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CHAPTER V.

It was Mr. Kenyon's intention to leave V immediately, but the sudden illness of Mrs. Kenyon rendered delay unavoidable.

At first he had determined on making the affair public, in order to warn parents from sending their children to the convent, but his natural indolence of character yielded to the entreaties of the sister Allegra, who found ways and means to communicate with him.

Millicent he never questioned on the subject. She appeared extremely unhappy, and Mr. Kenyon saw, with some concern, that little seemed to interest her but religion. If ever they went out to walk, she was never content unless they entered a church, and

in the galleries of the different palaces her attention was chiefly directed to those pictures which treated of devotional subjects.

Her mind, at this time, was like a chaos with regard to religion. She believed she knew not what, and mistook for real, vital Christianity, a delusive shadow, fashioned by him who is the father of lies. As an angel of light did that wily enemy ensnare her, and so blinded her eyes, that, notwithstanding all the misery she had seen within the convent walls, still did she prefer the Roman Catholic religion.

It was with some difficulty Millicent prevailed upon her brother-in-law and sister to permit her to pay a visit to the sister Allegra, at the convent. At first, her brother endeavoured to convince her that it was advisable that she should not see her again; but seeing that Millicent was extremely anxious to do so, and feeling that he had no right to prevent her, joined to his natural love of ease, he yielded to her solicitations, and promised that she should spend an hour at the convent, upon condition that she

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would return home whenever he called for her.

To this Millicent readily agreed, and accordingly, one evening, she found herself again in the apartment of the sister Allegra. The sister welcomed her with the greatest tenderness, and, weeping bitterly, told her how deeply she felt the loss of her society, and that there was not one inmate of the convent who could in any way supply her place to her.

"And I have known nothing but wretchedness since I left you," said Millicent: "I know not what to do, or how to decide."

"In what, my love," said the sister Allegra, in her most insinuating tone; "is it anything in which I can direct you? only tell me what thus weighs heavily on your mind, is it any misunderstanding with your family, any afflictive loss ?"

"O no!" replied Millicent; "but my mind is tortured early and late: I can think but on religion."

"And why not?" said the cunning sister; "what is there in religion to make you un

happy? It is that alone which elevates the soul, and gives to it to look from a perishing world to a brighter and happier beyond."

"Well, I wish I thought as you do ; I love religion when I hear people of your religion speak; and I sometimes fancy, if I were of the Church of Rome, that I should be happier."

"That undoubtedly you would be," answered the sister Allegra. "Beyond the pale of our holy church, I cannot hope anything for you; nor would you think me justified in stating what is not my opinion. But, believe me, there is given to every one who professes our religion that peace and happiness which death cannot wrest from them."

"Oh! I wish I were going to live here again," said Millicent, sighing; "I should then learn more of your religion, and be happy; but it cannot be."

"We must bow to the decrees of God, my young friend," said the sister Allegra, affectionately; "but there are marks of his

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providence that we ought not lightly to pass over."

"And to what do you immediately refer ?" said Millicent.

The sister hesitated,-Millicent urged her to reply, and she thus answered, “Then, since I must confess it, it is that you are here this night," returned the sister: "think you not that the God, who is wonderful in all things, and especially so with regard to his true church, has not overruled this for her interest ?"

"But I am not of her, would that I were," returned Millicent; "would that I had it in my power to join her communion ; renounce what I neither love nor admire, for that holy devotion which belongs to the members of the Church of Rome. I cannot forget the holy demeanor of Verschoyle, and I believe he has been the saving of my soul."

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Verschoyle is a truly-devoted son of the church," said the sister, to whom the deep impression that Verschoyle had made upon