he house, strolling from
room to room, half unconsciously, half struck by the vastness and extent
of the building. Chance at last led him along the corridor which ended
in this chamber, and he entered, gazing carelessly around him, till
suddenly he thought he heard the deep-drawn breathing of one in heavy
sleep. He drew nigh, and saw it was Julia. The arm on which her head
lay hung listlessly down, and her hand was half hid in the masses of
her luxuriant hair. Noiselessly, stealthily, Jack crept to her feet, and
crouched down upon the floor, seeming to drink in her long breathings
with an ecstasy of delight. Oh, what a moment was that! Through how many
years of life was it to pass, the one bright thread of gold in the dark
tissue of existence. As such he knew it; so he felt it; and to this end
he treasured up every trait and every feature of the scene. "It is all
that I shall soon have to look back upon," thought he; and yet to be
thus near her seemed a bliss of perfect ecstasy.

[Illustration: 532]

More than an hour passed over, and he was still there, not daring to
move lest he should awake her. At last he thought her lips seemed to
murmur something. He bent down, close--so close that he felt her breath
on his face. Yes, she was dreaming--dreaming, too, of long ago; for
he heard her mutter the names of places near where they had lived
in Ireland. It was of some party of pleasure she was dreaming,--her
dropping words indicated so much; and at last she said, "No, no; not
Lisconnor. Jack does n't like Lisconnor." Oh, how he blessed her for the
words; and bending over, he touched the heavy curl of her hair with his
lips. Some passing shock startled her, and she awoke with a start and
a faint cry. "Where am I?" she cried; "what is this?" and she stared at
him with her wide, full glance, while her features expressed terror and
bewilderment.

"Don't be frightened, dearest. You are safe, and at home with those who
love you."

"And how are you here? how came you here?" asked she, still terrified.

"I was strolling listlessly about, and chance led me here. I saw
you asleep in that chair, and I lay down at your feet till you should
awake."

"I know nothing of it at all," muttered she. "I suppose I was dreaming.
I fancied I was in Ireland, and we were about to go on some excursion,
and I thought Marion was not pleased with me;--how stupid it is to try
and disentangle a dream. You should n't have been here, Master Jack.
E