"I went into the black shadow of this grand old tree, sat down with my back against its trunk, and fell into a passion of bitter weeping. Why had I become all at once so unhappy? What sorrow, or cause of sorrow, had fallen upon me? I would not even attempt to answer this question, but asked it over and over again, as if the solution were not in my own heart reproaching me. "All at once I heard a noise in the grass--the steady fall of a man's foot. I hushed my tears, and drew my shawl over the white dress that threatened to betray me, even buried as I was in deep shadows. A tall figure directly after appeared in the moonlight, standing by the lake. I knew it at once. He also had come out into the beautiful night, unhappy, perhaps, and restless as myself. He stood awhile motionless, then I saw him move away, and walk quickly up and down the shore, as if the beauty of the night filled him with irrepressible inquietude. Then I asked myself why he could not rest, and what feelings had driven him forth. My heart gave a reply which turned its sadness into excitement. Still I neither moved nor spoke, but watched his abrupt movements to and fro with breathless interest. Ah, he was wretched as myself--the thought of parting had driven him forth. I was sure of that, and the certainty was like a triumph. "All at once Lawrence turned from the moonlight, and plunged into the black shadows of the oak, where he walked up and down like a disturbed spirit. I could hear broken words fall from his lips, as if he found it a relief to speak aloud in the solitude. There was passion and pathos in his voice, but I gathered no other meaning from the sounds that reached me. "Perhaps I stirred, and by a movement of my shawl revealed the whiteness of my dress, for he came toward me, exclaiming,-- "'Great heavens! what is this?' "I shrunk back against the body of the oak, and huddled the shawl around my person, hoping thus to escape his observations; but he came close to me, and said very quietly, though his voice trembled a little,-- "'Do not hide yourself, but come out into the moonlight. I felt that you would be here.' "I arose, obedient as a little child, and walked by his side toward the magnolia-tree, where the moonlight fell in white radiance. "'Why did you come out at this late hour?' he said, looking down upon me with gentle compassion in his eyes. "'I could not sleep. I was so unhappy that the close air of the house stifled me.' "'I understand,' he replied, almost mournfully. 'It is the old story. I too--but what matters that--the air of the house was oppressive. No matter, I shall quit it to-morrow.' "'To-morrow,--and you will go?' "'Yes; Dennison is an old friend--a dear old friend. I shall go to-morrow.' "'To-morrow, and forever!' I cried, in a burst of passionate despair, which frightened me the moment it left my lips.