the sight of the old forest in its majesty. One could not have
imagined a greater contrast than the darkness and silence which
dwelt beneath the vast canopy, and she gazed about her in rapture,
first at the trees and then at the royal carpet of green, starred
with its fields of flowers. Her breast heaved, and she stretched out
her arms as if she would have clasped it all to her.

"Oh, it is so beautiful!" she cried aloud. "It is so beautiful!"

In the meantime the young man, still unseen, had been standing in
the shadow of the bushes, drinking in the sight. The landscape and
the figure and the song had all faded from his thoughts, or rather
blended themselves as a halo about one thing, the face of this girl.
For it was one of those faces that a man may see once in a lifetime
and keep as a haunting memory ever afterwards, as a vision of the
sweetness and glory of woman; at this moment it was a face
transfigured with rapture, and the man who was gazing upon it was
trembling, and scarcely aware of where he was.

For fully a minute more the girl stood motionless, gazing about at
the forest; then she chanced to look towards the spring, where she
saw the flowers upon the seat.

"Why, someone has left a nosegay!" she exclaimed, as she started
forward; but that seemed to suggest another thought to her, and she
looked around. As she did so she caught sight of the young man and
sprang towards him. "Why, Arthur! You here!" she cried.

The other started forward as if he would have clasped her in his
arms; but then recollecting himself he came forward very slowly,