"You have ofen, my dear friend," said the Count Montauban to his brother, pressed me to relate the history of my union with the Countess.-This evening is suited for a tale of happiness. Sit here, my friend and brother, under this natural tapestry of leaves and flowers, and listen to the history of our love, and the disclosure of our felicity.

"It is now two summers, since our commune was nightly ravaged by a wolf of more than common savageness and stealthiness. Young and old, children and men, had been assailed by this monster of the woods: the cattle of our farmers had been carried off, and devoured, or else torn and maimed, by this ruthless savage: even the dogs, which had been hitherto deemed a sufficient protection for their untended flocks, were overmastered by his courage, or defeated by his craftiness; and though eyery heart of peasant and hunter had VOL. II. D

been exerted to discover his den, and drag him to death, effort after effort failed to track him to his sanguinary lair. It then became my duty, as the natural protector of my faithful peasantry, to search out and destroy this foe to their cattle-folds; and, summoning my huntsmen together, we set out, well armed and confident, for the woods which border my domain. For two days, however, success followed not our steps. It was therefore concluded, that the crafty enemy, scenting perhaps the staunch hounds, which had been mustered in more than common force to destroy him, had shrunk from before them to a lair more distant, where he could securely conceal himself till the cry of revenge had subsided. Believing this, I had given up the immediate pursuit, and had divided my force into small parties, and dispatched them to more distant quarters, to unkennel the monster, and drive him back into our toils; and, with four followers, I contented myself with beating up the wood on the south. Our diligence was unrewarded, and, grown weary of the hopeless pursuit, I resigned the sport to my still-eager at tendants; and, as the evening was more

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than usually beautiful, even for our happy clime, I wandered on in pleasant contemplation of the glorious hues of cloud and sky, as ever and anon they burst upon my view, through the interstices of the wood. Gently and gradually the daylight died, and the dusky shadows of evening came stealing over the wood, till its thick foliage became black and melancholy. I then thought of retracing my steps; for weariness had succeeded to the delight I felt in the silent contemplation of the beauties around me. The usual fatality which at. tends the late wanderer befel me; I mistook the ambiguous path I had first followed, and still, the further I pursued it, strayed more remotely from the road which led back to the château. While thus perplexed in the mazes of this labyrinth, a rustling arose from the thick underwood about me I started, grasped my spear more firmly, and felt to assure myself that my side-arms were safe. The sound ceased, and I stepped a few paces forward. Again the sound, and I stood on the defensive; but again it ceased, and I pursued my way. I paused once more for a moment; and then I could distinctly hear,

that, whatever living thing it was which stirred, whether savage or man, it followed my steps-stopped when I stopped, and stirred when I stirred, and that so guardedly, that when the sound of my footstep died, the rustle of its pursuit was silent. I stood therefore with more caution, and then I could hear, though faintly, that my pursuer was gliding on its belly over the clinging moss and through the stunted fern, which carpetted and clothed the ground beneath the underwood. It is the wolf!' I exclaimed; and for a moment a throb of fear ran through my veins. I felt that I was too weary, too weak, to endure the fray which must ensue if we met. The stoutest heart in France would perhaps have felt as mine did, and no shame sully his courage. I had not long to dream of fear, for the foe approached nearer and nearer still; and a low, savage growl told who was the enemy I had to contend withal. My sinews knit as I grasped my good spear. A moment more, and a crash, as if the mighty arm of an oak had been struck to the earth, startled the awful silence, and made wood and earth vibrate with the sound. It was plain that the wolf had made a leap for the spot on

which I stood, but had alighted short of the mark. Another low rustle among the underwood, and by the gloomy light which still lingered after the day, I perceived, and started as I beheld, the eyes of the savage creature glaring their horrid lustre on me. It was in vain to think of retreat-courage might do much, but craven cowardice nothing. With a resolute heart, therefore, I advanced upon him. It was, indeed, the wolf!

