The leaves of the plants hung motionless; the blossoms seemed to hush themselves to the enjoyment of their own sweetness.

The sky was clear, but there was no moon.

A beautiful planet, however, bright enough to cast a shadow, hung in the southwestern sky, and its mysterious light touched Miriam's face, and cast a dim rectangle of radiance on the white matting that carpeted the floor of her room.
It was the planet Venus,--the star of love.

Miriam thought it would be a pleasant place to live in.

But one need not journey to Venus to find a world where love is the ruling passion.