My father，indeed，opposed the determination，but since his death，I have not a legitimate obstacle to contend with; some affairs settled，a successor for Morton provided，an entanglement or two of the feelings broken through or cut asunder- a last conflict with human weakness，in which I know I shall overe，because I have vowed that I will overe- and I leave Europe for the East."

He said this，in his peculiar，subdued，yet emphatic voice; looking，when he had ceased speaking，not at me，but at the setting sun，at which I looked too. Both he and I had our backs towards the path leading up the field to the wicket. We had heard no step on the grass-grown track; the water running in the vale was the one lulling sound of the hour and scene; we might well then start when a gay voice，sweet as a silver bell，exclaimed-

"Good evening，Mr. Rivers. And good evening，old Carlo. Your dog is quicker to recognise his friends than you are，sir; he pricked his ears and wagged his tail when I was at the bottom of the field，and you have your back towards me now."

It was true. Though Mr. Rivers had started at the first of those musical accents，as if a thunderbolt had split a cloud over his head，he stood yet，at the close of the sentence，in the same attitude in which the speaker had surprised him- his arm resting on the gate，his face directed towards the west. He turned at last，with measured deliberation. A vision，as it seemed to me，had risen at his side.

There appeared，within three feet of him，a form clad in pure white-a youthful，graceful form: full，yet fine in contour; and when，after bending to caress Carlo，it lifted up its head，and threw back a long veil，there bloomed under his glance a face of perfect beauty. perfect beauty is a strong expression; but I do not retrace or qualify it: as sweet features as ever the temperate clime of Albion moulded; as pure hues of rose and lily as ever her humid gales and vapoury skies generated and screened，justified，in this instance，the term. No charm was wanting，no defect was perceptible; the young girl had regular and delicate lineaments; eyes shaped and coloured as we see them in lovely pictures，large，and dark，and full; the long and shadowy eyelash which encircles a fine eye with so soft a fascination; the pencilled brow which gives such clearness; the white smooth forehead，which adds such repose to the livelier beauties of tint and ray; the cheek oval，fresh，and smooth; the lips，fresh too，ruddy，healthy，sweetly formed; the even and gleaming teeth without flaw; the small dimpled chin; the ornament of rich，plenteous tresses- all advantages，in short，which，bined，realise the ideal of beauty，were fully hers. I wondered，as I looked at this fair creature: I admired her with my whole heart.