ay:

"Shall I draw the picture for you? I see a fair city, deep embowered in
hills and sheltered by olive-groves. Over it beams a broad sky, deeply
blue; many soft bells caress the summer air. Away in the Cascine Woods
a gay party of people are seated on the velvety moss; they have
mandolins, and they sing for pure gaiety of heart. One of them, a woman
with fair hair, arrayed in white, with a red rose at her bosom, is
gathering the wild flowers that bloom around her, and weaving them into
posies for her companions. A stranger, pacing slowly, book in hand,
through the shady avenue, sees her--her eyes meet his. She springs up
to greet him; he takes her hand. The woman is yourself; the stranger no
other than your poor friend, who now, for a brief space, takes leave of
you!"

So rapidly had he drawn up this picture, that the impression made on me
was as though a sudden vision had been shown to me in a magic glass. I
looked at him earnestly.

"Then our next meeting will be happy?" I said inquiringly.

"Of course. Why not? And the next--and the next after that also!" he
answered.

At this reply, so frankly given, I was relieved, and accompanied him
readily through the hall towards the street-door. Leo met us here, and
intimated, as plainly as a human being could have done, his wish to bid
me good-bye. I stooped and kissed his broad head and patted him
affectionately, and was rewarded for these attentions by seeing his
plume-like tail wave slowly to and fro--a sign of pleasure the poor
animal had not betrayed since Zara's departure from the scene of her
earthly imprisonment.

At the door the pretty Greek boy handed me a huge basket of the
loveliest flowers.

"The last from the conservatory," said Heliobas. "I shall need no more
of these luxuries."

As I entered the carriage he placed the flowers beside me, and again
took my hand.

"Good-bye, my child!" he said, in earnest and kindly tones. "I have
your address, and will write you all my movements. In any trouble,
small or great, of your own, send to me for advice without hesitation.
I can tell you already that I foresee the time when you will resign
altogether the precarious and unsatisfactory life of a mere
professional musician. You think no other career would be possible to
you? Well, you will see! A few months will decide all. Good-bye again;
God bless you!"

The carriage moved off, and Heliobas stood on the steps of his mansion
watching it out of sight. To