And you, father,--if they offered you all the gold of America for your Lenora, what would you do ?" "How can you ask, child ?" exclaimed her father; "do we sell our hearts' blood for gold ?" "And so," continued the girl, "our Maker has left us that which is dearest to us both in this world; why then should we mourn when we ought to be grateful for his compassionate care?
Take heart once more, dear father; no matter what may be our future lot,--should we even be forced to take refuge in a hovel,--nothing can harm us as long as we are not separated!" Smiles, astonishment, admiration, and love, by turns flitted over the wan features of the poor old man, who seemed altogether unnerved and disconcerted by the painful _denouement_.

At length, after some moments of unbroken silence, he clasped his hands, and, gazing intensely into her eyes through his starting tears-- "Lenora, Lenora! my child!" he exclaimed, "thou art not of earth--thou art an angel! The unselfish grandeur of thy soul unmans me completely!" She saw she had conquered.

The light of courage was rekindled again in her father's eye, and his lofty brow was lifted once more under the sentiment of dignity and self-devotion that struggled for life in his suffering heart.

Lenora looked at him with a heavenly smile, and exclaimed, rapturously, "Up! up! father; come to my arms; away with grief! United in each other's love, fate itself is powerless in our presence!" Father and daughter sprang into each other's arms, and for a long while remained speechless, wrapped in a tender embrace; then, seating themselves with their hands interlocked, they were silent and absorbed, as if the world and its misery were altogether forgotten.
"A new life--a new and refreshing current of blood--seems to have been suddenly poured into my veins," said Monsieur De Vlierbeck.

"Alas, Lenora, what a sinner I have been! how wrong I was not to divulge all! But you must pardon me, beloved child; you must pardon me.