"And now came the struggle. With a loud growl, that made the wood re-echo as to the cry of a thousand wolves, he advanced upon me, and I upon him. We were within two paces of each other-reckless man and ruthless savage. He gazed at me a moment, and then crouched as if to lie down; but it was to make more powerful his leap. In an instant he sprang, and my spear had penetrated the chest of the shaggy savage. From the force of the concussion with which we met, I fell, and at the same instant was wounded. With horrid jaws extended, again he sprang upon me, and again I wounded him; but felt at the same moment that his fangs had fast hold of me. I was immediately hurled to the ground, and gave up myself as lost. Despair made me desperate, and not craven. Might to might, I grappled with the huge savage, and as he was about to give the death-bite, I seized with both hands his tusked jaws, and held him with more than human strength. His brutal powers, meanwhile, were not inactive, for I felt the blood trickling down from my torn arms, as I lay under him on the ground. Hope had not then forsaken me. We struggled, till, by a convulsive spring, he had flung himself behind the trunk of a tree which now seemed to stand between me and death. We were thus parted; and as we stood struggling, I could have smiled-but it was no moment for mirth. My dagger was now the only weapon on which I could hope for safety. I trusted to it, and loosed my hold. He returned to the attack with more than his former ferociousness-the last, desperate effort was made-I stabbed him in the throat, and he fell-I repeated the blow, and exultingly heard his blood gush with a whistling noise from the double-mouthed wound. The struggle was not over yet, for once more his fangs fastened on me; but it was his last effort-exhausted by the force which was to revenge his overthrow, he fell dead at my feet. And at the same instant, my powers, which had been strained beyond the natural strength of man, gave way, and I dropped exhausted across his lifeless carcass.

"The moon had risen, and here and there her light glimmered through the top most boughs of the trees; but all was dark

about my feet. I remained on the ground till I had recovered my regular breath; but finding that I grew fainter and fainter with loss of blood, no time was to be lost in making my way out of the wood; for if I had lingered there long I must have bled to death. With enfeebled steps I resumed the tangled path, and conquering pain with resolution, reached, at last, the border of the wood. Then exhausted nature could no longer bear up, and I fell helplessly to the ground. The moon was now high in the heavens, and by her light I could perceive that I was not far distant from a small hamlet, situated, however, more than two leagues in an opposite direction to the chateau. Lights were glittering in the distance, and now and then the bark of some honest guardian of flock and fold gave assurance of human neighbourhood, and I summoned the small remainder of strength to reach it; but pain and loss of blood had exhausted me too much for further struggling, and again I sank to the ground. I then gave up myself for lost, if I could not bring succour to me by calling for it. I hallooed, thinking it possible that the wind might waft my cry to some cottager, and induce him to seek out the spot from whence it proceeded. Even this hope failed me, and I grew cold and rigid as death, with pain. At length I could hear footsteps approaching. Again I hallooed, and the sound came nearer. A peasant youth now approached within reach of converse. He demanded to know my distress. I explained to him that I had been wounded by the wolf which had so long been the terror of the commune At the very mention of the wolf, the recreant wretch fled from the spot with all the speed which fear gives to the coward. My heart then died within me, for I thought I must perish. Another step now came towards the spot. I saw, by the help of the moonlight, he was a priest, who had perhaps been journeying thus late to shrive some dying sinner. I hailed him, and entreated he would succour a benighted wretch who had been wounded in the woods: the reputation of the wolf had made even the holy father too much alive to his own safety to heed that of another and he hurried past. Another step approached, so light, that for a while I doubted whether my fainting senses had not deceived me. It came nearer, and as the moon silvered over the distant object, I beheld with joy it was a woman! compassion for the suffering to be found anywhere, it is within her gentle bosom. God and all good men side ever with that gentle sex! I could no longer speak; but my groans reached her ear. She ceased the simple melody with which I could

;

