When the heart is all awake, the mind frequently slumbers, and the soul, wrapt in its own cogitations, rejects the accessary beam of imagination, and loves to repose from the airy flights of fancy.

Imogen, spiritless, silent, and abstracted, unable to repress her feelings, yet scarcely sensible that she indulged them, believed herself overcome with fatigue, and deputing madame de Rosemont to do the honours of her house, seized on a moment when she was unobserved to steal away from the company, and retired to her own apartment: there flinging herself on a couch, (while the dark red flame of a wood fire spread round a gloomy light, and formed a striking contrast to the brilliant scene she had left,) overpowered, dissolved, almost ignorant of the nature of those conflicting feelings by which her bosom was agitated, she burst into a passion of tears which arose almost to convulsive sobs-when she suddenly found herself

inclosed in the arms of mademoiselle d'En

tragues.

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My beloved friend," she exclaimed, "what means this strong emotion?-oh! "why these tears? If the young, the "rich, the all-admired, all-adored coun"tess de St. Dorval knows moments of "misery, who shall dare expect happiness "on earth?"

"You mistake," said Imogen, touched by the compassionating tenderness of her friend's manner, though shocked at her unseasonable intrusion, "I am not un"happy; how indeed should I, possessing

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every thing that can constitute happi"ness? but there are intervals of depres

sion, even in the bosom of felicity"which-"

"Oh!" said mademoiselle d'Entragues, 'tis in vain you would conceal it; I "have long suspected that those vile re"ports have reached your car-so false and so injurious."

"What reports?" interrupted Imogen; "do not, I beseech you, keep me in sus"pense."

"I would at least wish to put you on "your guard against those who profess "themselves your friends-but-"

"In mercy trifle not with my feelings: "what reports do you allude to ?"

"Why, those circulated by the gascon"ading officers of Laon, De Chatiauneuf "and some others-mere camp anecdotes. "-nothing more."

"At least I intreat I may hear them." "Well then, since you will have it so, "it was reported that you were only the

adopted daughter of the late count de "St. Dorval, while in fact you stood re"lated to him in a very different light; "that you followed him to the siege of "Laon; were taken prisoner there by the "then baron de Montargis; that your conqueror became your captive, and "that you would have very willingly

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changed sides; but the chevalier de "Sorville interfered, and carried you back "to his friend, who in gratitude bequeath"ed you to the philosopher on his death"bed and a thousand other ridiculons "and incongruous stories, which carry in "themselves such proof of their falsity "that to hear and to discredit them is sy

nonymous. Has not (said I, the other day, to one of those chattering gossips "who infest the court)-has not the king

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even restored to her the title of her an"cestors? upon which De Sancy, or De Mimpsel, or D'Aubigné, or some of those satyrical wretches who delight in the "misfortunes of their best friends, imme

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diately replied, Aye! but his majesty "has always certain letters patent of no"bility, which pretty women can pur"chase, from a ducal coronet to a simple "barony. But indeed, my dear friend, "it was a very simple thing of you to "leave the music room when the duke de

"Beauvilliers retired; every eye was upon you when he entered; it was observed "too that the chevalier never left your "side while his soi-disant rival remained "near you; whose presence or whose ab

sence, said De Servin, your protegée; "acted with magic force on our witty "countess, for she was as silent as a

faquar in the act of penance during the "whole evening.-She did not indeed act "with as much presence of mind, said "the old lady de Normontier, as on the

fainting occasion at the Louvre.-Aye; "like poor Sappho, said D'Aubigné, she "thinks the less her sense, the more her "love appears; and the duke having al

ready proved his compassionating dis"position by marrying one-love-sick.dam. "sel out of mere pity-Upon which I "interrupted him, and mentioned your

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engagement with the chevalier.-Aye, "said somebody (I know not who), but "the chevalier is a philosopher. But I