The Nemesis : A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

tain ' s gorge , occasionally * sighing , lost in thought . As he descended , a hunting party iu the vale beneath made the woods echo with their merry shouts . Adrian seizing the bough of a tree , bout over a profound precipice , ancl as he caught sight

of the hunters , an expression of deep melancholy stole over his face . As their cries ancl laughter rose upon the air , and he listened to their mirth , he muttered to himself : " There go the laughing children of the earth ,

glad at the rosy kiss of day , that aivakens the horn and calls the reckless hunter to the chase . 0 happy hearts that can so joyfully aAvake ! 0 happy hearts devoid of withering- doubt or carking care ! 0 happy hearts that neither think nor fear ! Ah me ! how different runs the current of my life from theirs . My weary memory Avears

upon its front no hour of tranquil joy , pure as the mountain rill . My life has been but one long doubt , a doubt Avhich fed and fattened on the mind that gave it birth , and still it gnaws my heart insatiately . Never gleamed the raptured light of

boyish mirth through my dark soul ; but holknv-¦ eyed I ' ve sought from my schoolboy days till now I stand unfettered , uncontrolled as a man , for knowledge of these things I see around me , but Avhich I cannot comprehend . I fain Avould know

Avhy roses bloom , why the gay birds sing , Avhy rivers AOAV , and how the glorious sun doth rise and set by turns . Yet more Avould I knoAV , Avhy man should die , and AA hither goes he Avhen he passes out from the light of life to the darkness of the tomb ?"

As he so mused , a hand Avas laid upon his shoulder , he turned , and found his cousin Caius smiling- upon him . Caius Avas dressed in hunting costume , Avith a spear in his hand , for he belonged to the band of hunters whose shouts had so

agitated Adrian ' s thoughts . Tempted by the beauty of the breaking daAvn , Caius hid clambered thus far trp the mountain , aud left behind the sylvan sports to revel in a sight so dear to the poetic heart , the bursting of die sun upon the earth .

The cousins embraced other Avith that cordial grasp -which told of the sincerity of their affection , and Caius asked , in a slightly bantering tone : ** I thought not Adrian , to have found thee so early abroad . Thou puttest us poor hunters to

the blush , for it is our boast , that Ave of all Jove ' s tAvo legged human creatures , are the first to VIOAV the ruddy glimpses of Sol , breaking upon the eastern hills . Pray , cousin Adrian , might one

dare ask thy Avorship , what spirit tempted thee so soon to quit thy rest' ?" " The self same po ' vver , my Caius , " replied Adrian , a melancholy smile playing about his lip , " which has kept me all the night upon these hills ,

watching the tranquil starry throng . " "All night , my Adrian , art thou not endangering thy health ? Look to it , I pray thee . " " Nay , Caius , I have that fire Avithin Avhich in the coldest night of winter , still would keep me Avarm . "

" Ah ha , I have thee now , thou very rogue , ' cried Caius , pealing forth a joyous laugh , " in love by Venus . Adrian , cousin , Avho is the fair ? Beautiful she must be to have Avon thy heart , thy cold and flinty heart . Methinks the Paphian

Queen , has given to her that famous Cestus , Avhich is presumed to have the power of firing coldest hearts . Hast thou then offered up a clove to Venus ? But is it not so , is not thy love most beautiful ?"

"Beautiful , answered Adrian , in a musingtone , " most beautiful . Aye , Cains , more beautiful than she Avho , by her fatal curiosity , let loose upon the earth the pent up plagues of Jove . Beautiful ! she is more beautiful than earth ' s loveliest floAvers }

her voice possesses rarer melody in its tones , than the rarest song birds ; and the thought of her is more glorious than the grandest images of sleep , or our fairest of day dreams . " "They do thee wrong , my Cousin , " ansAvered

Caius , somewhat astonished at this rapture , " a grievous wrong , Avho say that thou art cold , and that thy heart is ice ; for lo ! thou Avaxest eloquent and brave in compliment , ancl I must veil my brow before thy courtly speech , but then I am no lover .

Prithee , cousin , tell me who it is thou lovest ; is she kind , and does she return thee fond kiss for lovino- words ?"

" Kind , " answered Adrian , in . a bitter tone . " Ask the thirsty traveller if the sun is kind , or he Avho staggers on a barren shove , dying with hunger , if the stones are bread ? Oh yes , she is kind ; kind as idols that will see us bleed , yet make no

sign ; as spears that let out life , and shed along their points , your sorrowing tears of blood ; as seas that suck Avith thirst the swimmer down , and howl in glee , as o ' er him clash contending billoAVS ; as the fire bolt that dancing forth from Heaven ,

strikes tho gnarled old oak of ages , but pauses not an instant to gaze upon the wreck it leaves behind . Aye , she is as kind as tigers to their prey ;