tracted his lips as he continued, with bitter
irony:--"Ah! hide thy suffering, old man; rally thy strength; take
courage! If thy heart is torn and bleeding,--if despair devours thy
soul,--oh, smile, still smile! Yes! your life has been a continual
farce! Yet, miserable abortion that thou art, what canst thou do but
submit, yield without a fight, and bow thy neck to the yoke like a
powerless slave? Begone, rebellious feeling! Be silent, and behold thy
child!"

Lenora opened the door and ran to her father, her questioning eyes fixed
on his with a look of hope. All of poor De Vlierbeck's efforts to
disguise his suffering were unsuccessful, and Lenora soon read in his
face that he was a prey to some overwhelming sorrow. As he still
obstinately kept silence, she began to tremble, and asked, with feverish
impatience,--

"Well, father,--well,--have you _nothing_ to say to me?"

"Alas! my child," said he, sighing, "we are not happy. God tries us with
heavy blows. Let us bow before the will of the Almighty."

"What do you mean? what is there to fear?" said Lenora, beside herself.
"Speak, father! Has he _refused_ his consent?"

"He has refused it, Lenora!"

"Oh, no! no!" cried the maiden; "it is impossible!"

"Refused it, because he possesses millions and we--nothing!"

"It is true, then? Gustave is hopelessly lost to me!--lost to me
forever!

"Hopelessly!" echoed the father.

A sharp cry escaped Lenora as she tottered to the table and fell on it,
weeping bitterly.

De Vlierbeck arose and stood above his sobbing daughter, and, joining
his uplifted hands, exclaimed, in suppliant tones,--

"Oh, pity me, pity me, Lenora! In that fatal interview I have suffered
all the torments that could rack the heart of a parent; I have drunk the
dregs of shame; I have emptied the cup of humiliation; but all, all are
nothing in comparison with thy grief! Calm yourself, child of my love;
let me see the sweet face I so love to look on; let me regain my lost
strength in thy holy resignation! Lenora! my head swims; I shall die of
despair!"

As he uttered these words he sank heavily into a chair, overpowered by
emotion. The sound of his fall seemed instantly to recall Lenora to
herself, and, dashing the tears from her eyes, she leaned her head on
his shoulder to listen and assure herself that he had not fainted.

"Never to see him more! to renounce his love forever! to lose the
happiness I dreamed of! Alas! alas!"

"Lenora! Lenora!"