troubled sleep, he awoke in the morning, he
reflected that that was the last time he
should behold the light; " for," said he, " I
am the only one left in the house, and
consequently there cannot be any other addition
to the list." And he felt himself overpowered
with wretchedness and dread.

The day passed slowly and mournfully.
Poor Hansel endeavoured as much as
possible to force his mind into a state of religious
resignation, and, to this end, brought forth
the great family Bible, and read more of it at
a stretch than he had done since his school-
days. But the awful cry of the attendants
upon the dead-carts continually broke in
upon his studies; and his heart was sick
within him. He could not shut out the
thought that, within a little while, he too
would be lying among those festering
masses, — a thing horrible to look at,
perilous to approach, fit only to be hurried
away to the revolting grave-pits. And then
he speculated upon how soon it would be
before his death would be discovered, and
whether the authorities would, after a time,
break open the doors and find his rigid body
staring with unclosed eyes upon the air. He
fought hard against these reflections; but
every moment was one of intense watchfulness
and agony, for he could not tell when
the first symptoms of disease would attack
him. It seemed to him as if he were waiting
in a dark room for the mortal stab of an
enemy; and he therefore held his nerves in
perpetual readiness for the shock.

Not a bit or drop passed his lips during
the day, and towards evening he felt a faintness
coming over him, which he believed to
be the approach of the fatal malady. The
light was rapidly fading; and as it seemed
horrible to him to die in the dark, he lit a
candle and sat down again in his chair, waiting,
and commending himself to God. A
deep, grand silence prevailed within and
without the house, and although there was
something awful in it, the poor silk-mercer
found it very soothing. It was so exceedingly
intense, that it seemed to have life and
consciousness in it, and to swell upwards like a
noble psalm in the ears of eternity. So Mark
sat listening to it, and hoping that he might
die out into that silence, as moths and insects
of the summer cease in the stillness of an
autumn night.

At length he was conscious of a sound
within the silence. He listened, and heard
footsteps in the upper rooms of the house,
and immediately after he was aware that
they were descending the stairs. At this
he felt greatly troubled; for he feared either
that the devil was about to renew his temptations,
or that death was coming upon him in
a visible shape. Slowly, and with some
unsteadiness, the steps came down the stairs,
and paused for a moment before the room in
which Mark was sitting. The door was then
opened, and a figure entered.

It was a young man, dressed after the
manner of a cavalier of that time. His clothes,
however, were soiled and discomposed, and
his face, though handsome, was flushed and
haggard. His whole appearance was
debauched and utterly abandoned, and he
came into the room with a reckless manner,
and threw himself into a chair. Hansel
stared at him for a moment in silence;
then suddenly uttered an exclamation of
surprise:

"Mercy on me! " he cried; " it is my
wretched nephew."

"Yes," said the intruder, in a thick voice,
"it's your nephew — and you may say
your wretched nephew too, for I have no
money."

"Ay, that is the only reason why I see
you here, I suppose. You want, as you call
it, to 'borrow' some of me. But how, in
the name of mischief, did you get into
my house ? I thought all the doors were
bolted."

"Why you see, nunks, I heard at the next
house that all your companions were dead of
the Plague, and so I prevailed upon your
neighbour to let me over his roof, to see if
there was any little cranny through which I
could creep, in order to come and see you.
And I found a trap-door unfastened; so here
I am, come over the house-top! Now,
that's kind and dutiful, I think."

"Gilbert, Gilbert! you're a scoffing young
rake. I don't wish to be harsh with you;
but I am now on the point of death, and you
disturb my devotions. I desire you to leave
my house."

"Just about to die! I must say you look
mighty well for a moribund; but you know
best. As for leaving the house, I'll do so
directly I've got what I want—the key of
your strong-box."

"Then you'll wait for ever, Gilbert; for
you won't get it. You want my money to
go rioting about the town at this dreadful
season, and sink yourself into all the
horrible vices that your heart can yearn for.
Why, you're drunk now, sir."

"Drunk! Of course. I'm always drunk.
How else could I keep myself alive, with
poison in the very air I breathe, and people
dropping all round me, like over-ripe
medlars ? I soak myself in wine, and I live. I
could fight the devil himself with a flask ot
Burgundy."

'And I, Gilbert, can fight him without.
But I will not help you to your favourite
weapon, because I know you will use it
against yourself and for the devil. Leave
the house!"

"Listen to me, you grey sinner!"
exlaimed Gilbert Hansel, starting up, and
drawing his rapier. " You told me just now
that you were on the point of death; and
unless you instantly give me what I want,
you never spoke a truer word, for I'll run you
through the body. I must have gold, that I