the water's edge.
Presently the last flush faded, and one large planet, splendid and
solitary, like the first poet of a dark century, emerged from the
deepening gray.

My companions were in high spirits. They jested; they laughed; they
hummed scraps of songs; they had a greeting for every boat that passed.
By-and-by, we came to an island with a little landing-place where a
score or two of boats were moored against the alders by the water's
edge. A tall flag-staff gay with streamers peeped above the tree-tops,
and a cheerful sound of piping and fiddling, mingled with the hum of
many voices, came and went with the passing breeze. As Dalrymple rested
on his oars to listen, a boat which we had outstripped some minutes
before, shot past us to the landing-place, and its occupants, five in
number, alighted.

"Bet you ten to one that's a bridal party," said Mr. Sullivan.

"Say you so? Then suppose we follow, and have a look at the bride!"
exclaimed his friend. "The place is a public garden."

The proposition was carried unanimously, and we landed, having first
tied the boat to a willow. We found the island laid out very prettily;
intersected by numbers of little paths, with rustic seats here and there
among the trees, and variegated lamps gleaming out amid the grass, like
parti-colored glow-worms. Following one of these paths, we came
presently to an open space, brilliantly lighted and crowded by
holiday-makers. Here were refreshment stalls, and Russian swings, and
queer-looking merry-go-rounds, where each individual sat on a wooden
horse and went gravely round and round with a stick in his hand, trying
to knock off a ring from the top of a pole in the middle. Here, also,
was a band in a gaily decorated orchestra; a circular area roped off
for dancers; a mysterious tent with a fortune-teller inside; a
lottery-stall resplendent with vases and knick-knacks, which nobody was
ever known to win; in short, all kinds of attractions, stale enough, no
doubt, to my companions, but sufficiently novel and amusing to me.

We strolled about for some time among the stalls and promenaders and
amused ourselves by criticising the company, which was composed almost
entirely of peasants, soldiers, artisans in blue blouses and humble
tradespeople. The younger women were mostly handsome, with high Norman
caps, white kerchiefs and massive gold ear-rings. Many, in addition to
the ear-rings, wore a gold cross suspended round the neck by a piece of