sufficient confidence in her own ability to withstand the seductions to which she might be exposed. "Indeed," concluded Pomponia, with strange self-deception, "I think it betrays a Iwant of fortitude to shun the encounter with such a temptation." Nothing can exhibit more strongly the contrast of characters in these two individuals, than the simple but saint-like answer of Claudia. "True," she replied, with tears, “I think that it does betray a want of fortitude; and I am ashamed of it: but God will grant me more, I trust, before the day of trial." One might have expected that Pomponia's habitual melancholy and timidity would be dispelled by her sister convert; and that having been the honoured means of conducting a lamb to the fold of the church, that she would feel a portion, however small, of that pleasure which swells the bosoms of the bright spirits above, When hymns of joy proclaim through Heaven But no, a little before the dreaded day of trial arrived, her timid mind suggested to her the possible consequences of her own conduct in being instrumental to Claudia's conversion; and her dreams were haunted with informers and accusations, and with visions of tribunals and tortures, and appalling apparitions of death! She, therefore, entreated Claudia not to divulge her new opinions, without her con sent. "Above all things," she said, "tell them not to Pudens, as by so doing you would expose me to inevitable death, and possibly draw upon him the same fate; for the violence of his love might induce him to renounce idolatry, and he might suffer the penalty of martyrdom in this life, without ensuring its future and eternal reward." Poor Claudia promised secrecy, and was thus deprived of the counsels of better advisers, and forced to bear this heart-rending struggle in solitude and silence. Had she been able to submit her case to St. Paul, there is no doubt that her scruples would have been moved, and that, satisfied with the sincerity of her faith, he would have encouraged her love, and have endeavoured to turn it to the re conversion of her intended husband: and she might then have been another Bertha.* At all events, she would have received guidance for her future conduct; but this consolation was precluded by the cruel promise of secresy extorted from her by the timidity of Pomponia. Nor was this all, she was not only deprived of her physician, but of her remedy; for she was debarred using that influence, which affection naturally gave, in attempting the conversion of her lover; and unconverted, she must not marry him: so that he appeared lost to her, both for time and for eternity. The dreadful alternative, therefore, seemed unavoidable, either of renouncing her alliance with Pudens, or her connection with the church-her love, or her religion-her happiness here, or her bliss hereafter! It is not of course for us to describe the alternations of this conflict, which were known only to herself and her God; but some idea of the pangs which it cost her may be formed * Bertha was the queen of the Anglo Saxon King, Ethelbert, and being a Christian, very much facilitated the introduction of Christianity into these realms. See 1, Corinth. 7. 16. from the circumstance, that the part of her MSS. copy of the Epistle to the Corinthians, which contained the passage which has been cited, was so steeped in tears as to be perfectly illegible! CHAPTER VI. Ah whence yon glare That fires the arch of heaven?-that dark red smoke * The falling beam, the shriek, the groan, the shout, Inebriate with rage:-loud and more loud The discord grows! QUEEN MAB. It was a calm summer evening, in the midst of June, when the galley which bore Pudens to Rome had almost gained its longed-for haven. A lovelier night never hushed a care-worn world to rest. The moon shone full on the Tyrrhenian waves, whose ever varying surface broke the beams into a thousand lights and shades, and exhibited a glittering strife of beautiful colours, for which artists indeed have no name, as canvas has never yet represented them, but which bore no slight resemblance to |