In the situation in which he then was, it was unsafe for us to suffer him out of our sight for a moment. We employed all our powers of persuasion to his agitated mind; Minna, whose kind and gentle manner had great influence over him, at length succeeded in kindling a faint spark of hope in his anxious bosom; and he seemed to derive some comfort from her assurances, that (even should Count Donat prove the furious tyrant, which report described him to be) still it was impossible for him to have so totally laid aside all vestiges of humanity, as to look on his father as on a foe, and punish him for offences, which it was now beyond his power to remedy. —“You are right, sweet angel!” said Ethelbert with a childish vacant smile, which generally took possession of his countenance, when he felt himself exhausted by any violent breaking out of his delirium; “you are quite right! Donat should not revenge his mother’s death on _me_; I never hated Lucretia; no, no; she was my first love. Its true, I was unfaithful to her; but though Urania was more beautiful and rich, that could only have injured Lucretia for a while. Had but death relieved me from my second wife, nothing need have prevented my restoring my first to liberty, and permitting her to resume her legal rights! then all would have been well; then Lucretia and Donat would have been appeased: fool that I was! Oh! that I had not suffered Urania to live!”— The pious Minna shrunk back in horror at this proof of aggravated wickedness, which she had undesignedly drawn from an heart, whose sentiments (I had so vainly flattered myself) had been chastened by adversity. Minna dropt the miscreant’s hand in disgust, while she cast upon me a look expressive of the deepest sorrow and compassion; I could not restrain my feelings, and burst into a flood of tears. —“Nay, weep not!” said the wretched man, whose senses had quite forsaken him; “trust me with a dagger for a few minutes, and neither you nor I shall have reason any longer to tremble at the thoughts of Donat’s vengeance!”— This conversation, which became more painful with every minute that it lasted, and which was only calculated to make two unprotected women apprehend a nearer danger than Count Donat’s sword, was interrupted by the return of two of the monks, who had accompanied Guiderius. They accosted us with countenances expressing the greatest consternation, and gave us to understand, that the eloquence of their holy brethren had by no means produced the desired effect. Count Donat, an avowed enemy of the church and her servants, had ordered them all to be made prisoners, and flight alone had enabled these two to hasten back to the Castle, and apply to us for assistance. —“For assistance? assistance from us?” Minna and myself exclaimed at the same moment.