FAUL AND VIRGINIA. 75 



She perceived the reflexes of the two palm-trees, 

 which had been planted at the birth of her bro- 

 ther, and at her own, and which now interwove 

 their green boughs, and their young cocoas, over 

 her head. She called to remembrance the friend- 

 fhip of Paul, fweeter than perfumes, purer than the 

 water of the fountain, ftronger than united palm- 

 trees, and fhe heaved a figh. She then refle<5led 

 that it was the night feafon, and that Qie was in foli- 

 tude; a confuming fire inflamed herbreaft. Imme- 

 diately, flie haftened, in difmay, from thefe dan- 

 gerous fhades, and from waters more ardent than 

 the funs of the Torrid Zone : flie hurried to her 

 mother, in order to feek refuge from herfelf. A 

 thoufand times, wifliing to difclofe her anguifli, 

 flie preflfed her hands between her own ; a thou- 

 fand times, (he was on the point of pronouncing 

 the name of Patd^ but her heart was fo full, as to 

 deprive her tongue of utterance, and, reclining her 

 head on the bofom of her mother, fhe bedewed it 

 with a rtiower of tears. 



Madame de la Tour plainly perceived the caufe 

 of her daughter's diforder, but even flie herfelf had 

 not the courage to fpeak to her about it. " My 

 *' child," faid flie to her, *' addrefs yourfelf to 

 " the Almighty, who difpenfes health and life, 

 ** accoraing^to his good pleafure. He makes trial 

 ** of your virtue to-day,, only in order to recom- 



** penfe 



