ckground. Then the brig was not even visible between the green water
and the blue sky, and Helene was nothing but an imperceptible speck, a
faint graceful line, an angel in heaven, a mental image, a memory.

The Marquis had retrieved his fortunes, when he died, worn out with
toil. A few months after his death, in 1833, the Marquise was obliged to
take Moina to a watering-place in the Pyrenees, for the capricious child
had a wish to see the beautiful mountain scenery. They left the baths,
and the following tragical incident occurred on their way home.

"Dear me, mother," said Moina, "it was very foolish of us not to stay
among the mountains a few days longer. It was much nicer there. Did
you hear that horrid child moaning all night, and that wretched woman,
gabbling away in patois no doubt, for I could not understand a single
word she said. What kind of people can they have put in the next room to
ours? This is one of the horridest nights I have ever spent in my life."

"I heard nothing," said the Marquise, "but I will see the landlady,
darling, and engage the next room, and then we shall have the whole
suite of rooms to ourselves, and there will be no more noise. How do you
feel this morning? Are you tired?"

As she spoke, the Marquise rose and went to Moina's bedside.

"Let us see," she said, feeling for the girl's hand.

"Oh! let me alone, mother," said Moina; "your fingers are cold."

She turned her head round on the pillow as she spoke, pettishly, but
with such engaging grace, that a mother could scarcely have taken it
amiss. Just then a wailing cry echoed through the next room, a faint
prolonged cry, that must surely have gone to the heart of any woman who
heard it.

"Why, if you heard _that_ all night long, why did you not wake me? We
should have--"

A deeper moan than any that had gone before it interrupted the Marquise.

"Some one is dying there," she cried, and hurried out of the room.

"Send Pauline to me!" called Moina. "I shall get up and dress."

The Marquise hastened downstairs, and found the landlady in the
courtyard with a little group about her, apparently much interested in
something that she was telling them.

"Madame, you have put some one in the next room who seems to be very ill
indeed--"

"Oh! don't talk to me about it!" cried the mistress of the house. "I
have just sent some one for the mayor. Just imagine it; it is a woman,
a poor unfortunate creature that came here last night on