not be called love; it was nothing more than Had Hippolytus retained his old humor, the consequence of their peculiar propin- and as much love of fun as he once had, he quity, their mutual relations to each other, would have made sport to Araxata of their, and the honest tenderness with which Araxata flight. He would have said, "Was it not attached herself to him. Already her charm- ridiculous to run away, and thereby appear ing figure, her simple grace, had compelled as if we had been stealing something from him to meet her decided regard to him with a similar feeling. He would not have made his escape without her, and he intrusted her with all the plans which he had framed for their liberation.

CHAPTER V.

the baker or the mercer? There was nothing wanting but that you should have had a basket, and I a watering-pot. Escapes prevented are so much enjoyed in romances. Must we go through what I have so often laughed at?" But the time for illusions, for disbelief, for folly, was over, and Hippolytus was obliged, in the dark prison, to confess that he was very unhappy.

After some hours, Hippolytus awoke from his dreams, which in their flight had carried him sometimes to Paris, and again set him down in St. Marie. All was doubt here, and

A long time elapsed before he could talk to her about his plans, and still longer before Araxata appeared to have little thought she could understand the possibility of car- for the future. Without being able to give rying them out. Nothing was easier than to any reason for it, she felt something like leave the house; but it was difficult to hide happiness, that her fate was, for the first an absence of more than ten minutes. Both time, united with that of her friend. Her saw that, above all, some occasion must simple trust and faith, finally, in some measoffer which favored their flight; and this ure, soothed her unhappy companion, and came, after long waiting and watching. The the poor children were, at last, by a gentle queen had discovered a conspiracy against sleep, delivered from all their anxieties, and the life of her lover. She cared for him so all reckonings of an uncertain future were tenderly, that her punishments of the crimi- lost in unconscious forgetfulness. nals were as numerous as if the crime had put her own life in peril. She made, by the slaughter of the unfortunate martyrs to her royal power and her amorous passion, a cruel bloody bath, so that the lord chief headsman the stillness was only interrupted by the began to want hands and axes. His whole light breathing of Araxata. She was asleep, household saw him, from morning to night, and his mind reverted to the late events which with naked arms, and the stream of blood had brought them here. He recalled one flowed down so deep, from the headsman's circumstance, which he had forgotten. When grounds to the neighboring river, that for they were some distance from the house of some time all work in the garden was sus- the executioner, and, to his terror, he had pended. The confusion of the house became seen no one in the streets, but had discovered so great, that persons whose business it was how everything was closed and deserted, he to strike off the heads of others had lost had observed, behind a wooden pillar of the their own; and Hippolytus, though he was thick projecting portal of the royal residence, thrown almost into a state of fever by these a female figure, which he remembered to have horrors, now collected his thoughts, chose seen before, but which he had no time to his time and hour, and was on his way with think of, as at that moment he was taken by the brave Araxata. But, if the two were his pursuers and carried back. The features séen at only ten steps' distance from the house, of the unknown now came back to his mind, they knew their plans must fail. They went and he did not, for a moment, doubt that it out into a waste, a deserted city; no man was the native woman, so much dreaded at in the streets; all the doors and windows St. Marie, who called herself his nurse, whom closed; fear and terror peering from the he had seen behind the pillar. Had she chinks in the houses. After having been recognized him? had she come there to dismissed a quarter of an hour, they might have cover some trace of him? If so, his rescue been seen at the end of the street by their was as certain as before all hope seemed to pursuers, because there was not a human be lost. He was about to awake Araxata being abroad, behind whom they could hide and share with her his joyful expectations; themselves. But they were missed even before a quarter of an hour had elapsed. The gardener they had left behind cried out to the whole household; the servants of the headsman let their axes fall, and ran after the fugitives, who were immediately taken and thrown into a dark prison, until the commands of the master, who was on duty at court, could be ascertained.

