"You are so faint-hearted--you are so discouraging. You give up every thing without an attempt to save yourself or others. That is your way!" cried Ella, with her own impetuosity, and some of her old injustice. Then, seeing sorrow and pain working upon her sister's face as she spoke thus, she stopped herself, and cried--"Oh! I am a brute--worse than a brute--to say this. Dear Cle., forgive me; but don't, pray don't discourage me, when I want all my courage. I will go--I will go this moment, and speak to my father...." Clementina pressed her sister's hand as she started up to go. She feared the effort would be vain,--vain as those she had herself made; yet there was no knowing. Ella was so beautiful, so correct, so eloquent, so prevailing! She followed her with her eyes, to the door, with feelings of mingled hope and apprehension. Down the splendid stairs, with their gilded balustrades, and carpets of the richest hue and texture, rushed the impetuous Ella. Through the hall--all marbles and guilding--and her hand was upon the lock of the library door. She was about to turn it, without reflection: but a sudden fear of intruding came over her--she paused and knocked. "Who is there?" exclaimed an irritated voice from within; "go away--I can see no one just now." "It is I, papa--Ella; pray let me come in." And she opened the door. He was standing in the middle of the lofty and magnificent apartment, which was adorned on every side with pictures in gorgeous frames; with busts, vases, and highly ornamented bookcases fitted with splendidly bound books--seldom, if ever, opened. His pale, wan, haggard face and degraded figure, formed a fearful contrast to the splendid scene around him, showing like a mockery of his misery. A small table, richly inlaid, stood beside him; in one hand he held a delicate cup of fine china; in the other, a small chemist's phial. He started as she entered, and turned to her an angry and confused countenance, now rapidly suffused with a deep crimson flush; but, as if electrified by a sudden and horrid suspicion, she rushed forward, and impetuously seized his shaking arm. The cup fell to the floor, and was broken to atoms; but he clenched the phial still faster in his trembling hand, as he angrily uttered the words: "How dare you come in here?" "Oh! papa--papa!"--she had lost all other terror before that of horrible suspicion which had seized her--"what are you about? what is that?" stretching out her arms passionately, and endeavouring to wrench the phial from his fingers. "What are you about? what do you mean?" he cried, endeavouring to extricate his hand. "Let me alone--leave me alone! what are you about? Be quiet, I say, or by...." And with the disengaged hand he tore her fingers from his, and thrust her violently away.