brightning of the day-light tints, the lingering retreat of the morning star, the gradual appearance of innumerable objects, at first but imperfectly discovered, and the glorious rising of the sun as it spread a flood of living light on every side. With those emotions of enthusiasm and delight she was so eminently calculated to feel, she instinctively turned round to express the sublime and heartfelt sensations she experienced; but the words died on her lips; for to whom could she address them? "And there can be no pleasure "without participation," she mentally exclaimed; "this moment is the sure epi"tome of my future life. The blessings

of sympathy are for ever denied me; and "to live, neither understanding nor understood-alone, and isolated-to liveOh, surely, to a heart like mine this is "not to live!"

She turned despondingly from the casement; the prospect it afforded now awakened no pleasure, and she threw herself on a chair, and wept.

To drive away those melancholy and hopeless reflections that intruded themselves on her mind, and gloomed her imagination, as soon as she had breakfasted" she visited every part of the chateau, accompanied by the venerable Geoffry; he led her through every apartment, gallery, and corridor, from the front to the rear, shedding an interest over their little tour by relating some incident connected with every spot. The rooms, spacious and kingly, were furnished with a splendor over which, though time had touched them with his decaying hand, an air of taste and magnificence still reigned. Imogen, having viewed the interior part of the building, proceeded to the lofty battlements and surrounding ramparts.

"Here, lady," said Jeoffry, leaning over a bastion on the fragment of a ruined tower, "here, from this spot, it is suppos"ed we have the finest view of the sur

rounding country that the chateau con>> "mands. Here you can trace the boun

"dary of your domain, as though it lay "within the compass of your thimble: "that snowy point which rises to the north "is the mountain of Ventoux, in Dau

phiné; that spot, on which the sun shines "so bright, is the vale of Comptat Venai"son you may see too, just above it, the 'spires of Avignon; aye, with the help

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of spectacles, I can discern the golden

spire of St. Clair myself; and then to "the east we have the high cliffs and wild "rocks of Vaucluse."

"Vaucluse!" repeated Imogen, starting--" Am I then so near Vaucluse?"

Aye, lady, within three hours ride of "it, and go the longest way you will," replied Geoffry," though it may be a hun"dred leagues off for me, with its gloomy "woods, and noisy water-falls, and haunt"ed caverns."

An emotion of pleasure, arising from taste, feeling, and an association of remote ideas, now thrilled through the heart of Imogen. The loves, the sorrows, of Pe

trarch and Laura, rose on her recollection; and to visit, to frequently visit, that spot sacred to their memories, became the favourite object of her future intentions.

About mid-day her agent arrived from Avignon. Imogen examined with the strictest attention into his books and accounts, applauded the regularity with which they had been kept, and informed him that she had now come to reside perhaps for the rest of her life at the chateau de St. Dorval, in the hope of promoting the happiness and comfort of her tenantry and vassals; that any plan he could suggest to forward her wishes on that head, she would gratefully adopt, and put into immediate execution. Meantime she requested he would provide the chateau with every requisite for a liberal, but not an extravagant, establishment; and, having received the most unqualified assurances from the agent (who though a plain was a sensible man) of his intention

to aid her in her laudable projects, she received from him a sum of ready money, and he departed.

THE news of the arrival of the countess de St. Dorval at the residence of her ancestors was no sooner circulated through the neighbourhood than her tenantry and vassals came in crowds to the chateau to pay their homage to its lady, by whom. they were received with a kindness that