but so broken was the strength of his spirits, so much had fear nestled itself in the most secret corner of his mind, where formerly only thoughtlessness and confidence reigned, that he doubted whether this woman was to be trusted, whether she might not have enticed him into this place, that she might deliver over the last shoot of a hostile race to the queen. This idea seemed to him, for

a few moments, probable; but, as he remem- pain in her foot, which almost hindered her bered Colas, and the free, motherly care from going further. The blood oozed from a of the woman, these cruel thoughts were wound she had made in climbing the wall of silenced, and he fell back into new exhaus- the grounds of the executioner, and which tion and sadness. she now, for the first time, perceived. After a dreamy twilight, during which The nurse would not hear of a longer delay. Hippolytus lost, for a few moments, his con- She urged Hippolytus to leave his friend besciousness, he was alarmed by a noise at the hind, and put his own life, on which everydoor of his prison. He heard some one at- thing depended, in security. But Hippolytempting to open the door, and to do this tus was, I will not say too much in love, but without making a noise. It was secured on too noble, to save himself without Araxata. the outside only, by a wooden bolt, and He gathered some leaves from a tree, where opened without difficulty. Hippolytus started he found them the broadest, and endeavored in alarm from the floor, and was astonished to bind up the wound, notwithstanding the to see no one enter. He advanced with new rays of the sun were gilding the roof of the courage to the entrance, but at the same royal palace. time a figure came towards him, which the Araxata lay exhausted on the grass, and darkness prevented him from recognizing. the nurse tore her hair, for she swore that An agitated, broken voice, said in French, the watchmen from the queen's city had al"Verora, my son!" and thus explained, after ready cried out, and the whole population a few moments of painful silence, to the ex- was now alive. She seized Hippolytus by pectant prince, who his deliverer was. He the arm, and strove to carry off the tender advanced nearer to her, and she, recognizing surgeon; but he tore himself from her, and him, embraced him with the most visible declared he would not go a step farther till emotion, and with difficulty repressed her he knew whether Araxata would share his joy. She beckoned him to follow her; but fate. The nurse, despairing of being able to Hippolytus hesitated at leaving Araxata move his strong will, fell upon his unsucto a doubtful fate. Although at this mo- cessful attempt at surgery, tore the leaf bandment he had great confidence in his deliver- age from the wound, and, telling the two ance though his courage and the whole to wait a moment, she hastened into the aspect of his early relations had come back shrubbery, to look for the tree Sondisasat, the to him with the help of his nurse though leaves of which the Madagascars put, with he saw himself in the streets of Paris, and much success, on fresh wounds. could not represent to himself what he should do there with his exotic companion - yet the power of his attachment, and his gratitude to Araxata, were so strong, that he would not have followed, without her, the urgent signal of his conductor. He waked the companion of his sufferings, drew her forth with him, and she, though unable immediately to understand the connection of things, without difficulty yielded to his will and example; and thus the fight was accomplished without hindrance.

The morning had not entirely dawned, when the fugitives, with hasty steps, left the wooden city, with its inhabitants still fast asleep.

Meantime, the light, clear sunshine penetrated between the trees, and the space which was visible above their summits was filled with the blue of heaven. Hippolytus ventured to go nearer to the border of the wooded territory, when he saw a zealous pursuit of his flight, though clouds of dust effaced the footprints of the fugitives.

He ran back to Araxata, and informed her of this; he led her, in great alarm, to the edge of their bulwarks. In a few moments their pursuers were visible, and both recognized their master's followers, who were scarcely a thousand steps distant from the wood. The most pressing necessity forced them now to the most hasty continuance of their flight. There was no farther thought of the return of their conductor. In hot haste they made themselves a path through the low bushes, and strove most vehemently to redouble their speed.

Perhaps they were able to do this, for the A victorious people does not surround itself cry of their pursuers fell fainter on their with palisades. The capital city of Hovas ears, and they already reckoned on having was open, without walls or gates, and Hip- gained a considerable distance between them. polytus reached, with his companions, in Their bodies were torn by the projecting safety, the next forest, whose shades might bushes: they breathed deeper; they thought do them the service of the now vanishing they might slacken their pace; and were the night. Here, for the first time, they gave more horror-struck, when suddenly a noise was some rest to their hurrying feet, which was heard in the shrubbery. They had decided the more necessary, as Araxata had a severe on nothing, when, in great haste, a thick

clump of shrubs opened, and the nurse, whom they thanked for everything, appeared and fell breathless upon them, pointed out to them the next tree, and forced them immediately to climb it.

