But whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in--we cannot hear it.'"

"True," responded Miss Carmichael, "and now I begin to feel like a
disembodied spirit--a 'young-eyed cherubim.' I seem to belong already to
a better planet. Should you not like to dwell here for ever, far away
from the carking cares and troubles of the world?"

The unwonted sadness of her tone reminded me of her devoted life, and I
turned towards her with new interest and sympathy. She was looking at
the Evening Star, whose bright beam softened the irregularities of her
profile, and made her almost beautiful.

"Yes," I answered, and the words "with you" formed themselves in my
heart. I know not what folly I might have spoken had not the
conversation been interrupted by Gazen, who called out in his unromantic
style,

"I say, Miss Carmichael! Won't you come and take a look at Venus?"

She rose at once, and I followed her to the observatory.

The telescope was very powerful for its size, and showed the dusky night
side of the planet against the brilliant crescent of the day like the
"new moon in the arms of the old," or, as Miss Carmichael said, "like an
amethyst in a silver clasp."

"Really, it is not unlike that," said Gazen, pleased with her feminine
conceit. "If the instrument were stronger you would probably see the
clasp go all round the dusky violet body like a bright ring, and