Truth is so strong, and, in the reality of Annie's description, there was a force which no fancied portrait of a woman's grief could have given; and this despair of Ellen's rose from her love of Julian! "You are right," he said, at length, after walking rapidly up and down the anteroom, pallid with envy of Julian's triumph-Julian, the wounded-it might be, the dying! and the hottest of tears, guish, filling his eyes. tears of jealous an"You are right; I will go and help her to watch him.” 66 'Dear, kind Alphonse," said Annie, taking his cold, damp hand, and raising it to her lips. He scarcely heeded the action. 66 Annie, swear never to reveal to any one that you.....that I....that we....have spoken of love, until I tell you that the time is come. Swear, Annie!" "I cannot explain now: but you do not doubt me? Oh! I blush, I weep for my own frailty, maiden, to have thought of love, when, VOL. II. G as you say, Julian lies in danger, and Ellen "Noble, feeling, revered one!" said Annie, "with such a heart, what can I fear? I do swear, dear, dear Alphonse!" What power over woman's nature has real delicacy of feeling, and nobility of thought in the man she loves, when even its flimsy imitation can bring her to his feet? His mind she is accustomed to believe superior to her own; even his bodily strength insures a sort of re spect; and laws, made by men, have given men more than their share of power in their relations with women. Their" comparatively independent, social position, too, adds to their power; and power in the one begets deference in the other. But, in delicacy and devotion of heart, woman is not used to be outdone; there, the idol blindly worship ped often reveals "the front of brass, and feet of clay;" the appearance of a supe riority there, wakes woman's wildest worship. Alphonse, pale and in tears, because he had pressed her to his heart, while Julian suffered and while Ellen wept-oh, delicate, noble Alphonse! - he passed into Julian's room -the reader knows with what real feelings; and Annie knelt upon the place where he had stood, and kissed the spot where his hand had rested! She then, with that sweetest and most sublime pride woman can know pride in him she loves- went forth to do Ellen's bidding in the rooms where, from various causes, all the other members of the family were confined. CHAPTER XXXV. But if 'twas sweet, when heaven was bright, Ten Years Ago. Meanwhile, De Villeneuve shares Ellen's silent watch; and to him there was luxury in the increased and irresponsible intimacy of this darkened room, and the bed-side of pain. Mr. Jobb, very "fussy" and important, since he had seen his name in the papers, having decided in a loud whisper that all was doing well, left the gloomy and silent scene for the, to him, more amusing attendance on Augusta and Mr. Grunter. The fat old nurse, anxious, as she said to herself, to appear "worthy of her hire," busied herself in "tidying the room," smoothing the bed, sweeping the hearth, staring at the sufferer, preparing beverages, shaking her head, and in coaxing, whispered ejaculations of "Poor dear young gentleman! Don't trouble yourself, miss! Lor love your pretty face!— you looks as white as a sheet; you'd better go for a nice walk, miss, in the park, or for a drive in your coach. Sick rooms is very well for them as is used to 'em-poor bodies, who makes their livelihood by 'em; but if I was a born lady, like you, miss, with my watch to my side, I'd never set foot in none of 'em. And so I said, miss, to my lady Halmeria, (Lord Loftly's daughter) miss, where I nursed last; Lor, miss, when her brother, the Honourable Frederic Greville, was ill of the typhus, she'd slip in unawares to every one-even to me-to hide in his bed-curtains, to watch by him all night; as fine a young lady as I ever set eyes on, miss. Poor soul! the young gentleman recovered, but she caught the typhus. I nursed her night and day for a fortnight, but she died. and this is mourning the family gave me, and |