which, the bride handed it round to theguests; this she did with a modest blush on her cheek, and with an air so full of grace and sweetness that all who received it from her hands were irresistibly charmed. The concluding part of the ceremony still remained to be performed, the carrying of the bride to her husband's house, her new home. A handsome Greek youth carried the hymeneal torch before them, which was to burn in the bridal chamber during the night, and never was the sacred fire of Vesta watched with more anxiety and care than this torch, replete with omens of good and evil to the new-marriedpair. A numerous train of girls attended the bride; and their floating dresses of white, their luxuriant hair crowned with flowers, and flowing loosely on their necks; the graceful symmetry of their

youthful forms, added a chastened beauty to the procession, which language is inadequate to describe.

In the midst of these fair females Monthermer instantly distinguished the daughter of Canziani. Her cheek was pale, her step languid, her eyes sought the ground, or wandered mournfully from one mirthful countenance to another; and if by chance they encountered Monthermer's, they filled with tears, and a faint carnation tinge stole over her features. A chaplet of white roses encircled her brow, and Monthermer alone knew who had interwoven with them the blossoms of the myrtle. His hand had bestowed the cestus of bright azure adorning her slender waist; that cestus, wrought with love's symbolic flowers, was fastened by a circle of brilliants, surrounding a lock of dark

hair. And he had whispered, as he secured the clasp, "wear for my sake this pledge of unalterable affection."

Soon, thought Reine, and she sighed deeply-soon will the torch of Hymen burn for me, and Constantine will stand by my side, and we shall interchange our vows and marriage-tokens; and my young companions will wear for me their garlands of flowers; but scarcely shall the bloom of those wreaths have faded, ere they strew them over my grave. Peaceful-peaceful will be that hour-duty shall conquer love, but death shall conquer both!

The nuptial feast was prepared at the house of the bridegroom; honey and fruit, particularly nuts, constituted the principal part of the repast. The evening concluded with music and dancing, and Monthermer, for the first time, saw Reine lead that graceful dance, the

Romaica, which ranks so high in the estimation of the Athenians and the inhabitants of the Greek islands. There is, perhaps, no series of attitudes so well calculated for the display of the most striking beauties of the human form, as that presented by the Romaica; and the Greek females, clothed as they are in their tasteful flowing drapery, instantly remind one of those groups so finely chiseled on the marbles and vases of antiquity. The figure and character of the dance is throughout imbued with classical recollections, having its origin in the story of the too-confiding Ariadne, and the faithless Theseus. The leading female holds in her hand a white kerchief, the clue to Theseus, who follows next in the dance, holding in his right the other end of it, and giving his left to a second female, and thus to any number the sexes are linked alter

nately, treading one after another, the labyrinth of the dance, according as the fancy of their Ariadne guides them. The music is slow and plaintive, or quick and animated, adapting itself to the ever-varying measure of the dance. Every movement is full of expressionthe impassioned advancing step, the bashful retreat, the turn of the head, the motion of the arms beckoning each to follow the other, speaks eloquently the story of their loves.

Monthermer's vivid imagination was wrought up to the highest pitch of enthusiasm, as his eyes followed that sweet form personating the daughter of Crete, through every maze of the dance; he lived in that entranced delight which none but a poet or a painter can experience. A thousand beautiful ideas crowded his mind; he gave utterance to