PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 87 



peét of an immenfe fortune, to the pleafure of her 

 daughter's company for a few years. *' Your 

 *' aunr," added he, as he was departing, " cannot 

 '' hold out more than two years longer; her friends 

 " have affured me of it : confider the matter, 

 " therefore, ferioufly, I pray you ; confult your 

 " own mind; furely, every perfon of common 

 " fenfe muft be of my opinion." Madame de la 

 Tour replied : " As I defire nothing, henceforward, 

 " but the welfare of my daughter, the voyage to 

 " France, (hall be left entirely to her own dif- 

 " pofal." 



Madame de la Tour was not forry at finding an 

 opportunity of feparating Paul and Virginia for a 

 (hort time ; but, it was only in the view of fecur- 

 ing their mutual happinefs, at a future period. 

 She, accordingly, took her daughter afide, and faid 

 to her : " My dear child, our domeftics aregrow- 

 " ing old ; Paul is ftill very young ; age is dealing 

 " upon Margaret, and I myfelf am already infirm : 

 " fhould I happen to die, what will become of 

 " you in the midfl of thefe deferts ? You will be 

 " left entirely alone, with no perfon to afTift you, 

 «^ and you will be obliged to procure yourfelf a 

 *' liveHhood by labouring inceffantly in the ground, 

 " Hke a hireling : fuch an idea overwhelms me 

 *' with grief." Virginia thus replied : " God has 

 " doomed us to labour : you have taught me how 



G 4 "to 



