Page:An Unfinished Song.djvu/139

134 I recalled the scene to which my sister referred, and with my mind's eye beheld it once more in all its exquisite detail.

"Beautiful indeed," I exclaimed. "Nature is charming in that place. The abundant and varying vegetation, the hills, the springs, the streams and the ice—all these seem to have conspired to seek this lovely spot to avoid the rude gaze of man, and jealously diffuse their charms before Mother Nature alone. I thought fairyland lay stretched out before me when that gleaming white ice palace, those cosy foliage arbours and hills and valleys suddenly appeared before my view."

My sister took the occasion to compliment me.

"Moni describes well. I could not have made it half so interesting."

I blushed over this open compliment but said nothing.

My brother-in-law then turned to my sister and said,

"You are like myself, you have almost forgotten what you saw. Could you give any description?"

"Why should I forget?" she retorted,