him to the plantation, where the first impulse of his mind, upon seeing
Madame de la Tour, was to reproach her bitterly for having deceived him.
Madame de la Tour told us, that a favourable wind having arose at three
o'clock in the morning, and the vessel being ready to set sail, the
governor, attended by his general officers, and the missionary, had come
with a palanquin in search of Virginia, and that, notwithstanding her own
objections, her tears, and those of Margaret, all the while exclaiming that
it was for the general welfare they had carried away Virginia almost dying.
'At least,' cried Paul, 'if I had bid her farewell, I should now be more
calm. I would have said to her, Virginia, if, during the time we have lived
together, one word may have escaped me which has offended you, before you
leave me for ever, tell me that you forgive me. I would have said to her,
since I am destined to see you no more, farewell, my dear Virginia,
farewell! Live far from me, contented and happy!'

"When he saw that his mother and Madame de la Tour were weeping, 'You must
now,' said he, 'seek some other than me to wipe away your tears;' and then,
rushing out of the house, he wandered up and down the plantation. He flew
eagerly to those spots which had been most dear to Virginia. He said to the
goats and their kids which followed him, bleating, 'What do you ask of me?
You will see her no more who used to feed you with her own hand.' He went
to the bower called the Repose of Virginia; and, as the birds flew around
him, exclaimed, 'Poor little birds! you will fly no more to meet her who
cherished you!' and observing Fidele running backwards and forwards in
search of her, he heaved a deep sigh, and cried, 'Ah! you will never find
her again.' At length he went and seated himself upon the rock where he had
conversed with her the preceding evening; and at the view of the ocean,
upon which he had seen the vessel disappear, which bore her away, he wept
bitterly.

"We continually watched his steps, apprehending some fatal consequence from
the violent agitation of his mind. His mother and Madame de la Tour
conjured him, in the most tender manner, not to increase their affliction
by his despair. At length Madame de la Tour soothed his mind by lavishing
upon him such epithets as were best calculated to revive his hopes. She
called him her son, her dear son, whom she destined for her daughter. She
prevailed with him to return to the house, and re