Nothing could be done, on both sides, with greater skill, but nothing could have happened in better time; for, almost on the same spot where the woman was convinced of the success of her advice, she had fallen into the hands of the pursuers. She sprang forward and sunk, as from among the bushes the armed servants of the headsman fired, and she fell, mortally wounded by an arrow. The faithful creature had sacrificed herself for her youthful friend. Hippolytus had just climbed the branches of the first tree, when he saw her sink.

The dying woman had given a favorable turn to the pursuit of Hippolytus and Araxata. Their followers took a wrong direction. They beat about on all sides. The alarm decreased, and, at last, all was still, and the dead woman under the bushes had ceased to sigh. Araxata, nimble and bold, swung herself, like a monkey, from one branch to another. She trusted to the smallest branches, seized the most distant limbs of the tree on which Hippolytus was resting, and soon was sitting near her deadly-pale companion, whose tongue was silenced by these terrible turns in his fate. After a while, the tenderness and sympathy of Araxata gave him strength to utter a sigh, and to lift his hand, which was grasped convulsively about a dry branch, and allow his dark friend to warm it in her own.

ored to lighten every difficulty. Hippolytus has appeared to us, heretofore, only amiable: we shall soon be ready to find him worthy of respect.

This nightly flight was repeated several times. In the daytime the highest tree gave them shelter, and the night removed all hindrances to their journey. Wild nutmegs, figs, nuts of the giant havama tree, the tako vines, which grow without planting or culture, and, finally, the celebrated Madagascar strawberries, were the nourishment with which they stilled their hunger. Springs of water nowhere failed them in these mountainous regions. The sun pointed out their direction in the daytime, which they had taken towards the sea, and at night they kept on, led by the morning and evening star. They reckoned they had got so near the end of their journey, that they began already to meditate upon their line of action, when at last actually, behind a hill, the mirror of the sea came in sight.

One morning the two had climbed a gentle hill. The sun was already half way between its rising and the zenith; the rushing and waving of the trees was heard in this solitary place. Hippolytus stood in wonder over the luxurious abundance of this spot, and his eye fell intoxicated over the flowery plains which stretched out far into the distance at the foot of the mountain on which they stood, and he was not deceived, when he thought he saw, in the white silver point of the horizon, the first salutation of the sea. Round about him were crowded, in the free abundance of nature, the unnumbered, wonderful As evening advanced, the two fugitives trees of this region, and vegetation of every ventured to leave their hiding-place. When kind. In the green leafy crown of the bothe setting sun gave them, for the last time, hansilan cooed the black wood-pigeons; the the important direction for their future jour- golden quince-apple winked through the darkney, they descended from the tree, went first green back-ground, where rose the schiràto the dead body, over which Araxata sung palm. From the mingled, heavy-loaded wild a soft, mournful lay, and then strewed over nutmeg tree, the blue raven pilfered the nuts. it a handful of earth. They set forward on The strange vegetation of this region cast their journey, under cover of night and of the forest darkness. Hippolytus took, as a memorial of the dear woman who had purchased his life with her own, one of her gray locks of hair, and vowed to keep it sacred as a guardian angel, in eternal remembrance of her. The idolatry, which he had formerly associated with such things, did not disturb the deep feelings which moved his soul. The fearful reality of all he had seen, this fear threw to the ground all his proud emotions; the last events again rose up before him, and joined with them was the earnestness and the illusion of truth, which is no illusion. He thought, as they wandered on, only of the danger, of the prospect before them, of the next tree for he was so much in fear of a human dwelling that they carefully kept out of the way and of Araxata, who endeav

upon the ground its many-colored shadows.
Near the ground was crowded a mass of
thousand-hued plants, flowers of all colors
and forms; the anduranga, with its butterfly-
colored flowers; gentians, with their violet
garb; pale, violet-blue tulips, all perfuming
the air and the senses. Hippolytus was over-
powered with these charms. He drew Arax-
ata down by him on the dewy grass,
they sat gazing in mute delight over the
almost artistical paths and terraces of this
paradise.

and

But what met the eye of Hippolytus? What cry of joy fell upon his ear? What is Hippolytus thinking of for a long time before he begins to laugh? It is no one else it is himself- Professor Polyglott, who, with naked head, under an umbrella of his own making, and with a long spy-glass, is roving

through these tropical wonders. He had stepped out with Colas from a bosk in the valley, and had no sooner remarked the pair sitting on the hill, than he had recognized Hippolytus, uttered a cry of joy, and, in all haste, had ascended the hill. Now stood the droll man before his half-naked, and now unquestionable Madagascar-born friend; his breath stopped, and, as usual, when an involuntary emotion seized his feeble blood, he turned deadly pale.

