So that when the _Eulalie_ got up her steam, weighed
anchor, and swept gracefully away towards the coast of the adjacent
islands, her owner was left, at his desire, to the seclusion of a quiet
nook on the shore of the Altenfjord, where he succeeded in making a bold
and vivid picture of the scene before him. The colors of the sky had,
however, defied his palette, and after one or two futile attempts to
transfer to his canvas a few of the gorgeous tints that illumed the
landscape, he gave up the task in despair, and resigned himself to the
_dolce far niente_ of absolute enjoyment. From his half pleasing, half
melancholy reverie the voice of the unknown maiden had startled him, and
now,--now she had left him to resume it if he chose,--left him, in chill
displeasure, with a cold yet brilliant flash of something like scorn in
her wonderful eyes.
Since her departure the scenery, in some unaccountable way, seemed less
attractive to him, the songs of the birds, who were all awake, fell on
inattentive ears; he was haunted by her face and voice, and he was,
moreover, a little out of humor with himself for having been such a
blunderer as to give her offense and thus leave an unfavorable
impression on her mind.
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