her,--he had been as a god walking upon air. That she who seemed
to be so much above him should have owned that she was all his own
seemed then to be world enough for him. For a few weeks he lived a
hero to himself, and was able to tell himself that for him the glory
of a passion was sufficient. In those halcyon moments no common human
care is allowed to intrude itself. To one who has thus entered in
upon the heroism of romance his own daily work, his dinners, clothes,
income, father and mother, sisters and brothers, his own street
and house are nothing. Hunting, shooting, rowing, Alpine-climbing,
even speeches in Parliament,--if they perchance have been attained
to,--all become leather or prunella. The heavens have been opened to
him, and he walks among them like a god. So it had been with Tregear.
Then had come the second phase of his passion,--which is also not
uncommon to young men who soar high in their first assaults. He was
told that it would not do; and was not so told by a hard-hearted
parent, but by the young lady herself. And she had spoken so
reasonably, that he had yielded, and had walked away with that sudden
feeling of a vile return to his own mean belongings, to his lodgings,
and his income, which not a few ambitious young men have experienced.
But she had convinced him. Then had come the journey to Italy, and
the reader knows all the rest. He certainly had not derogated in
transferring his affections,--but it may be doubted whether in his
second love he had walked among the stars as in the first. A man can
hardly mount twice among the stars. But he had been as eager,--and
as true. And he had succeeded, without any flaw on his conscience.
It had been agreed, when that first disruption took place, that he
and Mabel should be friends; and, as to a friend, he had told her of
his hopes. When first she had mingled something of sarcasm with her
congratulations, though it had annoyed him, it had hardly made him
unhappy. When she called him Romeo and spoke of herself as Rosaline,
he took her remark as indicating some petulance rather than an
enduring love. That had been womanly and he could forgive it. He
had his other great and solid happiness to support him. Then he had
believed that she would soon marry, if not Silverbridge, then some
other fitting young nobleman, and that all would be well. But now
things were very far from well. The storm which was now howling round
her afflicted him much.

Perhaps the b