“Whe-ew! ’Tis distance lends enchantment to the view,’ and ‘hills are green far away,’ say the poets and the sages; and here is a little fairy living in a fairy land, who thinks all beauty, poetry, and delight resides in the work-a-day world ‘beyond these seas,’ as she calls it!” thought Mr. Luxmore, as he stood contemplating the fervent, enthusiastic little creature before him. “And you have never been to the world beyond?” “Never, sir! They say I came from that lovely world, but it is so long ago I do not remember it.” “I suspect you came not from the world _beyond_, but from the world _above_, fair seraph!” said Mr. Luxmore, with an attempt at flattery. But his little companion was far too unschooled in worldliness to understand or appreciate the compliment, and she answered, simply— “I do not recollect, sir! I wish, indeed, that I did remember the lovely world whence I came.” “And you have never had an opportunity of reviving your recollections, even by a visit to the mainland?” “Oh, no, sir!” “Do you ever see persons from those shores?” “Ah, sir! I have never in my life seen but _two_ persons from the world beyond—and they were both so beautiful! just like the shores whence they came; but like nobody at all on this Island!” “And who were those angels, or demigods, in human form, young lady?” inquired Julius Luxmore, as a pang of jealousy shot through his heart. “Oh, sir! _one_ was Barbara Brande. She came to see me once after my grandmere, Madame L’Orient, went away. Oh! Barbara was something better than any thing I had ever seen before! She reminded me of a chieftainess such as I have read of in history—I do not mean of a commonplace queen, but of a warrior queen—a leader of armies, a Boadicea, a Zenobia, a Semiramis! Her eyes were the eyes of a goddess—so full, and clear, and commanding! Are all women in your world beyond like Barbara Brande, do you know?” Julius was thinking of that Barbara, that grand girl, whom the graphic description of Etoile had conjured in all her noble beauty before him, and he did not reply until the little maiden had repeated her question, then he answered: “Probably not. There are very few anywhere who would answer to your description of Miss Brande.” “Oh! but I would like to see her again!” “Has Miss Brande been to see you often? Is she in the habit of coming?” inquired Julius, very uneasily; for there could scarcely be conceived an event more threatening to his projects than a visit from Barbara Brande to the Island. “Oh, no! oh, no! She was never here but once—that was two years ago, directly after my grandmere departed!” “Do you know why she never came again?” “I think so! My uncle discourages visitors from the world beyond!” “And he is quite right,” thought Julius Luxmore, to himself. But Etoile looked pensive.