet from his vest, and put it into the hand of Aziek; the writing was unknown to her, but opening it, she glanced over these words: “A confidential servant of the Duchess Medina Sidonia has ventured to entrust the enclosed to father Sampayo; he has been long in Venice anxiously seeking some safe method of transmitting it according to his instructions.”