by dint of his own brave deeds alone, from the rank of a simple knight to be the chosen leader of thousands.  The child had grown to girlhood now, and very bright upon her sleep were the dreams of this youthful hero, who was to love her and be the all of her solitary life.  I said she dwelt with the Fairy; true, but of her presence she had never dreamed.  Always invisible, the being had yet never left her.  She whispered prayer in her ear, as she knelt morning and evening in the dim little oratory; she brought calm and happy feelings to her breast, which the commonest things awoke to joy and life; she led her to seek and feel for the needy, the sick, and the suffering; she nurtured in her the holiest faith in God, and trust in man; yet the maiden thought she breathed all this from the summer evenings, the flowers, the swift labor of her light fingers, and the thousand things which cherished the happiness growing up within her heart.

“It was night, and Ada slept; the moon’s rays, gilding each turret and tower, crept in at the narrow portal which gave light to the chamber, and lingered on the sunny hair and rounded limbs of the sleeping girl.

“The Fairy sat by her side, weeping for the first time.

“‘Alas!’ said she, ’the stranger is coming; thou wilt love him, my child; and they say that earthly love is misery.  Among us, we know no unrest from it; we love, indeed, each other and all things lovely, but ages pass on, and love changes us not.  Yet they say it fevers the blood of mortals, pales the cheek, makes the heart beat, and the voice falter, when it comes; yet it is eternal, mighty, and entrancing.  Alas!  I cannot understand it!  Ada, I must leave thee to other guidance than my own.  I love thee more than self, still I can be no longer thy guide.’

“The Fairy started, for she felt, though she heard not, that other spirits had suddenly become present.  She raised her eyes, and three forms, more radiant than any fairy can be, were gazing on her in silent sadness.

“‘O, spirits,’ cried the weeper, faintly, ‘who can ye be?’

“‘The shades of love,’ replied voices so etherially fine that a spirit’s ear could hardly discern the words.

“’The shades,” repeated the Fairy in surprise; ’I thought love was one.’

“‘I am Love,’ said the three together; ’intrust the untainted heart of your beloved one to me.’

“‘O, pure beings,’ cried the Fairy, bending reverently before them, ’will ye indeed guide Ada to happiness, yet ask my permission?  Tell me, though not human, to choose which a human heart would prefer.’

“‘My name is Mind,’ replied the first.  ’When I dwell on earth, I bind together two etherial essences; I unite the most spiritual part of each; I assimilate thought; I cause the communion of ideas.  No love can be eternal without me, and with me associate the loftiest enjoyments.  Words cannot tell the rapture of love between mind and mind.  Dreams cannot picture the glory of that union.  Very rarely do I dwell unstained and alone in a human breast, but when I do, that being becomes lost in the entireness of its bliss.  Fairy, the lover of Ada is a hero; wilt thou accept me to reign in her heart?’