ed, for to-morrow it will be irrevocable." With these
words, she and the flower-basket disappeared in a moment from their
sight.

They remained for some minutes motionless, almost doubting their senses,
or whether such an extraordinary visitation had really occurred to them;
at length, arousing from their stupor, they agreed to seek Ursula, and
relate the adventure to her.

The joy of the poor governess almost exceeded that of her pupils. "Ah,"
cried she, "it is indeed the sweet fairy Felicia; well do I know her. Do
not you remember my children, that I once nearly betrayed the secret of
her existence to you? Benigna is, as she says, an excellent fairy, but
terribly strict in her notions. She was the friend and guardian of my
dear lady from her infancy; but your father could not endure what he
called her severity, or forgive her opposition to his marriage with your
mother. All intercourse ceased between them; and Felicia was obliged to
withdraw her protection from your father. This gave him a disgust to the
whole race of fairies, and he would not suffer you to know that he had
ever had any connexion with them."

The simple Ursula could not disapprove the choice of Adrian and
Amaranthe. To see him surrounded with splendour, and her with admirers,
would gratify the fondest wishes of her heart. Gabriel was now summoned
to the conference. He by no means agreed with Ursula in her approbation.
"Alas, my dear, young master," said he to Adrian, "it was riches that
proved the bane of your father's happiness and comfort. He mistook the
court that was paid him while in possession of them, for the real
respect and good will that he fancied was his due, though to say truth
he took no other means of obtaining them. When his fortune was gone, his
pretended friends soon followed; and that occasioned the reserve and
moroseness with which you must have observed his temper was tinctured.
Inexperienced as you are in the world, wealth may prove but a
treacherous snare; and as the fairy wisely says, you will probably fall
a prey to wicked designers." "A truce, I beseech you," cried the
impatient Adrian, "with these dismal forebodings. Neither you nor the
fairy can make me believe, that being happy myself, and having the power
to make others so, can prove my destruction. Depend upon it, old man,"
continued he, with an arch smile, and laying his hand on Gabriel's
shoulder, "when you begin to reap the advantages of my fortune, which
you shall