on; he can
project his mind in front of him as far as his reasoning on the possible
allows: and that eye of his flashes; and not only flashes, you see it
hurling a bolt; it gives me the picture of a Balearic slinger about to
whizz the stone for that eye looks far, and is hard, and is dead certain
of its mark-within his practical compass, as I have said. I see farther,
and I fancy I proved to him that I am not a dreamer. In my opinion, when
we cross our swords I stand a fair chance of not being worsted. We shall:
you shrink? Figuratively, my darling have no fear! Combative as we may
be, both of us, we are now grave seniors, we have serious business: a
party looks to him, my party looks to me. Never need you fear that I
shall be at sword or pistol with any one. I will challenge my man,
whoever he as that needs a lesson, to touch buttons on a waistcoat with
the button on the foil, or drill fiver and eights in cards at twenty
paces: but I will not fight him though he offend me, for I am stronger
than my temper, and as I do not want to take his nip of life, and judge
it to be of less value than mine, the imperilling of either is an
absurdity.'

'Oh! because I know you are incapable of craven fear,' cried Clotilde,
answering aloud the question within herself of why she so much admired,
why she so fondly loved him. To feel his courage backing his high good
sense was to repose in security, and her knowledge that an astute
self-control was behind his courage assured her he was invincible. It
seemed to her, therefore, as they walked side by side, and she saw their
triumphant pair of figures in her fancy, natural that she should
instantly take the step to prepare her for becoming his Republican
Princess. She walked an equal with the great of the earth, by virtue of
her being the mate of the greatest of the great; she trod on some, and
she thrilled gratefully to the man who sustained her and shielded her on
that eminence. Elect of the people he! and by a vaster power than kings
can summon through the trumpet! She could surely pass through the trial
with her parents that she might step to the place beside him! She pressed
his arm to be physically a sharer of his glory. Was it love? It was as
lofty a stretch as her nature could strain to.

She named the city on the shores of the great Swiss lake where her
parents were residing; she bade him follow her thither, and name the
hotel where he was to be found, the hour when he was to arri