Part 28 (2/2)

Your reverie is over: nothing bright can last, not even dreaone, your fairy real lives but the recollection of a shadow!

The reader is requested to identify oursentences; and forgive him in consideration of his unfortunate condition Lovers, as every body knows, live dream-lives; and e have written is not an inaccurate hint of what passed through the heart of Jacques as he went on beneath peach and cherry blossoday

That fate which seemed to deny him incessantly an opportunity to hear Belle-bouche's reply to his suit, had only inflahs, and looked with h the boughs, and did theirdown, his eyes were very dreamy, his lips reathed into a faint wistful smile Poor Jacques!

As he drew near Shadynook, the sunshi+ne seehter, and the flowers exhaled sweeter odors The orchis, eglantine, sad crocus burned in blue and shone along the braes, to use the fine old Scottish word; and over him the blossoms shook and showered, and ate, set in the loery fence, Jacques sighed and smiled

Daphnis was near his Daphne--Strephon would soon meet Chloe

He tied his horse to a sublunary rack--not a thing of fairy land and ht--and slowly took his way, across the flower-ena, drea, Jacques held out his arms and listened for her voice

He heard instead an invisible voice, which he soon, however,to an Ethiopian lady of the bedchaone out, sir!”

And Jacques felt suddenly as if the sunshi+ne all around had faded, and thick darkness followed All the light and joy of sone--_she_ was not there!

”Where was she?”

”She and Mistiss went out for a walk, sir--down to the quarters through the grove”

Jacques brightened up like a fine dawn The accident ht see Mrs Wi their walk; and then she would be compelled to listen to hied the whole in hisalong reflecting upon the hidden significance of crooks, and flowers, and shepherdesses--for Jacques was a poet, and h attracted his attention, and raising his head, he directed his drealances in the direction of the sound

He saw Belle-bouche!--Belle-bouche sitting under a flowering cherry tree, upon the brink of a little streah sun and shadow

Belle-bouche was clad, as usual, with elegant silea their odorous blosso the delicate rosy-snow leaves on the book she held

That book was a voluh back the little hand of Belle-bouche reseht his breath, and bowed and fell, so to speak, beside her

”You ca into the brook,” said Belle-bouche, with her languishi+ng shed Jacques

The little beauty blushed

”Oh, then your time was throay,” she said; ”you should not busy yourself with so idle a personage”

”Ah!” sighed Jacques, ”how can I help it?”

”What a lovely day!” said Belle-bouche, in order to divert the conversation ”Aunt and ht we'd come down to the quarters and see the sick I carried s, and aunt went on to see about sos, which I have just got fros?” said Jacques, with deep interest, and bending down until his lips nearly touched the little hand; ”songs, eh?”

”Scottish songs,” laughed Belle-bouche; ”and when you ca this one, which seeentleman”