During this altercation both lady and maid vanished into Flora's room, and I retired to mine; but for a long time I could not close my eyes. Lennartson and his mother, the Viking and his wife, stood vividly before my mind, and then Flora with her strange fantastic confession. In my very dreams my imagination was still occupied with the subject, and the beautiful Circassian, and lycanthropists and locusts, formed the most singular confusion in my dream.

November 21st.

A new revolution with Flora; fresh light on Selma, and uncertain lights on certain shades. Signs of the time: a conversation between my stepmother and me.

Felix Delphin's comrades and friends, Messieurs Rutschenfelt and Skutenhjelm, or collectively called 'the Rutschenfelts,' escorted by St. Orme and Felix, paid us rather an unexpected visit to-day. The purport of their call was to invite us all to a grand sledge party, which they had arranged to take place next Sunday. Felix wished to drive Selma; St. Orme offered Flora part of his large sledge, which he intended to be trimmed with tiger skins, and drawn by a pair of spirited dappled greys, that Flóra had already seen and admired. This sledge was to head the train, passing through the principal streets of the city to the Zoological Gardens in the suburbs, where they proposed to partake of dinner, and dance afterwards, &c.

Flora accepted the invitation with evident delight, and clapping her hands, she exclaimed:

"Ah! I know of nothing more bewitching than tiger skins and fiery steeds! That will be a glorious ride!"

But Selma quickly whispered to her: "Do not consent, I entreat you. son!"

Think of Lennart

"Well, and what then?" replied Flora, impatiently. "He would not like it. Defer, at least, a definite reply for the present."

"Ah! there it is—always some ado and obstacles whenever I wish to engage in any thing," said Flora, stamping with her foot a little, while her cheek coloured with indignation.

In the mean time Rutschenfelt had turned to my stepmother, and Skutenhjelm to me, proferring their services to us. I looked at my stepmother, and my stepmother at me, and this time in mutual concert, for we both answered evasively, and begged for time to consider about a decided answer.

While we all thus stood irresolute and almost inclined to reply in the negative, the spirit of defiance entered into Flora, and she said with determination:

"Others may do as they please, but I shall go, and St. Orme has my promise."

"That is admirable!" said he; "and I hope the rest of the ladies will follow so good an example. This evening I shall do myself the pleasure of waiting upon you again to receive your final decision."

Scarcely had St. Orme left, and the Rutschenfelts with Felix glided down the stairs, when Lennartson entered. From my stepmother he soon ascertained what had been the topic of our conversation.

"And what reply did Flora make?" inquired he, briefly and in haste, turning to her.

"I have promised to join St. Orme,” replied Flora

although not with a good conscience: "I am not aware why I should forego such an innocent amusement."

"I am sorry for that, Flora," said Lennartson, in a gentle but serious tone of voice; "but I must request you to desist from it."

"I am sorry, Lennartson," retorted Flora, defyingly, "that I cannot comply with your request.

I have already given my promise to St. Orme; and my respected guardian will surely not compel me to break my pledge?"

"In this case I must demand a retraction of your promise. I have my reasons for it, which I am not disposed to state at present. In a word, Flora shall not go with St. Orme."

"Shall not!" exclaimed Flora, with flaming looks. "And who has the power to prohibit me?"

"I!" said Lennartson, calmly, but with determination.

There was a time when I thought I never could hear a man's word of authority against a woman, without my heart turning in my bosom with bitterness and hatred. But now, at that moment, I heard such a sentence and was tranquil. I felt the full force of a

noble authority.

Flora felt it no less so. She said nothing, but went aside to a window. Lennartson then maintained a long conversation with my stepmother and myself, as if nothing had occurred.

When I again looked at Flora, she was quietly sitting there sewing. She was pale, serious, and, as it were, transformed. After a while, Lennartson went to the window at which she was sitting, and seated

himself opposite to her. He took her half-resisting hand, and his eyes sought to meet hers. But she looked down more closely to her work. Suddenly tears dropped upon it. Lennartson then whispered: "Flora!"

She raised her head, and gazed on him with eyes beaming with affection.

Lennartson looked at her seriously, though with visible emotion.

"Flora," said he again, "how am I to understand you?

"Can you not rely upon me, not have faith in me, although you do not understand me?" rejoined she.

He said nothing, but kissed her hand repeatedly. They then again exchanged a few words, which I did not hear. When Lennartson rose, tears stood in his eyes. He silently bowed to us and withdrew.

For a long while Flora sat still with her countenance concealed in her pocket-handkerchief. I thought she was deeply affected, but suddenly she lifted up her head, and exclaimed:

"Ah, I only regret the tiger skins and the fiery steeds! I should have been drawn as if in triumph. I should have put on my fox-skin cloak and bonnet with white feathers-I am sure it would have looked bewitchingly charming!"

Selma cast her eyes on her with a half-astonished and half-sorrowful expression, as if to say: "How can you be thinking of such things now?"

Flora, who seemed to surmise it, exclaimed:

"Come, come, little Selma, do not you ape Sophia, and look like a Litany at my little flights. As for my being pleased with fine things and a little show, that

I cannot help. And a little enjoyment in this life I am determined to have too, if I am to keep alive. Ah, sunny, gay life is a glorious thing! Take two cups: pour into the one the bitter draught of renunciation, and in the other youth, vigour, health, pleasure, enjoyment, and I defy you, wise Philosophia, not to snap at the latter, and I will drink out of the latter-ay, to the very dregs.

"And find in it," added I, "the bitterest essence of the two. I, for my part, will have a more solid joy than-transient gaiety; a more refreshing draught in life than-vain pleasures!"

"Give me," exclaimed Flora, "pleasure, enjoyment! Let me be gay, merry! And then-let me die! Such is the language of an honest mortal."

"But not of a rational one!" said I, smiling.

"And who tells you that I am a rational being?' exclaimed Flora, wantonly, waltzing several times round the room. "Perhaps I do not even belong to the human species. Probably I am one of those beings of which the Oriental legends inform us, that hover between heaven and hell without appertaining to either, and hence dance about on earth as shining ignus fatuus? And-perhaps it is better thus to dance, than brood as the rest of you, over things about which nobody after all attains to any certainty. Come, dear Selma, let us waltz. Sophia, play us one of Strauss's: the wilder the better."

I played, and the two young damsels waltzed, which was just as well as then to talk rationally to Flora; and perhaps dancing is a readier means to calm the mind than may be effected by reasoning,

At the root of all Flora's extravagances lay an inward