ich he so
eloquently describes? I like not the dark frown upon his brow, nor the
fierce glances of his eyes. But tush! of what am I thinking? I must not
harbor unjust suspicions against the husband of my child; he is merely
somewhat excited by the generous wine, and probably derived his
knowledge of these matters from the romances of the day. 'Tis best that
he should drink no more at present; I will therefore hint to him that it
is high time for a loyal bridegroom to retire to the arms of his
expectant bride. He surely will not disregard so tempting a suggestion,
for my Alice is very like her mother, and egad! on _my_ wedding night,
twenty years ago, I needed no second hint to induce me to fly eagerly to
_her_ arms. Ah, I was young then, and old age plays sad havoc with us!"

The worthy old gentleman whispered a few moments in the ear of the
Chevalier. The latter arose with a flushed cheek and a flashing eye.

"Thanks for the hint, good father-in-law," he cried, draining another
goblet of wine--"I have paid my devoirs to Bacchus; now will I worship
at the shrine of Venus!"

With rather an unsteady gait he left the apartment, and, under the
guidance of two lovely, blushing, tittering damsels, sought the nuptial
chamber. At the door of that sacred retreat, his fair guides left him.
He entered--and the black-hearted villain, stained with a thousand
crimes, stood in the presence of angel purity.

And now, fain would we draw a curtain over what followed--but if we did
so, our task would be incomplete. We therefore pass over the delicate
details with as much rapidity as the nature of the case will admit.

The Chevalier advanced to the couch, and viewed his bride; evading his
ardent gaze, she turned away, her maiden cheek glowing with blushes.
Upon the snowy pillow, in rich masses, lay her luxuriant hair; her
modestly veiled bosom, whose voluptuousness of outline no drapery could
entirely conceal, heaved tumultuously with gushing joy, and holy
happiness, and pure passion, and maidenly fear. Her small, exquisite
hand, on whose taper fore-finger glittered a magnificent diamond ring,
(her husband's gift,) rested upon the gorgeous counterpane, like a
snow-flake upon a cluster of roses.

Still the Chevalier profanes not that pure form with his unhallowed
touch; perchance some unseen power, the guardian of spotless innocence,
restrains him. Placing himself before the splendid mirror, he begins to
remove his superb garments wit