sciousness. In our dreams
we lived over again all the scenes Delormais had so graphically
described, but more highly-coloured, full of impossible adventures. We
wandered through endless groves of paradise peopled with myriads of
Arouyas. Our only difficulty was to choose the fairest. Life was one
long poem; time had passed into eternity. From such celestial regions we
were awakened at eight o'clock by the entrance of our host with morning
coffee and steaming rolls, accompanied by Jose bearing hot water. The
latter had constituted himself our _criado_ or _valet de chambre_.

"Senor," he said, "it is a cloudless morning. Our astronomer has proved
a false prophet. My heart bleeds for him. I fear his glory has departed.
Heaven send he does not commit suicide. Is it you, senor, who have
influenced the stars against him?"

"Monsieur," said our host, putting down the tray, "your friend the poet
rose with the lark--figuratively speaking, for who knows what time the
lark rises in November? Taking his coffee, he went out with his umbrella
shouldered a la militaire. For a poet, monsieur, your friend can put on
a very defiant air, as if, like Don Quixote, he had a mind to fight with
windmills. He told me he was inflated with inspiration. He was going to
contemplate the Pyrenees from the Citadel, and to write a sonnet to the
eyebrows of a young lady he saw last night at the opera. I confess I
should have thought the eyes a finer theme. Joseph tells me it was the
Senorita Costello. She is considered the great beauty of Gerona; and
even in Madrid, I am told, created a profound sensation. No wonder the
susceptible monsieur's heart beat fast when he beheld her. Now, senor,
we leave you to enjoy your coffee and perform your toilet. His
reverence, Pere Delormais, sends you his greeting and hopes you have
slept. I have just taken his coffee also. Contrary to his usual custom,
though wide awake he was still reposing. Ah! what a great character we
have there!"

Upon which the attentive deputation retired and we were left in peace.

It was indeed glorious to see the blue unclouded sky, to find the cold
winds departed, summer reigning once more. How changed the aspect of
Gerona. How all the wonderful colouring came out, the effects of light
and shadow, under the sunshine. H. C. arrived just as we left the hotel,
and together we went to the bridge where we had stood not many hours ago
under the stars.

It almost seemed as though we had gon