hampions, each aiding
other with fairy wings, to seek a lonely spot far away among the rushes.

A plaintive air, sung by some shrill girlish voices in the West End, was
wafted over by the light evening breeze. It was so still that Madeleine
could follow every word:

"I now myself must sever,
My little friend, from thee.
Let naught oppress thee ever;
Soon home again I'll be."

She felt more than usually depressed, and now, just as it had happened
after church on Sunday, Delphin's image seemed suddenly to spring up
into her thoughts. Where he came from she knew not. A web of confused
reveries seemed to weave themselves in her soul, just as the moon shed
its mysterious network of shadows over the grass.

Her attention was all at once attracted by a noise in the garden. She
certainly fancied that she heard the door of the summer-house creak on
its rusty hinges. At the same moment she heard Morten's heavy tread on
the stone steps leading up to the front door: he must be returning from
the stable. It was time to go to bed, but still she remained at the
window, looking towards the summer-house. She now discovered two forms
that were going slowly down the path which led to the wicket in the
garden wall. This path was fringed on both sides by high overgrown
hedges, and she could only see the heads every now and then as they
passed. In the idea that it was one of the maids with her sweetheart,
she was just going to shut the window. It was surely nothing which
concerned her.

The pair had just reached the place at which two paths crossed each
other, which was illuminated by a broad patch of moonlight. Madeleine
could not help being curious to see who it might be, and still stood
leaning out of the window, holding on to the fastening of the sun-blind.
The lovers stood still for a moment, as if they felt that there was
danger in passing the place. At length they took courage, and sped
hastily by. But not hastily enough--Madeleine had recognized them both.
Her pulse seemed to stop and her heart to sink within her, and without
uttering a sound she slipped down on the floor under the window. In the
passage, outside her door, she heard Morten go grumbling back from the
bedroom which he and Fanny usually occupied, and in which she was not to
be found.

Madeleine's head became clear in a moment In another instant he would be
down the staircase, out in the garden, and then--They must be saved, but
why she did n