been long enough to debase his sentiments, and he as suddenly resumed the lofty condescension and august deportment of a sovereign as though they had been interrupted by only an unquiet dream. Loud roared the artillery an imperial salute in honor of his presence. Low bowed gorgeous standards and glittering swords, as cheered by exulting music he passed before his rejoicing troops, to thank them for their loyalty.

In the general enthusiasm all seemed happy but the poor planter. Unconsciously he had entertained the author of all his misery. But misfortune, though it had well nigh broken his heart, had not wholly eradicated his accustomed loyalty; so far, therefore, as a broken spirit can forget its sorrow, he rejoiced at the opportunity which chance had given him to be serviceable to his lawful sovereign. He had not presumed to hope that the occasion could in any way result beneficially to himself, but the Emperor had not in his restoration to power forgotten his philosophy. The period long hoped for was arrived, in which he could test his power to increase human happiness, as well as diminish it. He summoned the planter to appear before him, and while surrounded by a galaxy of noble officers, he publicly thanked the abashed poor man for his hospitality, and conferred on him at the instant the dignity of nadir of the Empire, with a restoration of his confiscated estates, and the grant of a large annuity besides. Nor were forgotten the two more humble individuals who had been reduced from competency and freedom to poverty and slavery. They were restored to freedom and their plantation, with the grant of a large addition thereto from the national domains.

The joy which was evinced by the poor couple, as well as by the newly-created nadir, fully realized the best expectations of the imperial philosopher, and completed all that had remained unproved of his great experiment. Historians seem to be much divided whether the Emperor derived more satisfaction that morning from his restoration to power or from the fulfilment of his predictions as an author; and one cannot help seeing that the fact elicited by the experiment is of great importance to rulers, for we may well hope, and well expect, that the power thus proved to be in their possession will induce them to increase human happiness as often as practicable, and to diminish it only when the diminution is indispensable.

THE subsequent progress of the Emperor was a continued triumphal procession. The intelligence of his approach preceded him with the swiftness of the winds; and as soon as he arrived within his dominions, he was met at short intervals by delegations from all classes of his subjects, who vied with each other in demonstrations of loyalty to his throne and devotion to his person. Public thanksgivings were celebrated in every temple; brilliantly illuminated were all edifices in the cities, towns and villages, through which he passed; a joyful peal was sent forth by every bell, while every cannon roared a loud amen.

The Emperor was yet ten days' journey from his capitol, when he was met by the Empress. Unexpectedly to the two august personages the processions, by some misconception in the arrangements, encountered each other unawares. The meeting was tender in the extreme, for this was an occasion in which Nature refuses to be regulated by Etiquette. The Empress had endeavored to discipline herself for the meeting, but her emotions were too powerful for her fortitude, enfeebled as her health had become by the painful scenes through which she had passed. She swooned, and was with much difficulty resuscitated; while the Emperor, in his solicitude as a husband, forgot that he was the observed of all observers, and felt and acted only like a man.

To the capitol the cortege eventually arrived by rather slow advances, and, as had been previously arranged, the Emperor caused himself to be immediately crowned anew, as deeming himself unqualified for the discharge of his high duties until he had been again consecrated by all the solemnities of religion. The ceremony was conducted with the utmost magnificence; and that no human being might have just cause of regret, the Emperor took that occasion to make restitution to the remaining sufferers by the great moral experiment, which sought to prove (and had proved to his entire satisfaction) that Providence is not obnoxious to the imputation of making some classes of society happier than others. He accordingly sent for the nobleman whom he had deposed, and not merely reinstated him in his titles, but promoted him to the higher dignity of chamberlain, to the inexpressible gratification of the new dignitary. The slaves, also, that had been sent to the copper mines, and whom the Emperor had accidently encountered in his af fliction, were redeemed by purchase, and all (except five who had died from grief and ill-treatment) were brought back to Boresko, enfranchised and invested severally with small plantations, which raised them from the lowest degradation to a state of happiness that seemed more pungent and blissful than was experienced by any other of the parties to the experiment.

