a, clinging closer to me, whispered her forebodings
of death. "You will remember," said she, smiling faintly, "you will
remember me, in the lofty and bright career which yet awaits you; and
I scarcely know whether I would not sooner have that memory--free as it
will be from all recollection of my failings and faults, and all that I
have cost you, than incur the chance of your future coldness or decrease
of love."

And when Isora turned, and saw that the tears stood in my eyes, she
kissed them away, and said, after a pause,--

"It matters not, my own guardian angel, what becomes of me: and now that
I am near you, it is wicked to let my folly cost you a single pang. But
why should you grieve at my forebodings? there is nothing painful or
harsh in them to me, and I interpret them thus: 'If my life passes away
before the common date, perhaps it will be a sacrifice to yours.' And it
will, Morton--it will. The love I bear to you I can but feebly express
now; all of us wish to prove our feelings, and I would give one proof
of mine for you. It seems to me that I was made only for one purpose--to
love you; and I would fain hope that my death may be some sort of
sacrifice to you--some token of the ruling passion and the whole object
of my life."

As Isora said this, the light of the moon, which had just risen, shone
full upon her cheek, flushed as it was with a deeper tint than it
usually wore; and in her eye--her features--her forehead--the lofty
nature of her love seemed to have stamped the divine expression of
itself.

Have I lingered too long on these passages of life? They draw near to
a close, and a more adventurous and stirring period of manhood will
succeed. Ah, little could they, who in after years beheld in me but
the careless yet stern soldier--the wily and callous diplomatist--the
companion alternately so light and so moodily reserved--little could
they tell how soft, and weak, and doting my heart was once!

CHAPTER VI.

AN UNEXPECTED MEETING.--CONJECTURE AND ANTICIPATION.

THE day for the public solemnization of our marriage was at length
appointed. In fact, the plan for the future that appeared to me most
promising was to proffer my services to some foreign court, and that of
Russia held out to me the greatest temptation. I was therefore anxious,
as soon as possible, to conclude the rite of a second or public
nuptials, and I purposed leaving the country within a week afterwards.
My little lawyer assured