"But, your royal highness, do not defer longer to announce your marriage to the most faithful of your servants. I burn with desire to pay to my high mistress the respect that is due to her."

I am

"No," said Hippolytus, taking the bony hand of the professor, "not a word more of that folly. My companion is my friend, whom I could not leave behind me. most deeply indebted to Araxata. She was my consolation in slavery; she raised me up "O. this stitch in my side!" groaned he; by her love, and, what will astonish you, "but it will soon be better. But, in Heav-professor, from her I have learned to speak en's name, my prince, where have you been Madagascar." hidden so long? I have, with this glass, which is intended to search out the stars.

The arrival of Colas hindered him from finishing his flattering speech. The meeting again of the old servant and Hippolytus was in silent emotion. They embraced cach other with the most heartfelt joy, and it was long before they found words to express their delight. Hippolytus, whose emotion was visibly greater than that of his friends, could not so soon recover himself sufficiently to answer the questions of the professor and Colas. But, as they looked inquiringly at his female companion, he said to them:

"Heavens!" cried Polyglott, "you know Madagascar, and the lieutenant is indebted to you for it! Madame, I hope that I, also, shall soon understand this language. I will speak Arabic with you, and you will answer me in your mother tongue."

Thereupon he put painfully a few words from the Koran together, which meant something like, "How do you do?" Araxata felt that the old man was talking to her. She looked at him with her great eyes, then looked smilingly up to Hippolytus, to ask him what the man wanted, for she did not understand him. But Polyglott, in the strong conviction that she comprehended his question, sprung up a foot high, crying, "What

lytus, and how can she be anything but well when with him?" Then he asked her again, with jumbled-up Arabic words, " Are you fond of beautiful scenery?" And when Araxata look down from the hill, he swore that he had spoken Madagascar, and only lamented that he had left his Arabian dictionary in Tamatave, so that he could not give some more striking examples of it.

"O, my good friends, my heart is so full of joy, and at the same time of sweet sorrow, that I cannot express to you my feelings! Ia fine answer! Madame is fond of Hippoum, now that I see you again, so rich, so happy, that I cannot find words to utter my joy. I have repented of everything-my follies, my unkindness to you, my indolence, the coldness of my feelings-all has been atoned for in the most painful manner. I was stolen on the sea, have been in bondage, sold by cruel negroes, was the slave of a tyrant, obliged to humble myself under the whip of an overseer, forced to carry water, to suffer hunger, daily to witness the most fearful executions. My nurse, whom I had before driven from me with scorn, saved my On the way to Tamatave, a European setlife, and gave her body to protect mine. Itlement, the recent adventures of the friends buried her in the solitude of the forest, and were related. The joy of the people of St. have wandered now for three days and three Marie, who had come over here to seek for nights, with flying feet, to escape my pursuers. Hippolytus, was great. They only regretted But now that I see you again, it seems to me to return back so soon to their barren island. that I have made good use of my trials, as They begged Polyglott to take the direction though I no longer need to blush before good of St. Marie with his spy-glass, because some and noble men; and I promise you that in of them were willing to swear that they had future I will rightly employ my youth, my seen a sail there in the early morning, strength, and my talents.'

"Is Tamatave in the neighborhood?" asked Hippolytus, who was amused at the folly of the professor.

"I will immediately do so," said the latter, and put up his glass. "In fact, unless some one has pasted a piece of paper on this glass, what I see is a strip of white linen."

