A languor like
that of the lotus-eaters crept over the face of nature and softened
the heart to unwonted tenderness. It was the hour of gentle
thoughts, of low spoken confidences, and love between young and
sympathizing souls, who alone with themselves and God confess their
mutual love and invoke his blessing upon it.
CHAPTER XXIX.
FELICES TER ET AMPLIUS.
Amelie, by accident or by contrivance of her fair companions,--girls
are so wily and sympathetic with each other,--had been left seated
by the side of Philibert, on the twisted roots of a gigantic oak
forming a rude but simple chair fit to enthrone the king of the
forest and his dryad queen. No sound came to break the quiet of
the evening hour save the monotonous plaint of a whippoorwill in a
distant brake, and the ceaseless chirm of insects among the leafy
boughs and down in the ferns that clustered on the knolls round
about.
Philibert let fall upon his knee the book which he had been reading.
His voice faltered, he could not continue without emotion the
touching tale of Paolo and Francesca da Rimini.
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