p, collected his scattered ideas, and advanced to the mouth of the
cavern.

The sun had set: but outside the cave an azure twilight prevailed, and
the adjacent peaks of the mountains stood darkly out from the partially
though faintly illuminated sky.

While Wagner was gazing long and intently upon the sublime grandeur of
the scene, a strange phenomenon took place. First a small cloud appeared
on the summit of an adjacent hill; then gradually this cloud became more
dense and assumed a human shape. Oh! with what interest--what deep,
enthusiastic interest, did Fernand contemplate the spectacle; for his
well-stored mind at once suggested to him that he was now the witness of
that wondrous optical delusion, called the mirage.

Some human being in the plain on the other side of that range of
mountains was the subject of that sublime scene; might it not be the
individual of whom he was in search, the owner of the doublet? But, ah!
wherefore does Wagner start with surprise?

The shadow of that human being, as it gradually assumed greater density
and a more defined shape--in a word, as it was now properly developed by
the reflection of twilight--wore the form of a female! Were there, then,
many inhabitants on the opposite side of the mountains? or was there
only one female, she whose reflected image he now beheld? He knew not;
but at all events the pleasure of human companionship seemed within his
reach; the presence of the doublet had convinced him that there was
another man upon the island, and now the mirage showed him the semblance
of a woman!

Vast--colossal--like a dense, dark, shapely cloud, stood that reflected
being in the sky; for several minutes it remained thus, and though
Wagner could trace no particular outline of features, yet it seemed to
him as if the female were standing in a pensive attitude. But as the
twilight gradually subsided, or rather yielded to the increasing
obscurity, the image was absorbed likewise in the growing gloom; until
the dusky veil of night made the entire vault above of one deep,
uniform, purple hue. Then Wagner once more returned to the cavern, with
the resolution of crossing the range of hills on the ensuing morn.

CHAPTER XLI.

THE ISLAND QUEEN.

Oh! how beautiful--how enchantingly beautiful seemed Nisida, as her
delicate feet bore her glancingly along the sunny banks of the crystal
stream, to the soft music of its waters. How the slight drapery which
she wore set off