This confession was somewhat pathetic. Colas was so much moved by it that he could not overpower his master with questions. But Polyglott's curiosity was not restrained As the others came up, the opinion was by such delicate tact, though he wiped the found to be altogether correct. A ship was tears from his eyes more than once while cruising in the bay of St. Marie, and hope Hippolytus was speaking. Throwing his in-induced the men immediately to put to sea. quiring eyes towards Araxata, who was wait- They could, perhaps, reach the island by ing in the back-ground with visible signs of sunset. anxiety, he asked, without further delay

A civil conference was soon held

upon

the

subject of clothing the new comers. Even Pepper and Heloise were celebrating their Polyglott was so rich in clothing and gener-marriage. Hippolytus was soon informed of osity, that he offered his friend his only shirt, it, and stammered out some good wishes for which he had on. A dress for Araxata was his pale friend, who had walked with him by prepared, which might make her first appear- moonlight, and prayed her thereupon to introance less striking. duce him to the captain of the ship now in the harbor. Hippolytus had gone to speak a few words alone with this person, when all the company rushed to Heloise, who had fallen, pale and fainting, into the arms of Pepper. Our young friend soon agreed with the captain. The departure was fixed at a certain hour, and the strictest silence enjoined towards the present company. Hippolytus took advantage of the confusion, to leave the house unobserved. The anxiety to return to his friends soon filled the void which Heloise's faithlessness had, for a few moments, given him.

The white point in the distance became more and more distinct, and stood out from the swimming, trembling mass of colors. It was the reefed sails of a ship, which they soon perceived was a government vessel. The inhabitants of the colony rejoiced, because they supposed it a vessel from the Isle of France, with provisions, or opportunity to return to France. Hippolytus wished that the ship might be destined for Europe; and in this case would prefer to embark in it immediately, rather than return first into the desert of St. Marie. The boat passed near the large ship, and he called out to the watch on deck, to know their destination. "To Brest," replied he, and the heart of Hippolytus beat high with joy.

When do you raise anchor?" Early to-morrow morning. Colas, who understood his master, expressed his assent. Polyglott could not give his, because he was asleep.

Hippolytus, after he had reached the shore, took a grateful leave of the colonists, who had taken so much interest in him. He took a short path to reach the house of the commandant. It was already dark, but no light was burning in Culotte's house; and Matois explained at the door that on this particular feast-day the commandant generally stayed at home, but that a half an hour before he had gone over to planter Cochon's. "And the captain of the ship in port ?" asked Hippolytus.

"All, all," replied he; and Hippolytus saw that he also must make his way there. He brought Araxata and his companions to the house, and ordered them to be all ready in the morning, to take passage in the ship for France. Colas gladly dressed his master in his second uniform, which he had kept as a reserve, and fully assented to his proposition, begging him soon to return to them. Polyglott was too sleepy to answer, and Araxata was already fast asleep on the soft bed at the commandant's.

It was in order that on the way the thoughts of Hippolytus should be busy with the fair sister of the planter Cochon.

"Have you risen from the dead?" cried the planter. "Mr. Verora, how alarmed we have been about you! We were sure that you must have been wrecked on the coast, and lamented nothing so much as that you should miss to-day's fête at our house. Do you know what is going on here?"

The next morning, when Hippolytus saw Araxata, she asked him where he was going to carry her.

"To the land," said he, "which has become a second home to me, and which I will never see again without you. You shall be the sharer of my fate, the only conquest that | I carry back. All my friends shall honor you as my sister.. You shall make the soft language of France familiar to your tongue, and become acquainted with the habits of its excellent inhabitants. I will never forsake you."

Polyglott headed the procession of travellers, swinging his hat in triumph. He carried all his property in the telescope, which he took from the commandant, because it had enabled him to discover his patron. A boat was waiting near the rocks; they confided themselves to the unstable element, and soon mounted, by the rope ladder, the sides of the national ship.

Hippolytus entered the service again in France. He wears now the epaulets of Louis Philippe. Colas is still his faithful friend and servant. Polyglott has the expectation of a seat in the Academy. His illustrated work, on the relation of the Arabic and Madagascar languages, is now in the press.

He

There still hangs a veil of melancholy over the young man, who is known throughout Paris as the Prince of Madagascar. has now more qualifications for making his conquests than formerly-for he knows his mother tongue; but he smiles when any one advises him to attempt it. His greatest pleasure is to pass an hour with Colas and Polyglott in confidential talk, and to give his words and tears to the memory of Araxata. The poor girl never recovered from the fatigues of her journey, and found a cool grave in the depths of the ocean.