thousand voices of delight rose from earth, and air, and water.

* * * * *

Mr. Peregrine Tyss had purchased a handsome villa, in the vicinity of
the city, and here, on the same day, was to be celebrated the double
marriage of himself with Rose, and his friend George Pepusch with the
little Doertje Elverdink.

The kind reader will excuse my entering into the details of the nuptial
feast and ceremonies. For my part I am willing to leave it to my fair
readers to settle the dress of the two brides according to their own
fancy. It is only to be observed, that Peregrine and his beautiful Rose
were all simple delight, while George and Doertje, on the contrary, were
meditative, and with mutual gaze seemed to have thought, eyes, and ears
for each other only.

* * * * *

It was midnight, when suddenly the balsamic odours of the
large-blossomed thistle spread through the whole garden.

Peregrine awoke from sleep. He fancied that he heard the plaintive
melody of hopeless desire, and a strange foreboding got possession of
him. It seemed to him as if a friend were violently torn from him.

The next morning the second bridal pair was missing, namely, George
Pepusch and Doertje Elverdink; what added not a little to the general
astonishment was, that they had not at all entered the bridal chamber.

In this moment of doubt, the gardener came and exclaimed, "He did not
know what to think of it, but a strange wonder had happened in the
garden. Throughout the whole night he had dreamt of the blooming
_Cactus grandiflorus_, and not till now discovered the cause of
it.--They should only come and see!"--

Peregrine and Rose went into the garden. In the middle of a clump of
flowers a lofty thistle had shot up, which drooped its withering
blossom beneath the morning sun; about this a variegated tulip wound
itself, and that also had died a vegetable death.

"Oh, my foreboding!" cried Peregrine, while his voice trembled with
sadness. "Oh, my foreboding! it has not deceived me. The beams of the
carbuncle, which have kindled me to the highest life, have given death
to thee, thou sweet pair, united by the strange discords of opposing
powers. The mystery is revealed; the highest moment of gratified desire
was also the moment of thy death."

Rose too seemed to have a foreboding of the wonder; she bent over the
poor perished tulip, and shed a stream of tears.

"You are