The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-07 00:00:00

I sprang mealtimes hens the sides and eametimes from the
434, centre, and the arches of them twined seek ether in
• thousand fantastic shapes, at different new ear
beads. Fine meshes of stonework hem the
higher arches, and exquisitely light figures cut a the lower
ones, so that the whole roof seemed supported by an airy
tissue of delicate pillars, left the eye in doubt where it be-
gan and ended ; and the blase of innumerable lights, which
were distributed among them, and were reflected from the
brilliant crystals of which the sides of the hall were built,
and which projected in all sorts of shapes and colours, made
Use sneers of the place seem dreamlike and unreal. It
MBA ft me like a half-waking remembrance ofone of the
siMpseldeas caverns which I had seen in the far West, be-
am* the fire mountains, illumined by throe tremendous
Wes, and which appeared, as I glanced, half in wonder
Wilts terror, down its long arcades, to arch away into in-
a lity.
t was • fit place for feasting for the chiefs of a rest
people ; and as I looked around it my heart swelled proudly
an me—for I had first conceived this city and these palaces,
and I was the father alike of the mighty nation and its
chiefs. But in a moment the blasting thought came like
the hand of death upon me, that my frightful crime had
brought a curse. Let me not look that way.
At the upper end of the hall couches were ranged in a
half-circle for the elders, and down either side there were
lower ones for the others who were to share their feast. In
the very centre were long tables, narrow, but sufficient to
hold many of the viands ; between them and the couches
the attendants had space to pass. Behind all there were
raised seats, which were for the women who were honoured
by admission to the luxurious scene.
Ramon and Ada had scarcely time to hurry down the
hall and through the side entrances, before the music which
1 had heard as wo entered broke suddenly into a rapid
march, swelling and swelling on the car, till, as the great
doors were flung wide open, and troops of young girls
came pouring in, it reached a pitch beyond which it seemed
that it was impossible to rise, and then suddenly hundreds
of voices burst in upon it withan overpowering effect, sing-
ing the followiug chorus :
Ileum with mane,,!
Welcome gladness!
Let e• be merry, for age creeps on!
Welcome plassurel
Joy's • trammel
Spend while you have it —.twill soon be gone!
As they saug the girls still poured in in numbers.
They were mostly very young, and, like all the daughters
of say race, fair and beautiful Their arms and shoulders,
which they bared at will as they raised or let their light
robes drop aside, were white as the snows on the great
ranges of mountains in the West, when the afternoon sun
glows upon them; and as they stepped to the time of the
music, and some waved their arms and hands above their
heads, I thought so beautiful a sight was never seen before.
They ranged themselves on either side of the great doors
as the verse finished, and while the instruments passed on
into a flowing and exqusite harmony. Anna and Ada were
on sides opposite each other. Both were distinguished from
their companions—Ads, by her beauty, which was tintless,
and outshone that of all the rest ; Anna, by her noble pre-
sence and splendid figure, seen by every one as she towered
above the throng. 'l'hey looked at each other—Anna in-
quiringly and sometimes impatiently, as though demanding
some explanation from her friend; Ada endeavouring to
communicate her,explanations, but unable to find signs to do
so.
But almost instantly the instruments outside swept again
into the march, and at the very climax of it, as before, all
the female voices rushed into the theme as the elders en-
tered, and after them the guests, who now on their part
helped to swell the chorus, glancing at the maidens as they
Hence with renew!
Grief to-morrow!
Who can enjoy when the hate is grey !
Tooth is cowry !
Ago is weary!
Let us to joyous, thee, while we may.
Formon led the way, as master of the banquet. He con-
ducted the elders up the hall to their couches at the end;
the other guests followed at a distance and in order;
and, as they passed up the inner aide, the girls did the like
outside the couches, while the unseen instruments continued
to pour out, as it were, streams of must exhilarating music.
Ere long all were placed—the elders and guests reclining,
the maidens seated in long rows close behind.
Here follows a lover's quarrel—of the same pattern
se those used by novelists of the present century :
CATAIt AND ANNA.

I followed Cater and Anna, as they went together to a
somewhat secluded part of the great hall. I had known
nothing of the intercourse hitherto, but could guess, from
their manner to each other, that they must have been more
tree and unreserved before their late misunderstanding.
Cater, however, fronted the matter bravely, and was gay
and tender with his beautiful companion. But he seemed
to think of, and yet anxiously avoided, one topic.
" What a gay scene," he said to her. "Yet we am glad
—are we nut both glad, Anna ?—to escape from it. See,
Hamon and Ada have done so too. It is very pleasant in a
limo like this, Anna, to know that wo at least love; is it
not so—do you not feel so?"
Yes," she answered fondly. " Our love is so different
to these other peoples love. See Hake there, with the two
beautiful maidens who were with me but now at the feast;"
and she ',Muted to a young man who was apart with the
girls I had seen beside Anna. " That is not love, Cater—
at least like ours."
