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soûls now forming but one , wandered deliciously 

 as in a fantastical région peopled wilh sweet con- 

 templations. He then said to the prophetess who 

 was ignorant of herself , « see those clouds floating 

 on the azuré sky; such are the uncertain thoughts 

 of man; see thy lovely image smiling in the crystal 

 of the brook ; the hopes of man are as charming 

 and not more real. » Eurydice answered smiling : 

 « Art thou then no longer sensible to the light of 

 a fair day , to the beams of the moon soflly repo- 

 sing on the leaves of the trees. Thy ear is then no 

 more able to distinguish the successive hours of 

 the day by the différent impressions which sounds 

 produce éscapihg from solitude? Do the perfumes 

 of the air , give thee no more pleasure , and 

 have the méats of our frugal table lost ail their 

 flavour ? Why dost thou talk of vain and deceitful 

 hopes, of their being like images reflected in the 

 water of the founlain, of thoughts as fugitive as 

 the clouds careering over our heads. Thou deceivest 

 thyself Orpheus ; every thing passes in the secret of 

 our hearts; and it is our heart alone which gives 

 existence and reality to every thing. «And the future! 

 said he with an anxiety full of love and sorrow, 

 is the future likewise in us » ? Yes , replied the in- 

 spîred virgin hesitatingly, dazzled with a thousand 

 confused splendours . yes, for at every instant of 

 our life we are directed by an immortal soul.»Then 

 they both remained plunged in silence. 



Illuminated by thèse conversations , Orpheus felt 

 that he must quit the dwelling of Talaon. Not being 



