to sleep, and are forgotten. But I shall soon see him,
she exclaimed, as much superior to his former self, as he then rose in my
eyes above his fellow creatures! As she spoke, a glow of delight
animated each feature; her countenance appeared transparent; and she
silently anticipated the happiness she should enjoy, when she entered
those mansions, where death-divided friends should meet, to part no more;
where human weakness could not damp their bliss, or poison the cup of joy
that, on earth, drops from the lips as soon as tasted, or, if some daring
mortal snatches a hasty draught, what was sweet to the taste becomes a
root of bitterness.

He was unfortunate, had many cares to struggle with, and I marked on his
cheeks traces of the same sorrows that sunk my own. He was unhappy I say,
and perhaps pity might first have awoke my tenderness; for, early in
life, an artful woman worked on his compassionate soul, and he united his
fate to a being made up of such jarring elements, that he was still
alone. The discovery did not extinguish that propensity to love, a high
sense of virtue fed. I saw him sick and unhappy, without a friend to
sooth the hours languor made heavy; often did I sit a long winter's
evening by his side, railing at the swift wings of time, and terming my
love, humanity.

Two years passed in this manner, silently rooting my affection; and it
might have continued calm, if a fever had not brought him to the very
verge of the grave. Though still deceived, I was miserable that the
customs of the world did not allow me to watch by him; when sleep forsook
his pillow, my wearied eyes were not closed, and my anxious spirit
hovered round his bed. I saw him, before he had recovered his strength;
and, when his hand touched mine, life almost retired, or flew to meet
the touch. The first look found a ready way to my heart, and thrilled
through every vein. We were left alone, and insensibly began to talk of
the immortality of the soul; I declared that I could not live without
this conviction. In the ardour of conversation he pressed my hand to his
heart; it rested there a moment, and my emotions gave weight to my
opinion, for the affection we felt was not of a perishable nature.--A
silence ensued, I know not how long; he then threw my hand from him, as
if it had been a serpent; formally complained of the weather, and
adverted to twenty other uninteresting subjects. Vain efforts! Our hearts
had already spoken to each other.