history;--and heaven must guide me, if its will so be, sooner or later to clear up all that is still obscure, and gratify my craving--ardent curiosity unto the fullest extent! But wherefore am I devoured with this burning desire to know all that there may be to know relative to myself? Alas! ’tis in my nature: the incident of the day just past has suddenly aroused that curiosity within me--for I feel, I have an innate conviction that there is a mystery attached to my birth, the elucidation of which must some day or another have a powerful influence upon my destinies! And oh! if it should prove that I am pursuing investigations which must end in stamping _me_ with the stigma of illegitimacy, and bringing to light the dishonour of my mother----But, no--no! this cannot be! My father would not otherwise have given me the solemn assurance that my mother is _an angel of innocence and purity, and never has been guilty of weakness or frailty_!” Again he paused: and now he arose from his seat, and paced the room for several minutes--agitated by the fear that he was militating against the wishes, or perhaps even the interests, of kind parents, by venturing to give full rein to the impetuous curiosity that had seized upon him. And yet--as ere now observed--he could not restrain the ardour of that sentiment, which, more powerful than himself, engulphed him in its onward, eddying influence. Resuming his seat,--resuming likewise his meditative attitude,--and with his countenance again buried in his hands,--the young man took up the chain of his thoughts from that point where he had suddenly broken off to reflect on the secret and mysterious influence which the words _Old Death_ and _Benjamin Bones_ produced upon him.