on the same floor with that which he had quitted. The curtains in front of the chamber had been closed, but were now drawn partly aside to admit the air, and, through this open space, Phantasmion had glimpses of Zelneth and Leucoia, untwisting their platted hair beside a lofty mirror. Their words came distinctly to his ear as he stood under the awning beside the drapery of the apartment, but now they had changed the subject of discourse. "The picture!" cried Zelneth, “ah! I had forgotten it must be lying in the wood." Trampled beneath the hoofs of deer, mayhap," rejoined Leucoia, "or perchance, the hare has found it smooth enough to couch upon." Well," replied her sister, "I would that Penselimer had no other perfidy than mine to complain of. He scarcely knows my face." "Yet how hast thou dwelt on his !" rejoined Leucoia; "how hast thou imagined the strain he is breathing forth, and heard the very sounds of the harp-chords which he seems to be striking! None but Penselimer, no living breathing lover-" 'Dear Leucoia," cried Zelneth, "why remember dreams which even the dreamer has forgotten? I have ceased to be a child—” "Since this morning!" rejoined Leucoia in a low tone.

Zelneth laughed, and "The visions of our

with some hesitation she answered, earliest years soon fade away, or serve but to brighten the image of some real object, like forms of frost that shine in the chill morning, but, when the sun is high, are changed to dew-drops which sparkle on the firm green leaves." Leucoia sighed, and Zelneth said, with a glance of kindness, "Shall I ask Semiro to give thee that scarf, Leucoia ?" "Hast thou such influence ?" the maid replied. Zelneth looked up and perceived

that Leucoia strove to prevent a tear from descending upon her cheek. "Dear sister," she said, "thou art still tremulous from thy jeopardy in the morning. I had begun to think thou hadst forgotten Dariel, or remembered him only as I do." The tears now trickled down Leucoia's face and Zelneth hung over her in silence, seeming at a loss for words of comfort.

Phantasmion was about to retire, but at that moment Karadan entered the room, and the prince felt constrained to tarry. The youth lingered for a while by Leucoia's side, as if he had something to say or to hear spoken of; but the sisters were silent, and he was about to leave the room, when Zelneth laid her hand upon him, saying, "Stay, brother, and tell us what thou thinkest of Semiro ? Hast thou ever seen a youth of more noble aspect?" "I have seen many comely faces ere now," replied the boy, and some that are better worth studying than his." "The comeliness of Semiro's face may be seen without much study," answered the fair damsel with a smile; "but, dear Karadan," she added, “I have been thinking of that fearful beast which still lurks in the woodland. When the stranger is recovered, pray invite him to hunt the panther with thee." “Dost thou think I need his aid?" cried the youth warmly. ""Twere folly to reject so good a thing when it comes in thy way," replied replied the maiden. "What hindered him from despatching the beast this morning?" rejoined the dark youth. "Not want of manliness," cried Zelneth quickly; "Karadan, to judge from looks, I should say he would wield sword and lance better than thou." "That is as shall hereafter appear!" exclaimed the son of Magnart with flashing

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eye at that moment he grasped his javelin and advanced further into the room, so that Phantasmion saw his countenance plainly. The prince began to glow, and, forgetful of everything but the menacing looks of Karadan, he laid his hand on the sword in his girdle, but, recollecting that he was unseen, he refrained from drawing it forth. Yes, yes," cried the youth in a low smothered voice, "I am neither fit to win a lady's love, it seems, nor to do her manly service." Here Leucoia turned from the glass, with her fair dishevelled tresses in her hand, to look upon Karadan's flushed face, while Zelneth playfully sank on one knee, and, catching hold of her brother's robe, besought his pardon with arch humility in her smiling eyes. "Dear brother!" she cried, "I spake but in jest; what I think of thee in very truth"Nay, spare thy assurances, dear Zelneth," said Leucoia, "Karadan little cares how he looks in thy glass. If thou couldst assure him that Iarine will not prefer Semiro to Karadan, that anxious brow would become as smooth as this mirror." The blood was rapidly overspreading the face of the agitated youth as Leucoia spoke thus, and Zelneth, quickly rising from the floor, exclaimed, "Hath Semiro seen Iarine then? how knowest thou that?" "I do but guess it," answered Leucoia; "certainly he seemed to know that we were expecting our cousin, and when he heard that she was not to come I saw him turn quite pale, and look as much distraught as thou and Karadan are looking now." Leucoia's hint had indeed banished all the gay looks and dimples from her sister's countenance, just as a pebble, flung into a pool, causes a crowd of circling insects and glancing fishes to disappear; but quickly they return,

and as quickly did the face of Zelneth resume its easy brightness, while the eyes of Karadan seemed ready to overflow, and, to hide the tears that would not be repressed, without another word, he left the apartment.

When Karadan had withdrawn Phantasmion too retired, and sought the chamber he had quitted, where keen thoughts stimulated his mind till sleep suppressed them with imperceptible hand, and presented in their stead her strangely mingled pictures. But at early dawn those thoughts rose up again to awaken the sleeper; he left his couch, descended to the lawn by winding stairs that led from the balcony, and walked beside the shallow lake. Thence he roamed on to a rich garden where the flowers were still sleeping covered with dew, and the marble statues which gleamed in morning's timid lght, now that living company was absent, seemed to share the beauties of their pleasant home with the lonely wanderer. Entering a dim alley, Phantasmion was struck by one still and graceful form, which, though not seen in front, appeared more perfect than any he had passed. It was crowned with fresh flowers and stood beside an arbour, the head thrown back, the arms uplifting an amber coloured urn, which glowed in light admitted at the end of the arched walk. Phantasmion

admired the easy air with which those polished arms sustained their burden, the swan-like throat inclined a little to one side, and the full drapery flowing in soft curves from its deep and narrow zone. But sure those folds are not of marble! they undulate in a passing breeze, and glossy tresses gleam between the rose-wreath which partly hides them. "Is it clear?" cry voices from under the trees. "Clear as clearest amber,"

replied the fancied statue, turning round and showing the face of Zelneth. At sight of the prince her eyes brightened; smiling and whispering she gave the urn into the hand of Leucoia, who had come forth from the arbour, and now returned to her seat within, among heaps of rejected flowers and vessels of new wine.

A blush slightly tinged the prince's cheek as he greeted the fair daughter of Magnart, but it rose somewhat higher when young Hermillian, who sate at Leucoia's feet, looked up with eyes of wonder and exclaimed, "Well! here thou art, and neither of us need go far to serve thee! Dost thou see that yellow wine? It was prepared for Iarine, but thou art to drink it—to my sorrow. Not that I am sorry for thy being here ; and let me tell thee, good Semiro, that I was the chief maker of the delicate beverage. Indeed now, sister! Did I not gather more than half the flowers? And I would have carried it to thy chamber too, but Zelneth cried, Peace, child! Dost think I will trust thee with it?' Yet other days I had need be shod with wings" Here the prattler suddenly paused, struck by the altered looks of Phantasmion, who had relapsed into his former weakness, and now reeling forward fell upon the floor of the arbour close by his side. "O haste, Leucoia," cried Zelneth; "seek for some one to bear Semiro to the house." Leucoia departed, and soon returned with Karadan, who bore Phantasmion to a couch in one of the apartments of the mansion.

The youth quickly recovered from this slight renewal of former illness, and looking up he again beheld Zelneth. He now blushed more deeply than before, and a smile, which he could not suppress, played upon his lips when