AT FAGLES GORGI.

and they became orphans when the boy was ten and the girl five years old. Nasha had, since the death of her parents, remained for ninc months out of every year alone at the castle, her brother’s life bemng led elsewhere,

Winter at Ilagle’s Gorge was a time of slege, against Whth provisions were laid and lows stored up. The kennel was brought mdools, and Nasha, Getha, and Lyoff w ould sit around the hstunng to the storms howling through the pass, conscious that the pure, refulgent snow was piling itsell up around their fastness, drifting high agaimst doors and windows, [illing cvery cranny with its gentle flakes, and clothing the ravines in splendour. With th(, Spring came Volmer, who was not always as welcome to Nasha as the soft days that brought him. Jut she remembered he was her only brother, the head of her house, and she gave him the best greeting 1 her power, recollecting his favourite dishes, his tastes, and even his whims. He made but a poor return for her generous hospitality, lounging about the rooms, grumbling at their shabby appoint- ments, and sneering at the primitive customs of the household at Eagle’s Gorge,

It was not astonishing he should hate it; the contrast it presented to Paris, his usual dwelling-place, was so great. The brother and sister had no interests or sympathies in common ; nothing, in fact, but their name united them. A beautiful woman might have been of use to the worldling Volmer; she might have given a reflected brilliancy to his career; she might even have lured gold mto his pockets; but Nasha was worse than useless, and Volmer consequently, con- sidermg himself aggrieved, never looked

her without cursing his bad luck. Nasha, whose tranquillity concealed her painful thoughts, realized with pangs of a half-

passionate despair the cffect of her ugliness upon her fate. She, whose existence lay mm such a sombre groove, dreamed often of the life that might hav been. She had not bored over thc, library treasurcs i vain ; from them she knew something of the world

beyond her mountains, and she learned to believe that in the whole wide range of

human life there is no magic like a woman’s beauty.

Beauty could procure all the heart’s des'res —love, gold, pomp, power, the homage ol genius, the devotion of kings—but the woman Wlthout beauty was passed by or frowned upon ; men did not want her; women held her in contempt. Nasha thought of these things with poor attempts at sclf-consolation,

353

but she seldom succeeded in even soothing her restless spirit; the aching would not be curcd ; the old longing would reassert its protest aganst Ifate, but the futile wishes which sprang from 1t were never put into words.

l'ew guests came to the castle, as it lay far out of the beaten track, and Volmer always scemed to leave the memory of his Paris life behind him when he crossed its threshold. Nasha had never ceven heard the name of any ol his friends. She was not curious Parts and her brother’s life were mere shadows to her. She knew enough of Volmer’s character to be sure that, excepting while he was at ISagle’s Gorge, Sl](, had no place i his thoughts. She kept on her way uncomplaningly, incuriously, giving him a eracious, 1f not very hearty, welcome when he a])pcalcd, and spceding his departure without regrets ; but at last Volmer made bis coming cventful,

Once cvening, as they sat at supper, he flung a portrait across the table to her, as though to challenge an opinion. Nasha looked long at 1t and returned it without a word.

“What do you think of him?” asked Volmer.

“He 1s very handsome.”

“Heis. All the women in Paris are mad over him.”

Nasha made no response.

“You are not curious ?” exclaimed Volmer, mterrogatively. “Why don’t you ask ques- tions ?”

“As you say, I am not curious. There is nothing T want to know. It is late—I am tired——" She moved towards the door.

“Nasha !” said her brother.

“Well??”

“Come here.”

“What 151t ?”

“Will you marry this man ?”

“You have never made sport of me before, Volmer,” she replied, glancing at his ammatcd face, and swiftly d10pp1n(f her eyes.

“I say, will you have this man for a lover?”

“You are mad ! among men. woman.”

“He shall marry you.”

“Volmer, be silent !”

“He 1s coming here,’ donically.

“T will not sece him.”

“ But he shall marry you !”

“ Not with his eyes open.”

Iet me go. Heis a king He must marry a beautiful

said Volmer, sar-

Vol. iv.—46.