hoped to rejoin her children. Not wishing her to remain within the Austrian dominions at Lintz, she received, instead, orders to repair to Prague, in Bohemia, whence she was to find her way to England, either through Saxony or Russian Poland. This unexpected order was a cruel disappointment. She had supported her hopes and spirits through so many extraordinary fatigues and alarms by the prospect of soon joining her children and her sister. The marquis, witnessing her distress, with true kindness, offered to go himself to Gratz, and bring her children and the Countess Strassoldo to meet her at Prague within ten days of quitting her. The proposal was accepted with the greatest joy, and he set out on his second adventure, which he so successfully accomplished that in the given time he had the joy and triumph of seeing the children embraced by their mother, and her sister also present to enhance the happiness of the scene. Traversing Bohemia incognito-for so only were they allowed to travel, from fear of the French government-they came at length to Polish Russia, where they could for the first time feel themselves entirely free, and where Mrs. Smith was received with much respect and consideration. At Wilna, however, she was seized with an illness which threatened to be fatal; but at length recovered so far as to be able to travel, when the whole party set out for Riga, whence they embarked for England, and at length arrived there safe towards the end of September. Mrs. Smith did not long survive this happy end of her troubles. Throughout her long wanderings she had suffered much from illness and fatigue, which may be supposed to have hastened her end. MADEMOISELLE AMBOS. FOR the particulars of the following remarkable story we are indebted to Mrs. Jameson,* who learnt from Mademoiselle Ambos herself the history of her adventurous journey, and the circumstances which led to it. We venture to extract from this lady's interesting work the graphic sketch in which she first introduces her heroine to the reader : - "I was travelling from Weimar to Frankfort, and had stopped at a little town one or two stages beyond Fulda. I was standing at the window of the inn, which was opposite the post-house, and looking at a crowd of travellers who had just been disgorged from a huge Eil-wagon, or post-coach, which was standing there. Among them was one female, who, before I was aware, fixed my attention. Although closely enveloped in a winter dress from head to foot, her height, and the easy decision with which she moved, showed that her figure was fine and well proportioned; and as the wind blew aside her black veil, I had a glimpse of features which still further excited my curiosity. I had time to consider her, as she alighted and walked over to the inn alone. She entered at once the room-it was a sort of public saloon-in which I was, summoned the waiter, whom she addressed in a good-humoured but rather familiar style, and ordered breakfast. * * * While this was preparing, she threw off her travelling accoutrements; first, a dark cloak, * Visits and Sketches at home and abroad." In abridging Mrs. Jameson's narrative it was not possible, without injuring the effect of the story, to avoid in many places using her own words, for which we here make a general acknowledgment. richly lined with fur; one or two shawls; a sort of pelisse, or rather surtout, reaching to the knees, with long loose sleeves, such as you may see in Tartar or Muscovite costumes; this was made of beautiful Indian shawls, lined with blue silk, and trimmed with sables. Under these splendid and multifarious coverings she wore a dress of deep mourning. Her figure, when displayed, excited my admiration; it was one of the most perfect I ever beheld. Her feet, hands, and head were small in proportion to her figure; her face was not so striking, it was pretty rather than handsome; her small mouth closed firmly, so as to give a marked and singular expression of resolution and decision to a physiognomy otherwise frank and good-humoured; her eyes, also small, were of a dark hazel, bright, with long blonde eyelashes. Her abundant hair was plaited in several bands, and fastened on the top of her head, in the fashion of German peasant girls. Her voice would have been deemed rather high-pitched for ears polite'; but it was not deficient in melody; and though her expression was grave, and even sad, upon our first encounter, I soon found that mirth and not sadness was the natural character of her mind, as of her countenance. When anything ridiculous occurred, she burst at once into a laugh, such a merry, musical peal, that it was impossible not to sympathise in it. Her whole appearance and manners gave the idea of a farmer's buxom daughter; nothing could be more distinct from our notions of the lady-like, yet nothing could be more free from impropriety, more expressive of native innocence and modesty; but the splendour of her dress did not exactly suit her deportment-it puzzled me. I observed, when she drew off her glove, that she wore a number of silver rings of a peculiar fashion, and among them a fine diamond. She walked up and down, seemingly lost in painful meditations; but when breakfast appeared she sat down and did justice to it, as one who had been many hours without food. While she was thus engaged the conductor of the Eil-wagon and one of the passengers came in, and spoke to her with interest and respect. Soon afterwards came the mistress of the inn (who had never deigned to notice me, for it is not the fashion in Germany) ; she came with an offer of particular services, and from the conversation I gathered, to my astonishment, that this young creature-she seemed not more than two or three-andtwenty was on her way home, alone and unprotected, from can you imagine ?