love, you are my life henceforward; nor shall the
hereafter part us, for wherever you are there unto me
will still be heaven. Oh, my love, is it not kind of
fortune thus to call you forth? a favorable omen of
the issue of this night. Oh, come forth, my love;
come forth, and make a hallowed aisle of the ver-
andah."

"Alas!" exclaimed Amanda, stepping to the ver-
andah, "why have you ventured here again so
soon, -- or, rather, why so late? for are there not
ruffian robbers on the road, and all the secret perils
of the night?"

"No peril equals that of absence from yourself,"
said Claude, "for passion has greater perils than the
road. Cupid's arrows are more terrible to him whose
breast is bared by the absence of its mistress, than
would be at the traveller's throat the armed and
threatening hands of fifty ruthless robbers. But how
have you fared since we were so rudely parted?"

Amanda sighed. "But so so;" she murmured mourn-
fully, "it is a slight burn that does not smart a little
when the scorched part is snatched away from the
fire:" and hanging down her head bashfully, repeated,
"But so so: -- I have felt an unaccustomed care -- of
little consequence, -- but, oh, tell me, Montigny, how
your father, the proud, rich seigneur takes this matter,
for I know you would inform him of it. Is he not in-
censed, not angry; does he not upbraid you, and call
me evil, and perhaps deserved, hard names?"

"He has expostulated with me;" Claude responded;
"yet not with too much earnestness, knowing love's
fires are blown by opposition. How seems your guar-
dian?"

[[73]]

p072 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p073w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p074

v?