heavenly bodies are to spring, as that caterpillar is the bulb of a butterfly, and the poor dry acorn of a branching oak?”

Then full of smiles he ran away to gather blossoms that grew in the lake, the vapours having all cleared off; but soon returning, "Sister," he cried, "I cannot reach the queen of the whole company; pray come and lend a hand," Iarine had begun to read a letter with deep attention, yet now she rose, and placing stones in the water, erected a little bridge to the floating colony of flowers. But just as she was about to gather one, Albinet screamed aloud, for he had heard the sound of the magical drum, which the prince struck against the branch of a tree in bending forward to look at Iarine. The maid was startled, her foot slipped from the stone, and, looking up, she beheld Phantasmion, with light wings unfurled, gazing at her from the middle of a broad leafy bough. She knew his face, and remembering how strangely it had appeared to her twice before, she believed the youth was some wizard or guileful spirit, and springing to the bank and catching hold of her little brother, she hastened away as fast as his feeble limbs would allow him to keep pace with her. Phantasmion lightly fluttered down from the tree, and, fanning the air with his delicate pinions, quickly overtook Iarine and the terrified child. At that instant he lowered his wings, folding them down over his shoulder, and kneeling before the princess, held out a cup to show what office he sought, and intreated her to favour his suit with the queen. Albinet clasped his sister round the waist, and hid his face, that he might not see the object which excited his terror; but the fears of Iarine almost melted

on

away while Phantasmion spoke, and looking at his noble countenance, she could not but yield to the faith which it inspired. "I cannot speak for queen Maudra,' she replied, "but thou shalt be conducted to her presence and mayst have an answer from herself." She then returned with young Albinet to the boat, which she had over-passed in her sudden alarm, and was soon her way to the island. Phantasmion went to gather up the flower which had fallen from her hand into the lake, and, at the same time, espied the letter floating by its side. The name of Semiro and that of Karadan caught his eye as it lay open before him, and guessing that it came from Zelneth, he read what follows while he waited for the boat from the island: "Beware of him, dearest Iarine, for it is reported that he deals in magic; yes, powerful magic, and I believe the charge. Our house has never seemed like itself since he entered it; Karadan is more despairing than ever, and Leucoia grieves twice as much for her lost love as she did before the enchanter came among us. She seems to have sat too long in the sun; her cheeks are like a bleached primrose born near midsummer. And oh what a sun

bright visage beamed on us lately!

My cousin, beware of him, if he comes into thy presence; be not deceived by his heavenly brow, nor his noble countenance, nor his deep sweet voice, nor his gallant bearing: above all, be not deluded by his smile: that smile I know to be his most pernicious spell. It banishes all natural smiles from the place where it has once appeared; it is a light that puts out all other lights, and, vanishing, leaves darkness behind it.

"Our father avers that Semiro was no envoy from

Palmland, but a spy sent by Glandreth.

Oh folly!

Semiro never came from any dominions but his own, whether they be of earth or of some other sphere. Arzene is wroth with him, for the sake of her dear son: that he sought Karadan's blood, I believe not; but if he seeks to rob him of that which he values more, thy love, he does far worse. I beseech thee let him not succeed in this, Iarine; let him not work spells on thee, as thou valuest thy good name. I grieve that any suspicion should rest on that; but strange rumours will fly abroad unless thou hearkenest to the suit of Karadan. Pity indeed should incline thee to this; better have nipped his passion in the bud, than suffer the flower to blow in vain, wasting the precious juices of the tree. I could not act thus cruelly, even toward a wicked sorcerer, if I were loved by him as thou art by Karadan. Alas! no one, whose love I care for, will ever love me thus; yet, loved or unloved, I remain thy loving cousin, Zelneth."

CHAPTER XVIII.

PHANTASMION MAKES USE OF HIS MAGICAL DRUM.

PHANTASMION thanked Zelneth in his heart for that warning letter, which seemed so well fitted to defeat its own purpose, and by the time that a boat had arrived to transport him whither his heart was bound, he had concealed his wings under a cloak, and every aspiring thought under a countenance of humility and reserve. The queen, when she beheld him, was pleased with the opportunity of engaging so handsome a cup-bearer, and, being engrossed with the image of Glandreth, observed no beauty in him which might not belong to men of lowly station. "He looks sedate yet quick," thought she; "I may find him the more useful; at all events he will be a goodly piece of furniture, becoming a palace."

That day a high feast was holden at the castle, and Phantasmion attended in his place amid the crowd of domestic servants. He placed himself right opposite to Glandreth, and read his face more keenly than any one at the board. He saw the courtier bend forward to address the queen with soft volubility, prolonged smile, and gently suspended eyelid, then, absolving himself from the mimic task, on a sudden resume his lofty port and natural countenance, every smile gone, every muscle braced up, and none but stern thoughts legible on his brow, at one end of the table sate poor Albinian, the

mock effigy of a king, his white locks incessantly shaken by the palsied motions of his head. Now and then he muttered a few words which no one tried to understand but Iarine; she, brightest and loveliest, sate beside him, devoting all her looks and words to the afflicted man; but from her heavenly face he turned away, by a miserable fascination, to watch his gaudy queen and the proud injurious noble. Phantasmion could see his eye flash and his teeth chatter with impotent rage, when others perceived none but the twitches of disease in that distorted face. And now Glandreth has fixed his ardent eye upon the beautiful princess; but silent reproaches, deeper than any but an angel face could have expressed, were all her answer, and looking back to Maudra he spied suspicion on her lowering brow. He refrained from casting another glance upon Iarine, and renewed his discourse to the queen, leaning forward and addressing her with all the tender confidence of a favourite: "Last night I had the strangest dream," said he; "'tis well I have few fears; then dropping his voice, and looking expressly at Maudra, he added, "there is but one being on earth who holds me in awe.” "Tell me thy dream," answered the queen with a smile; "I did not think thou hadst been a dreamer; but the dreams of some are worth more than the waking thoughts of others.' "I dreamed," said he, "that I heard a thundering sound, which gradually grew louder and louder, till I thought it would shatter myself and all around me with its violence. I started from my couch, expecting, forsooth, to be swallowed up by an earthquake; but all was still and silent; I lay down to sleep, and had no sooner pressed the pillow than these words were breathed