If

hear she was lightening the loneliness of her way, and she stopped to listen. I found voice sufficient to tell her that I was dying for succour. Like an angel of pity, she flew to the spot, and in a moment I was partly raised from the ground, and I rested in her arms. Fortunately, she had a small flask of homely wine in her basket; she held it to my lips-I drank, and strength came back to me. Mean while her gentle hand wiped away the clammy drops of agony which moistened my forehead; and her voice, which was as sweet as sounds of mercy to the ear of the unpitied wretch, bade me to take cheer; and cheered I was by her assiduous tenderness. Dew falling in the desert and reviving the fevered pilgrim; light breaking in upon the darkness of the blind; music bursting in upon the opening ear of the deaf; liberty upon the captive; joy upon the sorrowful; hope upon the despairing, were never more welcome than were those welcome sounds to me! Even woman's fragile strength is sometimes powerful enough to support superior man in his worst need. Persuaded by her prevailing gentleness, I got again on my feet; and her arms supported my painful steps till we had reached a small farmhouse. A light was burning at the lattice; the wicket opened the moment her voice was heard without; and an aged woman carefully inquired if it was Estelle. Yes, my good mother,' answered the gentle girl; and I have brought with me a poor wounded cavalier, who is dying through lack of assistance,' Estelle and her mother sustained me in-I was placed on a spare pallet-wine was brought to refresh my fainting spirits-my hunter's habit carefully stripped off, and my wounds staunched and bound up with the skill of a surgeon, and the superior tenderness of woman.

"It was then that I recovered strength sufficient to inform the kind creatures how I had fallen into so painful a plight. They compassioned me the more, for the wolf had also visited them, and spread terror and destruction around. Fruits and bread were placed before me, and I was pressed to accept freely such hospitality as they could bestow. But hunger, weariness, and wounds, were soon forgotten in new sensations; for as I gazed on the young Estelle, I felt that I had never till that hour beheld those beauties which men adore in woman-never till then had been thrilled by that undefinable emotion which softens man's sterner nature; and expands his heart, to receive that best treasure of life; love-sole remainder of that heavenly

nature which has survived man's too-early fall. The admiration and the awe with which beauty first affects us-the thrilling emotion succeeding the first amazement of the senses at the dazzling wonder-the throb of the heart-the half-formed wish; the hope, the fear-the thousand thoughts and feelings which intoxicate the youth, for the first time sensible of beauty-the ineffectual struggles of the tongue to tell the fulness of the soul--the despair that words cannot half eloquently express sensations new, and therefore indescribable; the silence, which is more eloquent-the long, rapturous gaze when not observed, and the glance withdrawn when it is, only to return with more fervour to the absorbing object; these circumstances were so new to me, that my confusion must have been apparent; but, fortunately, it was attributed to the feverish excitement attending my wounds, and I was persuaded to retire to rest. I was, indeed, almost glad to be alone, that I might recal my scattered senses-mediate on my feelings, and have the bright recollection of Estelle in my solitary thoughts, whom I could not look at, when before me, without betraying by speech, eyes, and a trembling, hurried eagerness of manner, the emotions with which her presence touched me. Yes, the insect of the evening, whose little life is lengthened by having that light snatched away by which it had been allured, and doated on so fondly that it seemed ready to sacrifice itself to its flame, could not, if it were capable of gratitude, be more indebted to the hand which thus saved it, than I to the tender mother of Estelle, when she withdrew her daughter's beauty from my dazzled and bewildered sight, and left me in darkness and solitude-darkness, did I say?-no, her image made the night more beautiful than day!-solitude?her form was as present as if she had stood before me; and had I been in a desert, I should not have felt that I was alone. Sleep never brushed my eyelids with her downy wing, nor shed one honey-drop of her refreshing dew upon my brow that blissful night. It passed away in one long, delicious, waking dream, worth all the dreams of sleep; and seemed only too short for the visions of happiness which were opening before me. Agony and weariness had left me; and I could have encountered a troop of wolves, and welcomed a wound from each, if they might purchase a night of happy delirium such as then was mine!

To be Continued.