n to join us, mylord; your coming is anxiously awaited. For my own
part, I shall not be content until you have looked with your own eyes
upon the peaceful delights of our life at Clarens.

FROM SAINT PREUX TO MYLORD EDOUARD

Madame d'Orbe is now with us. We look to you to complete the party. When
you have made a long stay at Clarens, I shall be ready to join you in
your projected journey to Rome.

Julie has revealed to me the one trouble of her life. Her husband is a
freethinker. Will you aid me in trying to convince him of his error, and
thus perfecting Julie's happiness?

_IV.--The Veil_

FROM SAINT PREUX TO MADAME D'ORBE

Mylord Edouard and I, after leaving you all yesterday, proceeded no
farther than Villeneuve; an accident to one of mylord's attendants
delayed us, and we spent the night there.

As you know, I had parted from Julie with regret, but without violent
emotion. Yet, strangely enough, when I was alone last night the old
grief came back. I had lost her! She lived and was happy; her life was
my death, her happiness my torment! I struggled with these ideas. When I
lay down, they pursued me in my sleep.

At length I started up from a hideous dream. I had seen Julie stretched
upon her death-bed. I knew it was she, although her face was covered by
a veil. I advanced to tear it off; I could not reach it. "Be calm, my
friend," she said feebly; "the veil of dread covers me, no hand can
remove it." I made another effort, and awoke.

Again I slept, again I dreamt the dream. A third time I slept, a third
time it appeared to me. This was too much. I fled from my room to mylord
Edouard's.

At first, he treated the dream as a jest; but, seeing my panic-stricken
earnestness, he changed his tune. "You will have a chance of recovering
your reason to-morrow," he said. Next morning we set out on our journey,
as I thought. Brooding over my dream, I never noticed that the lake was
on the left-hand of the carriage, that we were returning. When I roused
myself, I found that we were back again at Clarens!

"Now, go and see her again; prove that the dream was wrong," said
Edouard.

I went nervously, feeling thoroughly ashamed of myself. I could hear you
and Julie talking in the garden. I was cured in an instant of my
superstitious folly; it fled from my mind. I retired without seeing her,
feeling a man again. I rejoined mylord Edouard, and drove back to
Villeneuve. We are about to resume the journey to Rome.