"  It  seems  luit  yesterday,"  said  she,  tenderly  detaching
the  baldric,  "  since  I  held  this  up  before  thee  Avith  pride
and  pleasure,  and  in  careless  wonder  saw  thee  wreathe  it  in
the  canopy  of  my  couch.  But  that  dream,  now  that  my
whole  life  looks  a  dream,  seems  the  one  reality  of  my  ex-
istence. I  shall  tell  it  thee,  for  my  spii-it  alreatly  feels  the
balm  of  thy  gentle  sympathy.
"  ^Tv  sluiiihers  wei'e  at  first  broken  and  disturbed.  I
seemed  with  Stephen  and  Ro])ert  in  an  eastern  land,  hur-
rying over  rocks  and  sands,  a  tiresome,  weary  way,  in  pur-

6


114  HEROINES    (;F    THE    CRUSADi-S.
suit  of  a  crown  which  constantly  tempted,  but  eluded  the
grasp.  First  I  nn'ssed  Stephen  from  my  side,  then  Robert
disappeared,  and  at  last  I  sank  down  among  myriads  of
wretches  perishing  of  thii'st.  I  woke  in  terror,  and  it  was
long  ere  I  could  compose  myself  again  to  rest.  Whether
I  slept  again  I  know  not,  but  as  I  lay  gazing  into  the  depths
of  the  heavens,  my  vision  seemed  to  pierce  beyond  the
stars  ;  and  from  the  uttermost  distance  came  one  winging
his  way  past  the  bright  orbs,  till  he  stood  within  the  case-
ment, the  impersonation  of  my  lover.
"  My  scarf  lay  upon  his  breast,  and  his  right  hand  held  out
to  me  an  urn,  pure  as  themgh  formed  of  consolidated  light,
upon  whose  amethystine  entablature  was  engraven  Hainan
Love.  As  I  extended  my  hand,  and  clasped  the  precious
treasure,  the  shattered  insci'iption  fell  to  dust  in  the  vase.
