anticipated, and thanked me many times for the exertions I had made to encourage her before the performance.

"Louis escorted Melanie from the box where we had all been placed to the tiring-room, to congratulate Paquerette upon her well-merited suc

cess. I was struck upon this occasion with the singular sadness of Louis,

and the extreme high spirits of Melanie. This did not look natural. It should, methought, have been just the contrary. For none could doubt that Melanie, even though possessing the patience and courage of a martyr, must necessarily feel some little degree of envy while comparing the sudden rise in the fortune of Paquerette to her own deficiency, for she was not as yet deemed perfect enough to venture to meet the public; while Louis, what cause could he have for appearing sad and dejected? He had never once opposed the step which Paquerette had taken, even when she would rather that it should have been so, quite the reverse, he had urged and encouraged it by every means in his power, and therefore it was more remarkable that he should thus damp, by his silence and low spirits, the moment when all were so full of hope and joy. But just then I did not give much heed to the suspicion which at times pressed upon my mind concerning him, for I was too much engrossed by the delight which the unlooked-for good fortune of the maiden had inspired, and when she once more appeared upon the stage to go through the second act, which was the final one, I withdrew to join the friendly trio in the side-box, armed with my beautiful bunch of violets, which I had arranged in the peculiar manner which she loved so well, and enjoying the first feeling of real content and happiness which I had experienced for many a long day. These feelings were, however, destined to be but short-lived, for on advancing to the front of the box to take my seat beside Melanie, I perceived that my beautiful bouquet of bruyère, which I had made with so much pains and with so much self-complacency, had been parted by some rude hand, and that the half of its purple blossoms now adorned the ample stomacher of Melanie. I said nothing, but I looked first at Louis and then at the remnant of the flowers which he held in his hand, then again upon those which shone forth upon the tall maiden's crimson dress. Her self-satisfied smirking almost drove me frantic. I could have strangled her!

"The opera proceeded, and each air which Paquerette sung alone, or any in which she joined, was encored with enthusiasm, and at the concluding piece the applause was deafening. Flowers and crowns of flowers fell in a shower all round her as she stood with her arms folded over her bosom, looking the very picture of meekness and modesty. She raised her eyes to where we sat. I knew there was yet something wanting. But Louis had retired behind us, and his face was turned aside. I pulled him roughly forward, and saw with surprise that his face was bathed in tears. He threw his bouquet of the violet heath blossoms over the edge of the box. It was flung with such unsteady aim, or may be it was that his sight was dim, that it fell, far short of the place where she stood, into the orchestra-and the musician upon whom it fell, perhaps already wearied with the pelting he had undergone, flung it with a jerk of impatience beneath his feet! I trembled lest Paquerette should have seen the accident, for-did I not know her implicit faith in omens ?-I plucked, with a nervous effort, the bunch of flowers from the bosom of Melanie

exclaiming, with a movement of rage for which I could scarcely account myself.

"Nay, I have wrought for Paquerette alone this day; she alone ought to enjoy the benefit of my handywork. To her-to her only be it given, and to none beside.'

I flung the flowers with such violence, and with such nervous aim, that they fell at her feet. She uttered a low cry of delight, which I alone perhaps could hear, and stooping to pick them up, instantly placed them to her lips, while her eyes were lighted with beams of joy, such as I had seldom seen reflected there. I turned to witness the effect of the scene on Louis. He had disappeared, and Melanie was rushing after him into the lobby, exclaiming that he was surely seized with a sudden fit of madness, for that he had shrieked aloud when I had snatched her bouquet, and that while yet she was laughing at the seriousness with with which he viewed so small a matter, had burst open the door and was gone.

"A vague dread of something terrible seized upon me; I, too, hurried from the box without a word, and flew down the stairs to the room where Paquerette had by this time retired. The door was closed and the shouts of the pit, the noise of the stamping feet, the din of the retiring audience, reached even there. I was not surprised, therefore, that she returned no answer to my repeated knocks and summonses for admittance. I entered softly, my heart beating the while as I found the silence still unbroken even after I had repeatedly called her by her name. She was standing motionless in the midst of the chamber. Her dress was in disorder and her hair had fallen from its confinement, and hung with the mockery of the tattered flowers on her bared neck and shoulders. Her eyes stared wildly upon me as I approached. and somehow I could not meet that cold and deadly gaze. My bunch of heath blossoms was in her hand, but she had wrung it with such violence within her grasp, that it was crushed to atoms. A thrill of alarm ran through me, as I beheld that wild and stricken glance still rivetted in utter unconsciousness upon me, and to all my questions and to all my soothing a few muttered sentences, detached and incoherent, were the only answer I could obtain, while ever and anon she would wring and crush the flowers in her hand with all the strength of her frame, until at length they had almost wholly disappeared, and then she flung the remnant from her with disgust and trampled it beneath her tiny feet, while a madly echoing peal of laughter burst from her pale lips, and she sank into the arm-chair by the fire to give utterance to such loud wailing sobs that I dreaded lest the life should have forsaken her with each violent effort. I called no one to her aid; I raised not my voice above a whisper and endeavoured, while I chafed her clay cold hands and bathed her burning temples, to utter words of consolation when I even knew not the cause of her despair. Animation returned at length in some degree, but I am inclined to believe that perfect consciousness never did. She gazed at me in silence as upon some lost friend whom she had not beheld for years, and placing her arms about my neek, suffered the warm tears to trickle slowly and softly upon my bosom. I spoke not a word, for I was still at a loss to divine the real subject of such violent grief. I deemed at first that it might be owing to excitement or to the nervous agitation incidental to her début, and knew that the best cure in such a

