Forgotten Stories.

those tears Avith my women , ancl then ferociously kill , by the same MOAV , a husband and Avife . " Tancred , though he Avas conscious of the determined character of his daughter ' s mind , yet did not think she would put in execution all that she had threatened

; ancl being indignant at the open , ancl , as he thought , shameless avoAval of her connexion Avith his own servant , he departed , secretly resolving , not , indeed , to use any kind of violence upon Sigismunda herself , but to cool the fervour of her love

brey moving for ever from her the living object of it . Accordingly he gave orders to the two Avho guarded Guiscard , that on the ensuing night , with the utmost silence , they should strangle their prisoner , cut out his heart , and bring it to him . Which

being fortliAvith executed , ancl the heart on the next day being presented to the Prince , he ordered a very large and richlychased gold cup to be brought , in which he placed the bloody relique , ancl closing it with a lid of goldcommitted it to a

, faithful page , with injunctions to deliver it to Sigismunda with these Avords : — "Your father sends you this to console you for the loss of that Avhich you loved most ; as you consoled him for the loss of Avhat he once loved most . "

In the meantime Si gismunda , unshaken in her terrible purpose , had been collecting certain poisonous herbs and roots , Avith Avhich she was Avell acquainted , ancl had distilled from them a deadly liquor , which she kept close to her to use instantlyas she kneAv for certain Avhat she

, anticipated must happen . The page entered with the present ancl Avith the enjoined words ; ancl the maiden , taking the cup , and uncovering it , ancl seeing the heart , kneAv in a moment that it must be Guiscard ' s . A short space she fixed a vacant

gaze on it ; but in an extraordinary manner recovering herself , with perfect calmness she ansAvered the messenger thus : — " A coffin , less royal than this golden one , did not become a heart so nobly formed as this , whosoever it be ; in this my father hath

acted discreetly . " Ancl having thus spoken , lifting the cup to her mouth , she kissed the heart and then continued : — " In every thing from my infancy , even to this last extreme hour of my life I have always found the love of my father most

tender towards me , hut now more than ever ; render , therefore , I charge you , uiy last thanks to the author of my existence for this so splendid ancl invaluable a present . " This said , she again bent her gaze upon the cup , Avhich she held with a

convnlsiA'e grasp close to her bosom , and kissing the heart , Avent on thus : — " Ah , SAvee . test habitation of all my earthl y pleasures , accursed be the cruelty of him AVIIO has caused me to behold thee Avith the eyes of my face . It was enough for me to

see thee at every hour more clearly with the eye of my mind . Thou hast finished thy course , ancl now thou art rid of th y worldly fortune , whatever it might have been . Thou art arrived at that goal Avhither Ave all are running . Thou hast

left al ) the miseries ancl the fatigues of this Avorld , and hast gained from thine enemy himself a sepulture Avorthy of thy merit . Nothing was wanting to thy perfect obsequies , but the tears of her whom thou loyedst so dearly Avhen alive ; and no doubt

God has put it into the heart of my indignant father to send thee to me , that I might perform this last duty . My tears thou shalt have ; and then suffer me to dry these fountains , AA'hich would flow for ever for I have determined to die

; royally , without a groan or a tear . I Avill hasten to join thee ; thou shalt not long mourn in solitude for thy love . With Avhom or Avhen could I better make the

journey to the unknoAvn regions ot eternity , than Avith thee ? Blest spirit , speak to me ; for I knoAV by a mysterious pressure upon my soul , that at this instant thou art hovering around me , and taking a last fareAvell of the scenes of our earthly joys . Sirit—yet a momentand I come to thee

p , for evermore ! " Thus speaking , Avithout any womanish lamentation , she bent her head upon the cup , ancl , in a miraculous abundance , shed a torrent of tears into it , kissing every instant the dead heart before her Her * attendant damsels kneAV

. neither Avhat heart it Avas , nor the import of her soliloquy ; but moved Avith p ity they approached her , inquiring the cause of her grief , and proffering their feeble consolations . After she had g iven her