How! Said The Prince Interrupting Him, Were Not Your Privileges Enlarged By The Interposition Of A Lady?

- Did she not make you considerable allowances out of her own purse, and frequently visit you to receive your thanks?

- And were you not emboldened by these favours to urge her to reveal what secrets were in her knowledge, and even to assist you in your escape? - You doubtless imagined you could prevail on her also to go with you: - part of this, continued he, she has herself confessed: - it will therefore be in vain for you to deny it: - if you ingenuously reveal these particulars she has omitted, you may hope to find favour; but it you obstinately persist, as your companions have done, in attempting to impose upon me, you must expect to share the same fate immediately.

In speaking these words he made a sign to the soldier, who throwing open a large folding door, discovered a rack on which one of the Swedish officers was tied, and the others stood near bound, and in the hands of the executioner.

This sight so amazed Horatio, that he had not the power of speaking one word; - till Mullern, who happened to be the person that was fastened upon the rack, cried out to him, - Be not lost in consideration, Horatio, said he; are we not in the hands of Muscovites, from whom nothing that is human can be expected? - rather prepare yourself to disappoint their cruelty, by bravely suffering all they dare inflict.

Hold then, said Horatio, even Muscovites would chuse to have some pretence for what they do; and sure the first favourite and generalissimo of a prince, who boasts an inclination to civilize his barbarous subjects, will not, without any cause, torture them whom chance alone has put into his power, and who have never done him any personal injury. - By heaven, pursued he, turning to the prince, we all are innocent of any part of those crimes laid to our charge: - time, perhaps, if our declarations are ineffectual, will convince your highness we are so, and you will then regret the injustice you have done us.

You all are in one story, cried the prince, but I am well assured of the main point: - the particulars is all I want to be informed of: - but since I am compelled to speak more plain, which of you is it for whose sake you all received such instances of Edella's bounty? - Whoever tells me that, even tho' it be the person himself, shall have both pardon and liberty.

Impossible it is to express the astonishment every one was in at this demand: five of them had not the least notion what it meant; but Mullern, Horatio, and that friend to whom he had shewn the letter of Mattakesa, had some conjecture of the truth, and presently imagined that lady had been the incendiary to kindle the flame of jealousy in the prince's breast. The affair, however, was of so nice a nature, that they knew not how to vindicate Edella without making her seem more guilty, so contented themselves with joining with the others, in protesting they knew of no one among them who could boast of receiving any greater favours from her than his fellows, but that what she did was instigated merely by compassion, since she had never seen, or knew who any of them were, till after she had moved the governor in their behalf:

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