The Amulet

"God grant it may not arrive!" said Geronimo, heaving a deep sigh.

"Do you then fear your uncle's arrival?" exclaimed Mary, in an agitated

voice.

"Do not speak so loud, Mary; your duenna must not hear what I am about to

communicate to you. Yes; since yesterday morning I have dreaded my uncle's

arrival. Previously I implored it of Heaven as the choicest blessing, and

now the thought of it makes me tremble."

"Have you then heard from your uncle?"

"Alas! my friend, at the very moment when all seemed the brightest, when I

was thanking God for a happiness which I thought already mine, a dark

cloud comes to overshadow my life. I seem even now to hear my uncle's

voice pronouncing the cruel sentence which condemns me to a life-long

sorrow."

The young girl turned deadly pale, and anxiously awaited an explanation

of the mystery.

"My beloved Mary," he whispered, "it is a secret which I can only confide

to you in part, and which in strict honor I should perhaps conceal

entirely. Four weeks ago a merchant, highly esteemed, was left by a

curious train of circumstances without funds, and he begged me to lend him

ten thousand crowns. Should I refuse his request, the credit of his house

would be irretrievably ruined. His name I considered sufficient security

for ten times the amount he wished to borrow. At all events, although it

pained me to disobey my uncle's positive injunctions, I could not deny the

assistance which was asked of me. I lent the ten thousand crowns, and

obtained a receipt with a written promise of payment in one month.

Yesterday the note fell due; my debtor asks a delay until to-morrow. I met

him an hour ago, and he has not yet obtained the money."

"But if your debtor is rich and powerful, you need not indulge your fears

to-day; to-morrow, perhaps, he will fulfil his promise," remarked the

young girl, with ill-concealed anxiety.

"My fears may mislead me, Mary, but I am sure that my debtor's affairs are

in a very bad condition. At his urgent entreaty I made no entry of the

loan upon the books, in order to conceal the transaction from the clerks;

but still I have not the amount in hand. O Mary! my uncle has an eagle eye

in business affairs; he will at once discover the deficit of ten thousand

crowns--a deficit resulting from my lending money: a thing he has always

warned me against, and which, even recently, he strictly forbade. My uncle

is a good father to me, but this act of disobedience is sufficient to

deprive me forever of his favor. I foresee many future evils."