case would be the quiet and repose to be found in her own little chamber.

"Paquerette, dearest love,' said I, soothingly, 'we had best go home. Thou hast need of a few hours' rest.'

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Whither thou wilt I am ready,' replied she, in a hoarse voice, and rising mechanically to reach her shawl, she drew it over the gauze and silver net of the wood-nymph's, while she tossed back the long hair which, still braided with the flowers I had so freshly woven there, fell in thick masses down her back.

"The sound of footsteps descending the narrow stone stairs leading from the stage to the little room seemed to arouse her into consciousness. She seized my arm hurriedly, and exclaimed in a voice scarcely audible,

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They are coming! They are coming! Oh do not let them find me here! Let us hasten, Georgette; quick, let us begone.'

"I obeyed the impulse and hurried to do her bidding. She burst open the door in frantic eagerness to escape, for the footsteps were now close at hand, and the voice of dear old C-pronouncing her name mingled with that of the princess who had that night honoured the theatre with her presence, was distinctly heard. She clasped my arm all the more firmly to her side, and ran through the long, dimly-lighted corridors with all the eagerness of one seeking to escape from certain death, nor relaxed in her step until we had reached the street. Once or twice I had fancied that I had heard footsteps behind us as if some one were seeking to overtake us in our flight, but at the moment my whole care was centered in Paquerette, and I thought but of the means of conveying her swiftly home. I was fortunate enough immediately to procure a vehicle, the only one stationed at the door by which we passed. As the driver opened it, I heard a low sob almost close to my ear, and a voice breathed forth in tones of woe 'Lost, for ever lost-a curse has lighted on my head!'

"Paquerette's foot was on the step-she, too, had heard the words, for she turned slowly round and gazed over my shoulder and uttering a long loud shriek of despair, she sank forward on the cushions of the coachshe had fainted!

"I had turned to see the cause of this sudden emotion and perceived a retreating form hurrying through the arcades which surround the theatre. I could not, of course, distinguish its identity amid the darkness, but my fancy struck me with a most painful conviction, that the figure was that of Louis Girardot !

"I brought the poor maiden to a deserted home, for none of the family had as yet returned from the theatre. It was well that by the time we had reached our destination, she had in some degree recovered her senses, for an old woman whom Françoise had left in charge of the lodge was the sole occupant of the mansion. I hurried Paquerette as well as I was able up the stairs without giving utterance to a single word, for I now felt that her despair was such as to refuse all consolation.

"She seemed grateful for this silence, for she gazed at me with affection, and once or twice kindly pressed my hand. She suffered herself to be seated without resistance in her old carved chair, and presently overcome as I thought by fatigue and by all the sore trials and emotions of that eventful night, she leant backwards and sank into a kind of stupor from which I should have deemed it cruelty to arouse her. My eyes were well-nigh blinded by my tears as I stood watching by the side of that

beauteous maiden.

The dark shawl had fallen to her feet, and her snowwhite neck and shoulders shone out ghastly in the dim light, her long raven hair had fallen like a mourning veil over her pallid features, while the glittering spangles on her dress, and the flowers with which she was still adorned, gave her the look of a corpse already tricked out for the grave. I watched long and sadly by the maiden; at least, the time seemed long and tedious enough to me. I listened with intense eagerness for the grating hinges of the gate to give notice of the return of some one on whose assistance I could rely, for my alarm began now to increase with each moment as I saw the time pass away and the maiden still moved not nor uttered a single sound. At length, to my unspeakable relief, I heard a carriage stop at the gate. I opened the casement and looked out. The moon was shining, cold, and pale, and I saw plainly, as by daylight, the portly figure of the kind-hearted old professor traverse with hobbling step the wide court to gain the staircase leading to Paquerette's chamber, and I instantly seized the lamp from the chimney and hastened to light the stair.

