-her white robe reflects the light of the moon, amid the branches of the trees and their dusky trunks. They stop!-That's a sweet retreat, and the moss is so refreshing-Perfidious !-enjoy thy repose-swear in the presence of LUNA-Swear your guilty loves. May the FURIES dart terror between you! But no. Hark! the nightingales repeat the most tender airs, and the turtles sigh around them. Yet-it is not there neither they intend to remain. They are going even to the temple of the goddess! I will draw near. I will see them, and listen to their talk. He entered the grove of myrtles. He saw them advance toward the temple, whose columns, of the whitest marble, enlightened by the moon, refulgent shone amidst the shades of night. Ha!-do they dare to tread those sacred steps! Can the goddess of LOVE protect the foulest perfidy! He saw, in fact, the young shepherdess mount the steps of the temple. She cross'd the portico, with the little basket of flowers on her arm; while the young man stopp'd under the first arcade. ALEXIS still approach'd, by the favour of the shade, trembling with horror and despair; he crept to the shadow of one of the pillars, and placed himself against it. There he distinctly saw DAPHNE approach the statue of VENUS; it was of marble, white as milk; every part of it was illumin'd by the torch of night. The goddess, reclining backward, with an enchanting majesty, seem'd to shun the astonish'd view of mortals; while, from her height sublime, she cast a gracious look on those who perfumed her altars. DAPHNE bow'd her knee at the feet of the goddess, placed the garlands before her, and, in the most tender and plaintive accents, said: "Here, O sweet goddess, protectress thou of faithful lovers! hear my prayer. Favourably accept these flowers I dare to offer thee; they are yet wet with the dew of evening, and with my tears. 'Tis now six days since ALEXIS has been far distant from me. O propitious goddess, restore him to my arms! protect him by the way, and bring him back faithful and tender as when he parted from me!— Return him to me, that I may press him to my bosom, that now pants with love !" ALEXIS heard; and he discover'd the young shepherd, who stood opposite to him, and on whose visage the moon now shone, to be the brother of DAPHNE. Full of tender fears, she dared not expose herself to the dangers of the night, by going alone to the temple of VENUS. ALEXIS, quitting the pillar that conceal'd him, suddenly appear'd before his love. DAPHNE, seiz'd with the sweetest ecstasy, and ALEXIS, transported with joy and shame, sunk in each other's arms at the feet of the goddess. GG |