dwelt abstractedly on the sight, then, falling, they
wandered listlessly over the broad and shining
expanse of landscape before her; where Nature,
unrobed, seemed as in a bath; for in front, the grass,
steeped in descending dews, glittered as a lake.
Woods confined the view in one direction, and the
gleamy wave of the Ottawa, amidst filmy obscurity,
bounded it, yet further off, in another. Unseen but
felt, like the unperceived Genius of the landscape,
towered close behind her the sombre-sided mountain;
and, touched by the solemn scene, she advanced,
and, leaning upon the balustrade, heaved a deep
sigh; then lapsed into a reverie so profound, that
she failed to hear the tramp of a horse now rapidly
approaching, and to note the change to sudden si-
lence, caused by its stopping at the postern. But
there, transfixed with wonder and admiration, and
looking like a bronze equestrian statue at the gate,
now, mounted, sat gazing the lately flying horseman
of the road, the champion of the morning on those
grounds, and contemplated the figure on the verandah;
then, dismounting, tied his steed, and vaulting
over the fence, swiftly approached across the lawn;
till, as if suddenly aware of being on holy ground,
he paused, and stood with reverential aspect and
clasped hands, eagerly bending towards her as if
in adoration. Thus engaged, as stands in ecstasy
some newly arrived pilgrim before a shrine, he stood
enrapt; whilst she remained as moveless as a carved
angel leaning over a cathedral aisle, and, with her
eyes fixed on vacancy, at length mournfully exclaimed:
"Sad, sad, so sad! -- yet why am I so sad? No den-
ser grows the mystery around my birth; and if

[[35]]

p034 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p035w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p036

v?