But the Emperor, in the exuberance of his bounty, thought of the persons also who had aided in his escape. The corporal who had evinced so much sagacity and fidelity received the command of a regiment, with the gracious assurance from the Empress (who condescended to permit him to kiss her hand on the occasion) that she was sure he might deem the present promotion as only an earnest of the regard of his sovereign. The present exaltation proved, however, too much for the poor fellow's equanimity. He had performed nothing for which he expected more than a restoration to his office of corporal, or possibly promotion to a sergeantship, though he would have performed the whole with equal zeal had he known that no reward would have ensued. He ought, from the Emperor's theory, to have been greatly advanced in happiness by his increase of station; and perhaps he was for a short period, but his new honors brought with them new and unexpected troubles, just as a newly-introduced exotic plant will bring with it, or soon originate, some insect, big or little, that will prey upon it. The corporal found that he possessed no pedigree, being ignorant of the name of even his grandfather, while all his new associates were

continually boasting of their ancestors. The defect depressed his spirits by destroying his self-complacency, until eventually, by long contemplation of his deficiency, he became thereon monomaniac. Every thing that was said in his presence seemed to allude to his pristine ignobility, and every allusion to his services was deemed a sarcasm on his sudden elevation. He accordingly became morose and melancholy, and was found one morning suspended by his gaiters from the cornice of his bedstead quite dead, by the agency of his own hands. The reason of his death was carefully concealed, because to the unphilosophical, who are always captious, it might have seemed to militate against the Emperor's theory.

ALL had been rewarded except Leontine, whom the Emperor, amid the rapid occurrences of the last few days, had not missed, but who now could no where be found, though he was sought diligently. He was on horseback when last seen, and by great effort was traced to the frontier of Tuscora. What this meant no person could conjecture, though all now recollected that his conduct had lately been singular, and that he seemed abstracted and gloomy.

To the frontier he had indeed departed, for he had by some means acquired information of the painful catastrophy which the escape had occasioned to his beloved Theadora and her father, the commandant. Desperate as the attempt was, he resolved to surrender himself to the vengeance of his betrayed sovereign, in the hope that as he alone was guilty, his confession and surrender would establish their innocence and insure their safety. Their fate, however, had become materially changed since they were last heard from by Leontine; for while they were travelling toward the capitol, at the slow pace we have already described, an officer from the rear galloped furiously past their carriage, as if charged with important intelligence to the commander in front. Suddenly the van of the detachment accelerated its speed, and the carriage also was urged forward to its utmost capacity. The cause of the change of speed was not long a mystery, for a discharge of musketry, that soon became incessant, denoted that the rear of the escort was attacked by an enemy, and that the van was fleeing to prevent a rescue of the captives.

Furious and fearful was the speed with which, over uneven roads, the vehicle was driven, that contained the unfortunate commandant and his repentant daughter. But little heeded he external inconveniences; nor did a thought occur to him that he might be benefited by the struggle that was raging in the rear. More than once he started instinctively, as if to mingle in the contest and aid his attacked countrymen; and when the resistance of his chains revived a consciousness of his disgrace, he groaned in agony as he recoiled into his listless seat.

But Providence had destined that the van guard should not escape. The rear guard had been overtaken by the Boreskoen forces, which had been detached for the purpose of making a diversion into Tuscora.

The resistance of the rear was known to be hopeless, except to favor the escape of the van; but the Boreskoens saw the guarded carriage, and suspecting from the solicitude evinced for its escape that it contained their enemy, the King of Tuscora, they pursued it with an ardor which was boundless. The balls in fearful number began to whistle around the carriage, as it was approached by the pursuing cavalry. One pistol bullet passed through the carriage, shattering the glass in front and wounding the postillion in his back, who gasped and fell from his seat, leaving the affrighted horses to the guidance of their fears. His body struck the horses as he fell, and they dashed forward with augmented recklessness toward a steep declivity, which threatened inevitable destruction to the carriage and its inmates; when suddenly, and from no obvious cause, they deserted the main road, and, turning short, brought their heads in contact with a wall, which arrested their further progress, without damage to themselves, the vehicle or its in

mates.

