MATRIMONY AND MOONSHINE. 35 



happy there. I have not been there these ten years, but it is beau- 

 tifully situated. The calm of nature softens the human mind. Let 

 us hasten there, Julia ; a heart teeming with affection fondly attaches 

 itself to nature and solitude. Ah ! Julia there is no happiness 

 equal to that of a country life the calm unclouded sunshine of ex- 

 istence." 



" I wish the carriage was ready/' said Julia, smiling enchantingly. 

 " Do you know I want a little rest ! and, besides, my new dress 

 will not be ready for to-morrow's concert. " Let us leave at once 

 I have never been in the country ; but," she added archly, " do 

 you think, Drost, that our sunshine may not turn out moonshine ?" 



Every thing was hastily packed. Some music, and Gessner's Idyls 

 those pictures of Arcadian felicity were thrown into the carriage. 

 Servants ran about the town with cards to take leave, and four fine 

 bays drove rapidly out of the gates. The sky was blue and serene, 

 the birds sang, the trees were in bloom, and Julia's eyes wandered 

 from blossom to blossom, and found all beautiful. Drost looked first 

 at the scenery, then at Julia ; their fingers were entwined in each 

 other, like the tender twigs of the forest. 



Five leagues from the city they quitted the high road, and entered 

 a dark pine forest ; a hill was before them ; torrents of rain had de- 

 stroyed the road, and the carriage was in danger of being overturned. 



" Heavens \" cried Julia terrified, " what will become of us?" 



Drost looked anxiously out. Huge masses of stone, which had 

 been dislodged by heavy rains, lay scattered about the road. The 

 descent of the hill was still worse ; and the pine forest cast its dark 

 shade at the bottom, where a small torrent dashed over pebbles and 

 roots of trees. Julia turned pale. 



" I will alight," said she. 



The carriage stopped, and she was taken out trembling; Drost 

 followed, rather disconcerted. The rough points of the rock on 

 which they walked, penetrated her thin shoes. When she had as- 

 cended about fifty steps, she threw herself breathless under the shade 

 of a pine. Drost stood gasping beside her. 



" Alas I" cried Julia, " you did not tell me that your estate lay in 

 the Alps !" 



The old valet hastened up ; she gave him one hand, and Drost the 

 other, and they tottered up the ascent. At length, out of breath, 

 they threw themselves, exhausted, into the carriage. 



" How soon shall we be there?" said she, trembling. 



Drost had but a faint recollection of the situation of the house : he 

 cast his eyes over the whole country, and drew them back a little dis- 

 pairingly. Their hands were no longer entwined like the tender 

 twigs of the forest ; but the shaking of the carriage over the large 

 stones and pieces of rock, jostled them roughly against each other. 



" You hurt me !" cried Julia : and Drost held fast to his corner of 

 the carriage with both hands, in consternation. 



Night spread her mantle over the mountains ; all around was dark 

 and indistinct : at length the carriage rolled over a stone pavement, 

 and stopped before an old building. 



A small, stooping figure, gray as old Time, but holding in his hand 



