eyes and brains long ago and
received a true impression, what right have you to cast it away, and be
misled by a narrow prejudice in behalf of Life--or of some particular
section of it? If he that loves a coral cheek and a ruby lip is but a
redhot donkey, what shall we say of him who makes these his weatherguage
to test the universe by?"

"Well, Bob, perhaps I have received a new impression, which is truer
than the other--and deeper. As you told me last summer, a world with
Clarice in it is quite different from a world without her. Princess--if
I may use his term--Bob thinks a good deal of you too; at least he used
to. You entered into his scheme of things as well as mine. Such is his
duplicity, perhaps you never suspected the fact."

"That is strange, when he has taken such pains to get me off his hands.
I could hardly believe it of you, Robert, on any less authority; it was
an unworthy weakness, in such a philosopher. But really now, are you
going to uphold him in this--against me?"

"Far from it: you will make him think what you please--only your own
opinion on this point, though so strongly held and stated, is somewhat
recent. Let us have a middle ground to start from, on which all parties
can meet, as in the other case. When things go to suit us, let us call
it a good world: when they don't, of course it is a bad one. O, we can
consider the suffering millions too; but then we ourselves are somebody,
and have our own point of view. So when you two look at each other, and
contemplate your own bliss, you will be optimists; and when you read the
suicides in the papers, and think of the Siberian exiles and my labors
in Water Street, it will be the other way. Why, I am often a pessimist
in the morning, and the reverse at night. It depends on the impression
you receive, as Jim says; and there are a good many impressions, and not
all alike. Often you can be betwixt and between. Let us fix it that way:
I am sure that ought to suit anybody."

Jim agreed that it would do very well, but Clarice seemed undecided. "It
seems so frivolous to look at Life in this easy way, just because
we--well, are not unhappy, and not without friends. You never do
yourself justice, Robert--or very rarely. If we have been favored
beyond others, we ought to be earnest and serious."

"My dear, Time will check your frivolity, and mitigate the morbid
bitterness of Jim's gloomy contempt of life--or vice versa. If I have
got you mixed up, I beg pa