" No. no," he replied. "I do not love you only because
you are beautiful, Anna—that were too poor a love for me
—though you are beautiful;--I think you never looked so
beautiful before."
" Ah!" she exclaimed suddenly, " I bad forgotten Cater.
I wished to ask you about Ilamil. I have not seen him
since your return, and he wu always so eager to come after
your absences and greet me. Whore is he ?"
Catar looked a little sad, and did nut at uuce reply.
" I was so delighted," she went on, " when Hamon told
me how kind you had been to him. But what is the matter
Cates ? Is he not still with you ?"
He paused a moment, then, " No, Anna, no," he said,
hesitatingly. " Ile—poor fellow—he—" he stopped. She
looked inquiringly at him. " I saw his mother not long ago,
just before the banq'iet," he added.
" Why, what has happened? What has been the matter?
Has he done anything that is wrong ?"
" Oh, no," replied the other. " Ile never did wrong—
at least I remember nothing. 1 loved him, poor fellow, for
he was very sincere. Ido not know if your constant laud-
nen for hint made me love him more than I should have
done "—she smiled—" but I never knew a snore faithful
soul. He fell in our last battle."
" What—do you mean he is killed ?" exclaimed Anna.
"It cannot he so bad as that, Catar. ills poor mother—
what would she do without him ? No, no ; surely he would
keep out of danger for her sake. You do not know that
he is dead, do you ?"
" There is no doubt whatever of it," he replied. I have
been to see her, and to break the news to her. Damon
went with me; he proposed going, thinking we might
soften it to her."
" Noble Hanlon !" she murmured. " But how did she
bear it, Cater ? What did she say ?"
" Poor thing ! It was a dreadful blow to her," he an-
swered. " I thought when first the truth dawned on her
that it had killed her. She did not speak, but her face
grew white, and her eyes looked wild. I was alarmed; I
had never seen so terrible a despair. But I continued
speaking ; 1 told her how good and faithful her son had been,
how I loved him, and lamented his loss; on which she sud-
denly fell crying, which was a great relief to me, fur then
I knew all was well with her. You must go and see her,
Anna, and do what you can to comfort her"
She said she would to-morrow. " I havo often thought,
Catar," she added presently, how much more such a loss I
must hurt an old person than one of our age. If a friend
of ours diee,—why we have plenty more; life seems opening
to us, and we can afford to be prodigal. We cannot feel so
much as the old feel, who cannot look forward to new
friends. As the loved ones drop away, they must seem liko
the trees in autumn when the keen winds blow ; each blast
robs them of what can never be restored. But, by the way,
Cater," she said abruptly, " why did you not tell me
before ?"
He would havo found this question an awkward one to
answer, for, as I knew, he had forgotten Hamil until
Hamon spoke of him. Seeing him pause, however, Anna
went un.
" Did you say you saw her to-day ?" she said.
" Yea," he replied, " after the great meeting. I went
with Damon."
" I remember," she exclaimed. " I saw you, with
Hamon, go aside under the arches."
Catar's face looked a little troubled, and he tried to turn
the theme : it was too close to dangerous ground for hint to
be easy here. But Anna was determined it should not be
turned. With the wilfulness natural to womankind, she
would not see that the subject was one which it would be
better to let alone; or, if she saw it, she had a natural
drawing to meddle with what was dangerous. When,
therefore, Cater made some answer about Harnon's love for
him, and dilated on this, and referred back to the com-
mencement of the campaign, wherein Damon had accom-
panied him almost to the neutral plains, she only laughed,
as though she knew what her lover had in view, and was
determined to defeat it.
" It is very strange," pursued Catar, " that Damon, who
is so brave amongst us, should so systematically refuse to
fight mainst the Sethites. I have often wondered what his
early history was: he would never tell me anything about
jj. I doubt if he ever told any one. Did you know it ?
Md he ever tell Ada?
" Never, I believe," answered Anna. " I shall grow
jealous of you, Cuter, I think, if you speak so muchi of
Damon. lou know you so easily become jealous of mc."
Catar'a brow instantly grew black as a thunder-cloud ;
but he put a strong effort upon himself. " Not," he said,
when it is the question of one of your own sex; but
naafi," he went on, with an effort, as though detenined
net to he again made angry, " Damon is a fine man, and I
love him as I
never loved any woman, Anna.'
She moiled and answered in the same tone ; and for a
while all west well again. But presently, with a folly for
whisk I meld have been angry with her, she edged back to
din dilbasui, as moths edge back to a ame, and then mid-
benlyderted fall into it
" Oder, she said, " I've a favour to ssk of you.
Is "
" Have yes you replied 'playfully. " I will not say it
griusted.leethould Mke advantage some time of my
new. INIA irk me for favours which I would not grant
ate. Ng expect to have a like answer. But Ido
met Qgak it lib* I shell refuse you anythiug, Anna," and
it smiled affeMlusately at her.
7 But she would not be put from her purpose. Having got