"As I left the room, I turned to gaze once more at Paquerette. She was still reclining as before. Nought save the slight heaving of her bosom betrayed that she still existed. I hastened down stairs with something like joy at the arrival of old C—, whom I knew to possess in so great a degree the gratitude and affection of Paquerette, and whose presence I thought might soothe her anguish and arouse her from her lethargy. Poor dear old man! his progress was but slow up that endless stair, for he was heavy with gout and rheumatism, and was compelled to pause at each step to gather breath and courage. He chuckled with delight as he beheld me descending to replace the old woman who acted as his guide, and as soon as he drew near, he exclaimed, pinching my ear rather sharply, as was his wont when he was more than usually pleased"Well, my pretty bouquetière, and what think you of our sweet flower of to-night?"

"I could not answer; for his mirth grated harshly on my ear. I merely told him not to laugh, for Paquerette was ill; but he continued as he came puffing and blowing at each step,

"Well, I am not surprised-we are always so after our début, especially when we have been smothered with flowers; but I tell you, girl, I must see her; I could not sleep if I did not embrace the dear child before I went to bed, and, besides,' here he laid his finger on his nose, and tried to look arch, the little gipsy, you know well enough, has a proud heart, and I have news for her will make it swell and swell until it shall grow too big for her bosom.'

"He paused, and leaning against the banister, looked in my face, while his own was beaming with delight, and added, cheerily—

"Now, did I not tell you that the little witch needed but to be seen to captivate the princess? Ha, see you that? Ask her now if I am dreaming-if I am led away by my love for a poor orphan?' imitating, as he spoke, the soft tones of poor Paquerette, who had used these expressions when he had spoken to her of his hopes.

"We were drawing near to her chamber, and I endeavoured to repress his mirth, by warning him that the maiden slept, overcome by fatigue and emotion, but he only laughed the louder, and struck his cane with a more violent jerk against the floor, as he exclaimed

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'What, the little ungrateful traitress! did she think to escape me

thus?-Did she think to rest before she had embraced her poor old professor? No, no, I heard her fly as I approached her room at the theatre; but, old as I am, she shall not escape. Besides, she owes me some sort of reparation for the sorry figure she made me cut, when I returned to tell the princess, who had despatched me to fetch her, that she was already gone. Ah, well, good fortune will surely overtake her, let her run never so fast. Shall I tell you my secret while yet I have breath, for this cursed stair will very soon have it all out of my body-her highness has declared to me that her imperial brother shall have no rest till the Lady of the Woods of this night becomes the Lady of Fontenay in the face of day! There now, think you she will be sorry to be awakened by such news as this?'

"My heart beat strangely at these words. A sudden hope arose within me, for I knew that whatever the cause of the cruel anguish which seemed so suddenly to have overcome the soul of Paquerette, this announcement would be in some degree as a healing balm to her sorrows, and while the poor professor puffed heavily up the remaining stairs, my pace could scarcely keep with his, so great was my impatience to be the first to break the news to her.

"At length, however, as might have been expected, both strength and courage failed the poor old man at sight of the last steep-winding flight of stairs, which as he gazed upwards, seemed to terminate in nothing but the roof, and he sat himself down in utter despair of being able to continue his progress for some time, while I, all impatience and happiness, placed the little lamp by his side, and hastened forward alone.

"The door was open as I had left it on descending, and I entered softly and with uncertain step, for the moonbeams no longer shone in as before, and the room was darkened I knew not why; I paused ere I advanced, for the low soft murmuring tones of Paquerette fell upon my ear. Finding thus that she had awakened, I remained motionless, fearing to alarm her, and listened attentively, thinking that perhaps she might be calling me to her side. But-these were the words she uttered in a hurried and broken whisper, as of one speaking in a troubled dream, and despite of the mysterious terror which they called up in my mind each one fell distinctly on my ear amid the tomb-like stillness which reigned around: :

"The hand of death is then upon me,' murmured she, they say that 'tis an hour of dread, of terror, and despair. They speak false who call it so 'tis one of joy, of hope, of rest from sorrow. But I must not act a selfish part-I must not die thus with calmness and content for my portion, leaving him nought but remorse and grief for his, for I know well that he will sink with misery and despair when I am gone; neither would I have him deem that he has caused my death, for he has a gentle heart, and would perish at the thought; but, moreover, it is not so,-long, long, has my soul been yearning for this hour. Then in compassion will I go and seek him, and tell him that I forgive him all, and that from the place to which I am now hastening I will watch over him, and pray that he may live long and happily, and that he may rejoice in his love. Did I not go in secret once before when he was departing, and I remained? Did I not bend over him and bless him as he slept, and was it not my blessing which brought him back unharmed and scatheless ?-and shall I shrink from going now to say one last farewell, to breathe one last word of blessing and forgiveness?"