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The sun was now setting upon the valley; its last light gleahtened the rich yellow and purple tints of the heath and

broom, that overspread the mountains St Aubert enquired of Michael

the distance to the hamlet he had mentioned, but the an to fear that he hadto assist, or direct them; they had left the

shepherd and his cabin far behind, and the scene becaht, that the eye could not follow the distant perspective of the

valley in search of a cottage, or a halow of the horizon still

marked the west, and this was of so to keep up his courage by singing; his

music, however, was not of a kind to disperse , in a

sort of chant, one of the most dismal ditties his present auditors had

ever heard, and St Aubert at length discovered it to be a vesper-hymn

to his favourite saint

They travelled on, sunk in that thoughtful ht and solitude impress thewas heard but the drowsy ht flutter, as it blew freshly into the carriage They

were at length roused by the sound of fire-arms St Aubert called to

the muleteer to stop, and they listened The noise was not repeated; but

presently they heard a rustling a the brakes St Aubert drew forth