bestowed on thee by this new and potential planet."

"And hence, I suppose," said the Englishman, interested (as the
astrologer had declared) in spite of himself, "hence that opposition
in my nature of the worldly and romantic; hence, with you, I am the
dreaming enthusiast; but the instant I regain the living and motley
crowd, I shake off the influence with ease, and become the gay pursuer
of social pleasures."

"Never _at heart gay,_" muttered the astrologer; "Saturn and Herschel
make not sincere mirth-makers." The Englishman did not hear or seem to
hear him.

"No," resumed the young man, musingly, "no! it is true that there is
some counteraction of what, at times, I should have called my natural
bent. Thus, I am bold enough, and covetous of knowledge, and not deaf
to vanity; and yet I have no ambition. The desire to rise seems to
me wholly unalluring: I scorn and contemn it as a weakness. But what
matters it? so much the happier for me if, as you predict, my life
be short. But how, if so unambitious and so quiet of habit, how can I
imagine that my death will be violent as well as premature?"

It was as he spoke that the young Lucilla, who, with fixed eyes and lips
apart, had been drinking in their conversation suddenly rose and left
the room. They were used to her comings in and her goings out without
cause or speech, and continued their conversation.

"Alas!" said the visionary; "can tranquillity of life, or care, or
prudence, preserve us from our destiny? No sign is more deadly, whether
by accident or murder, than that which couples Hyleg with Orion and
Saturn. Yet, thou mayest pass the year in which that danger is foretold
thee; and, beyond that time, peace, honour, good fortune, await thee.
Better to have the menace of ill in early life than in its decline.
Youth bears up against misfortune; but it withers the heart, and crushes
the soul of age!"

"After all," said the young guest, haughtily, "we must do our best to
contradict the starry evils by our own internal philosophy. We can
make ourselves independent of fate; that independence is better than
prosperity!" Then, changing his tone, he added,--"But you imagine that,
by the power of other arts, we may control and counteract the prophecies
of the stars----"

"How meanest thou?" said the astrologer, hastily. "Thou dost not suppose
that alchymy, which is the servant of the heavenly host, is their
opponent?"

"Nay," answered the disciple, "but you allow t