g little feet. 'Tis witchery--enchantment--Venus and Diana--I
shall inevitably go mad. Ah, cousin! you ought to have come long ago,
and all this might never have occurred."

The sun had sunk behind a bed of clouds--the nightingale began its
song, and the fresh green leaves rustled beneath the mild breath of
the evening breeze. The bee hummed joyously on its homeward way,
loaded with the sweets of the spring flowers. Down in the valley,
the voice of the hinds driving their herds to rest, increased the
rustic concert; the river rippled on beneath the mysterious shade of
old fantastic trees, and the air was filled with soft noises, and
rich perfumes, and the voice of birds. There was no room in Hector's
heart for all these natural enjoyments. "To-morrow," he said,
kissing the broken crook--"I will come back again to-morrow."

CHAPTER III.

Early in the following morning, Hector wandered along the banks of
the Lignon, with a fresh-cut crook in his hand. He looked to the
door of the Park d'Urtis, expecting every moment to see the glorious
apparitions of the day before. And at stroke of noon, a lamb rushing
through the gate, careered along the meadow, and the eleven others
ran gayly after it, amidst a peal of musical laughter from Amaranthe.
Daphne did not laugh.

The moment she crossed the threshold, she glanced stealthily
towards the river. "I thought so," she murmured; "Daphnis has come
back." And Daphnis, in a transport of joy, was hurrying to the
shepherdesses, when he was suddenly interrupted by Madame
Deshoulieres and the Duchess d'Urtis. When the sisters had returned,
on the evening before, Amaranthe, to Daphne's great discomfiture,
had told word for word all that had occurred; how that a young
sportsman had joined them, and how they had talked and laughed; and
Madame d'Urtis had no doubt, from the description, that it was Hector
de Langevy. Amaranthe having added to the story, that she felt certain,
in spite of Daphne's declarations to the contrary, that he would meet
them again, the seniors had determined to watch the result. Hector
would fain have made his escape; two ladies he might have faced, but
four!--and two of them above thirty years of age! 'Twas too much; but
his retreat was instantly cut off. He stood at bay, blushed with
all his might, but saluted the ladies as manfully as if he had been
a page. He received three most gracious curtsies in return--only
three; for Daphne wished to pass on without ta