.

of bitterness. The fire light shone with a ghastly glare through the worn corpse-light fingers, and I shuddered to see how thin they were.

And Louis,' I said, endeavouring to divert her gloomy thoughts and to give her courage.

"She fixed her full earnest gaze upon me, as she answered slowly, "Nay, Georgette, thou art surely mocking me. Thou canst not but have perceived that all our early love is but a dream. He hath returned to the world from which he has wandered to hold communion for that brief time with me. Why should I grieve? He hath chosen by far the wiser path, and if I cannot follow him so swiftly in his downward flight it is no fault of his.'

"I was terrified at the calmness of her manner, and remembering the exertion she would in so short a time be compelled to make, I sought to raise her hope and spirit by every means in my power. I greatly fear that I was wrong. I know not to this hour; but who could foresee the

event?

"Thou thinkest far too lightly of thyself, sweet Paquerette,' said I, in a cheerful voice, while yet I was scarcely able to refrain from tears. 'Louis loves thee more than ever, but then 'tis with a more proud and manly love. Fear not, he feels that thou art worthy other sentiments than those he felt ere he had mixed with men. He seeks now not merely to admire but to deserve thee.'

"She slowly arose from her kneeling posture, and fixed a steady gaze upon my face. Her large dark eyes seemed to grow yet larger-to expand like those of the wild, the desert-born antelope.

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'Speakest thou truly, Georgette?' said she, 'Do I hear aright? I know not, in truth, for thy voice seems unlike thine own. I could almost fancy it the echo of some music which I had heard long ago, thy words have found such quick response within my heart. See now, how weak and foolish I become. Thy simple speech hath made me almost forswear my long-cherished hope. Could I but believe thee, my only friend— but-no, no, it must not be, or I should dread to die!'

"She gazed mournfully into the fire. The log upon the hearth just then broke in two, and rolled among the embers. Its bright yellow blaze flared up for a moment, and showed her pale features as clearly as in day, and then sank into darkness. She seized my hand, and pressed it with a convulsive grasp. I am sure she looked upon this incident as a omen of her fate.

"It was just at that very moment that the dresser of the theatre came to announce that the hour for attiring was arrived. It was fortunate, for it broke the spell which seemed to have bound us both. I busied myself in lighting the lamp, and in arranging every thing which would be wanted for her toilet, making these little offices each and all last as long as I could, ere I dared turn my face to hers, so much was it stained with tears.

"I roused myself by an effort, and endeavoured to cheer her spirits; and as I proceeded to assist her in dressing, succeeded, by dint of perseverance, in winning from her now and then a sickly smile. Thus encouraged, I talked once more of Louis. I told her (alas! that I should say it) of the bouquet of purple bruyère! She seemed to take courage while listening to all my specious reasonings in his favour; and said, with a return of her own tranquil manner, that she would try and chase the gloomy

thoughts which for ever followed her, and would endeavour to recall the trust and faith in him which she had felt in bygone days, when they had nought to love but each other.

"As the hour for the opening of the theatre approached, I grew far more excited than herself, for my words had soothed her agitation. I shall never forget the effect which the first burst of the full orchestra produced upon us both as we had sat quiet and silent for a few moments in that little chamber. It was like the thunderbolt. Paquerette raised her eye to heaven, and I threw myself upon her bosom in speechless agony. As the overture proceeded, she followed each note, beating the measure with her tiny foot, and humming each bar distinctly, although the tears were ready to gush forth. She needed not the warning of the call-boy to arouse her attention; for as the piece of music drew near to its close, she kissed me hastily, and by a strong effort, rushed through the door into the coulisses. I remained behind leaning against the doorway, panting and breathless; and all I can remember now is, the fact of hearing the voice of dear kind old C. calling in a loud tone, 'Be quick here-be quick-a tumbler of eau à la glace for the débutante, or she will faint before the curtain rises!'

"I live in hope that the Lord will forgive me, but at that moment I forgot the time-the place-the when the where the occasion which had brought me there-in short, all but Paquerette-there in that unhallowed spot, amid the emblems of unholy things by which I was surrounded, did I sink upon my knees, and cross myself, and pray with such yearning fervour for the success of the poor orphan, that those who saw me kneeling there, between those painted side scenes, as deeply absorbed in prayer as if I had been alone in my own village church, might have deemed me overcome by sudden madness, and I cannot wonder at the roars of laughter which burst from the whole band of thinly-clad Coryphées who were gazing upon me from the coulisse opposite.

"The music of the opening scene-a sylvan chorus of village maids and foresters-bold, yet flowing and harmonious, succeeded greatly in restoring the calm to my spirit, and I arose, soothed and quieted, just in time to behold Paquerette gliding softly from the side scenes unto the stage. Her entrance called forth no applause. Not the slightest murmur of encouragement greeted her appearance. On the contrary, it would have seemed as if each one held his breath fearing to break the charm-the gliding of that spirit-like form across the stage. There was a slight pause, even in the orchestra-but it was unobserved the whole audience seemed beneath the influence of some magic spell, and sat watching that ethereal figure, dim and shadowy like a half-forgotten dream, as if, like the sybils of ancient days, the first notes she uttered were to be pregnant with the fate of some one among them.

"She began at length-I almost fancied that from where I stood I could hear her deep drawn respiration, but as she proceeded in her part, fear gave way to inspiration. Her genius took wing, and ere long soared above all the trammels of minor considerations, and, on the falling of the curtain at the close of the first act, the applause was most enthusiastic. "How glad she was to breathe once more free and unconstrained upon my bosom, and to tell me of all her newly-born sensations, and to receive my words of hope and comfort. She seemed in better spirits than I had

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 success. 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.'

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"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.

66 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 1 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.'

"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.

She

"The sound of footsteps descending the narrow stone stairs leading from the stage to the little room seemed to arouse her into consciousness. seized my arm hurriedly, and exclaimed in a voice scarcely audible, They are coming! They are coming! Oh do not let them find me here! Let us hasten, Georgette; quick, let us begone.'

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"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