The skirmish was soon ended by a surrender of nearly the whole of the escort, when the carriage was again put in motion, conducted by a new postillion, and turned toward the capitol of Boresko, under the guard of a strong detachment from the ranks of the victors, and accompanied by the captured Tuscoreans. Theadora, though greatly agitated by conflicting emotions, felt an intuitive consciousness of benefit from the change in their destination; but far different was the effect on the commandant. He was anxious to be delivered up to the indignation of his sovereign, and he esteemed all delays, especially such as were caused by the triumphs of his country's enemies, as but an aggravation of the evil to which he had been a party. Not a word, however, was exchanged between the occupants of the carriage, for each was engrossed by the particular reflections which the sudden reversal of their destination copiously supplied.

CHAPTER ELEVENTHI.

THE PRISONERS OF WAR.

NOTHING Occurred to retard the onward progress of the captives, and proceeding with steady military pace they duly arrived at Kroywen, the capitol of Boresko, where a large building, situated in the suburbs, and appropriated as a place of confinement for prisoners of war, received them as its inmates. An open area of about four acres of ground, enclosed by a high stone wall, surmounted with iron chevaux de frise and broken glass, afforded the means of exercise and recreation during the day to all the prisoners who chose to frequent it; while at night all were carefully locked by within the building, that had at one time been used as a barracks for the troops stationed in the city.

But little heeded the afflicted old commandant the means thus afforded for recreation; and Theadora, fully convinced of her guilt, vainly endeavored to soothe in him the misery which she had occasioned. He no longer repulsed her efforts, and, probably from a conviction of her repentance, no longer addressed her with asperity; but

vanity, which in seclusion he had nourished, and which in turn had nourished him, no longer existed in him, and nothing remained in its stead to mollify his broken spirits. He shrank from observation, and remained as closely confined as though he possessed no power to quit his chamber; nor did Theadora reflect that the sovereign to whom they were prisoners owed his liberty to her, and that she possessed claims upon his favor. She had commisserated his sufferings because he was unworthily detained from his throne; but she had never contemplated from his release any result but the gratification of her sympathy; and had the thought of any present benefit occurred to her mind, the declaration of such a contingency would have deprived her father of the little self-possession which he retained. Of Leontine Theadora thought often, and felt no little curiosity, or perhaps a warmer motive than curiosity, to ascertain his fate; but female delicacy restrained her from instituting inquiries in relation to him, and her position precluded any direct intelligence.

They had been but two days in the prison when one of the keepers announced to the commandant that orders had been received to convey him at noon into the presence of the Emperor, and that his daughter must accompany him. That the interview was sought to reproach him for the severity he had exercised toward his captive the commandant did not doubt, until he reflected that so small a revenge was incompatible with the conduct of a great sovereign. Possibly then the interview was designed to elicit some important military information, or perhaps for the more noble purpose of liberating a faithful enemy, whose fair fame the Emperor had been the means of tarnishing; and by permitting the commandant to return to his native country, enable him to cast himself upon the justice of his master. But little heeded the stern old man what the object of the interview might be; the world to him had lost its lustre, and nothing remained worth living for. To Theadora the summons was equally inexplicable; but as she was conscious of at least no offence to the Emperor, she experienced no feeling of alarm, except the perturbation which is naturally inseparable from a personal connexion with any event of magnitude and mystery.

When noon arrived they were conducted to the outside of the enclosure, and placed within a splendid equipage, which awaited their arrival, and in which they were rapidly driven toward the imperial residence. The vast superstructure soon gleamed through the distance, as intervening objects opened it to view and again shrouded it from sight. At length noble trees, the growth of ages, and skilfully arranged and grouped, announced that the carriage was meandering through a gigantic park. The wheels revolved rapidly over avenues of the utmost smoothness and solidity, while at increasingly short intervals sentinels were stationed in gorgeous regimentals and with glittering arms. Theadora contemplated with youthful emotions the pageant through which she was fleeting, and the noble stature of the guards, who at length formed a continuous file on either side. But her surprise cannot be imagined when, as the carriage stopped at the great portal of the palace, she beheld, clothed in the gorgeous uniform she had been admiring, but more richly habited, and equiped as a general