C 110 ) 



wherever thou wanderest. She will inhabit solitude 

 with thee, she will marchwith thee under the scorch- 

 ing Sun , the sky will be your pavilion. But wait 

 till the season of storms be over. Gods ! cried Or- 

 pheus who can hardly believe what he hears, and 

 where will your Eurydice lay her head? In thy bo- 

 som said the magnanimous old man.» 



« Orpheus hid his front in his hands, and abun- 

 dant tears trickled down his cheeks ; he at the 

 same moment felt an inexpressible joy and a ter- 

 rible anxiety. For the first time he knew weakness, 

 and caressing with respect the chin and the beard 

 of Talaon , he asked favour in his sight for his well 

 beloved daughter, he conjured him to take pity on his 

 only chiîd , and not to abandon so tender and so 

 lovely a flower lo the wintry blasts. The old man with 

 affection pressed the son of the lyre onhisbosom and 

 said: thou doest not then know the power of love 

 over a pure and innocent heart? When wrapped 

 up in her chaste ignorance the virgin has conceiv- 

 ed the sublime sentiment of love , she can sepa- 

 rate herself no more from this thought become the 

 only one which absorbs her. Henceforth the life of 

 Eurydice is thy own life , thy projects will be her 

 projects, thy virlues her virtues ., thy dangers , noble 

 hero , will be her dangers. And her mother? Said 

 Orpheus in a low voice , slifled with sobs. » Her 

 mother! replied Talaon, enlightened by a natural 

 feeling and by the expérience of the concerns of the 

 heart, she without doubt understood you both , 

 before you understood each other ; she will prefer 