-even from the wilds of Siberia ! But then, what had brought her there? I listened, in hopes of discovering, but they all spoke so fast that I could make out nothing more. Afterwards, I had occasion to go over to a little shop to make some purchases; on my return I found her crying bitterly, and my maid, also in tears, was comforting her with great volubility. Now though my having in German was not considerable, and my heroine spoke still less French, I could not help assisting in the task of consolation; never, certainly, were my curiosity and interest more strongly excited. Subsequently, we met at Frankfort, where she lodged in the same hotel, and I was enabled to offer her a seat in my vehicle to Mayence; thus I had opportunities of hearing her whole history, related at different times, and in parts and parcels; and I will now endeavour to give it to you in a connected form. You shall have, if not the whole truth, at least as much of it as I can remember, and with no fictitious interpolations and improvements. Of the animation of voice and manner, the vivid eloquence, the graphic spirit, the quick transitions of feeling, and the grace and vivacity of gesture and action with which the relation was made to me by this fine untutored child of nature, I can give you no idea. 22 Mademoiselle Bety Ambos was the daughter of a rich wine merchant of Deuxpont (Zweibrucken), in Bavaria. She was one of five children, two much older and two younger than herself. Her eldest brother, Henri, early displayed such talents and inclination for study, as determined his father to give him a learned education. learned education. He accordingly sent him to the university of Elangau, in Bavaria, from whence, in due time, he returned to his family with high testimonials of his talent and good conduct. He now decided, in accordance with his father's wishes, on entering the clerical profession, and won the esteem, not only of his own family, but of his fellow-townsmen, by his remarkable abilities and attractive and amiable qualities. After he had been a short time settled at home, he was engaged by some prince in the north of Germany to travel with him as his secretary; and through him, when he was about eight-and-twenty, was appointed professor of theology in a. Lutheran university of Courland, either Riga, or some town near it; for on this point the account is not certain. Here our young professor chanced to meet a very fascinating and beautiful young Jewess, daughter of a rich Jew merchant there, with whom, unhappily, he fell in love. He was now seized with a great zeal for her conversion, for it was impossible to marry until this was effected; and he seems to have carried on a secret correspondence with her, with a view to further both these. designs. This was discovered by her relations, and they strictly forbad all further intercourse. They met, however, in secret, and the lover so far succeeded as to persuade the young lady to fly with him beyond the frontiers into Silesia, and after her baptism to become his wife. But their plans were ill-arranged; the flight was immediately discovered; and before they had reached the frontiers they were overtaken by the police, and brought back to Riga. Here the young man was accused of having carried off the Jewess by force-in that district, where the Jews have peculiar immunities, said to be a capital crime. He defended himself by declaring that the lady had eloped with him voluntarily, and that she was now a Christian, and his betrothed bride, as they had exchanged rings, the usual ceremony of betrothal. All this the lady's father positively denied; upon which Henri Ambos desired that she might be brought into court, to answer for herself. Her relations made many objections to this just demand; but the judge supported the accused, and enforced the attendance of the lady, to give her testimony in person. She was brought into court in extreme agitation, supported by her father, and others of her relations. The judge then asked if with her own free will she had fled with Henri Ambos? She faintly answered No.' Had any violence been used to carry her off? 'Yes.' Was she a Christian? 'No.' Did she regard Henri Ambos as her affianced husband? 'No.' On finding himself thus denied and deserted by her from whom he had hoped so much, the young man was seized with sudden frenzy; he endeavoured first to rush upon the trembling girl, and when held back, drew a knife from his pocket, and attempted to plunge it in his own bosom. It was snatched from him; but in the scuffle he was wounded in the hands and face. Either from remorse, or the sight of his wounds, the young lady fainted away; and her unhappy lover beholding her insensible, and becoming calm from the loss of blood, now sullenly refused to answer further questions, and was at |