re is wanting to complete the canon."

"Believe that I have said it," she half whispered; then, starting,
and changing color, "hist, hist," she added, "once more I hear it:
heard _you_ nothing?"

"I nothing heard but you," replied Montigny: "Proceed; for your
voice is sweeter to me than plashing fountain's, or than Saint
Laurent's chimes, or than would be--could we hear it--the fabulous
music of those night-hung spheres, coming harmonious to our listening
ears, borne on the shoulders of the cherub winds. Why are you
silent?"

"Listen," she said, looking still more alarmed.

"I do," he answered.

"Yet heard you nothing?"

"Nothing but ourselves."

"Nothing besides?"

"What further should I hear?" he asked.

"And yet it seemed as if I heard another," she continued. "Are we
watched? speak, tell me," she demanded,--"I hear it again; listen."

Montigny listened a moment, then replied soothingly:

"Dismiss these pale-cheeked panics, for you hear nothing; or if
you do it is but the common voices of the night. It is merely the
hoarse bullfrog croaking in the swamp; and the green grasshopper
a chirrupping in the meadow; for, saving these, all nature with
myself is listening to you. Be reassured: there is nothing, but
what your own excited fancy has conjured: even the wind has ceased
to sigh amongst the leaves; the moon stands still, and her arrested
beam no longer draws the shadow on the dreamy dial. Then, proceed,
my love, for when you speak you fill my ears with heaven, but when
you pause then opens the abyss."

"Yet listen; I hear it again:" she said; "it was not fancy; no."

"What else? what can befall you, love, whilst I am here?" he
murmured.

"Nothing, I hope," she answered, falteringly.

"Then nothing dread."

"I dread to say it, yet I must: Good night."

"Already?" he demanded.

"All too long!" cried an imperious voice; and the advocate stood
before them.

"Amanda, ah, Amanda, Miss Macdonald," he continued, "is it thus you
fool us? Go, bird, into your cage. Nurse, take my lady in." And
Amanda beheld behind her the melancholy Mona, half shrouded in a
cloak covering her night attire.

[Illustration: "Amanda, oh! Amanda, is it thus you fool us?"]

Silently they both of them withdrew, and the stranger was left
alone with the advocate, who, laying his hand detectingly on the
other's shoulder, thus addressed him:

"Claude Montigny, I do not ask of you what brings you here, for I
have something