subject; for their eyes had already spoken volumes in a language not to be misunderstood.

They were one day seated within the circle of a little Ionic temple, under the dome of which stood a finely-executed copy in marble of the Medicean Venus. The building arose from a piece of shaven turf of the richest green, surrounded by tall evergreens of the most luxuriant foliage, and sloping gently towards a considerable sheet of water, into which the rill that stole through the grounds was taught by human art to expand itself. On all sides of this little lake, the eye sank amidst the deep and softened shadows of thickly-tufted chesnuts, planes, and lime trees, closing it in at some distance behind; whilst here and there from the velvet margin, the spiral cypress, or tall poplar, contrasted their upright forms with those of the graceful weeping willows, and other pendulous trees, seeming to unite their long tendrils to their images reflected in the water. A thousand perfumes here mingled their fragrance. It was a spot of sweetness and of silence, the gentle sighing of the zephyr among the leaves, and the almost imperceptible ripple on the lake, being the only sound or mo

tion that could be distinguished. The goddess to whom the temple was dedicated might well have chosen it as her abode, for love was breathed in the very air.

Amherst felt the full power of its influence. He was intoxicated with a combination of bewitching sensations. His pulse beat high; his eyes swam with an ecstasy never before experienced; and he was about to seize the hand of Miss Delassaux, to give vent to his feelings in a formal declaration of his passion, when they were interrupted by the appearance of a female, of prepossessing mien and countenance, but clothed in the ragged weeds of poverty, and whose person exhibited all the external marks of famine and wretchedness. The miserable creature tottered, in very weakness, forth from the dark walk leading into the retirement where they sat, and partly from respect, but more from the absolute failure of her limbs, dropped on her knees before them.

Miss Delassaux's large black eyes, melting with tenderness, were instantly kindled up with lightnings, such as Amherst had never before beheld in them.

"Wretch !" exclaimed she, unwarily permitting herself to be betrayed into a haughty and violent tone; "how could you dare to intrude on these my private walks ?”

"Alas, my lady," said the poor woman feebly, and holding up her emaciated hands in an attitude of supplication, whilst the tears poured in torrents over her wan cheeks, "I have made bold to come to you again. Husband was so crushed in trying to save poor Jem last races, when he was killed by the carriage going over him, that he has never been able to rise since. We have hardly had a morsel of food for some days, and my baby at the breast-and my poor man

"But why do you come to me with these complaints? why did you not go to Hawkins, my steward?" said Miss Delassaux, impatiently interrupting the supplicant; "I leave all such matters to Mr Hawkins-Did not I tell you so before ?"

"You did indeed, my lady, and I went; but Mr Hawkins"

"Well, begone, I say," exclaimed Miss Delassaux, in the same unfeeling tone; "I have nothing to do with such a-a-—” But here

she hesitated; for her eyes chancing at this moment to fall on Amherst, she observed that a cloud had taken possession of his sunny brow. She coughed, to give herself time to recover a little; and then, immediately changing her voice to a milder accent, she continued, "I was saying, unfortunate woman, that I do not in general allow myself to interfere in such cases; for the extreme sensibility of my heart will not permit me to witness human misery, without subjecting me to indescribable pain; and I have suffered so much in this way, that I have been induced for some time to employ an agent in all such matters. But, since you have thus forced your case upon me in person, I must give way to my feelings; and here!—take this, and be happy." And so saying, she drew from her pocket a green silk net purse, embroidered with gold, and heavy with guineas, and tossed it towards the poor woman; then, shrowding her eyes in her white handkerchief, she seemed to give way to the emotions so suddenly and deeply excited, by a tale of woe she had refused to listen to.

The wretched woman threw herself forward upon the glittering prize, and grasped it with eagerness.

"Heaven bless you!" she exclaimed, with energy; "my husband and my child may yet be saved." Then, starting up, Then, starting up, with a look of almost frenzied anxiety, she darted off with a rapidity her weakness was but ill calculated for.

She was no sooner gone than Miss Delassaux removed the handkerchief from her face, and looked round for the approbation of Amherst, with eyes re-illumed with the lambent fires of love. But in his they found no corresponding flames to mingle with. The rays which so lately shone upon her, like those of the morning sun, when his beams pour from the brow of an eastern mountain in one cheering flood of light over the gay flower garden, were now extinguished, and he seemed absorbed in a dream of gloomy thought. On him her acting had been thrown away, and even the moving tones she now assumed utterly failed to awaken his attention. At last, he seemed suddenly to recollect himself, and stammering out something about the hour, and bowing to Miss Delassaux with more formality than he had been lately wont to do, he hastily left her.

The magnificent gate of the park had closed