nxiously.

"'Nothing! oh, nothing!' he said; 'I'm all right. Go on, my dear
fellow, go on, that's all. Let's hear the rest of it.'

"He repeated this request, not without laughing bitterly within
himself. Marzell went on:

"'I don't know whether it was from my having been a comrade of his
nephew, or because the curious state I always was in on account of my
continual condition of excitement endowed me with some odd interest in
his eyes. But at all events the old gentleman soon took a great liking
to me, and I should have been utterly blind had I not observed that
Pauline evidently cared much more for me than for any of the other
fellows who came about her.'

"'Really! really!' said Alexander, in a tone of anxiety.

"'There could be no doubt about it,' continued Marzell, and no wonder
that I should have got nearer to her liking; because, like any girl
with a head on her shoulders, she couldn't, with her delicate tact,
help hearing in every thing that I said (or did) a full-choired hymn in
praise of her marvellous attractiveness, my deepest devotion to that
whole nature of hers, instinct with the most passionate fervour. She
would often let her hand remain in mine for minutes, she would return
my gentle pressure, and, once, when the girls were all waltzing to the
rather wheezy old piano, she came into my arm, and I felt her bosom
rising and falling, and her sweet breath on my cheek. I was beside
myself. Fire burned on my lips. I should have kissed her in a minute.'

"'The devil! the devil!' roared Alexander, jumping up like a man
possessed, and grabbing hold of his hair with both hands.

"'For shame! for shame! remember you're a married man,' said Severin,
pushing him back into his chair again. 'I'll be hanged if you're not
daft about Pauline at this moment, married though you be. Think shame
of yourself, wretched Benedict, with your neck fast in the yoke.'

"'Well! go on with your story,' said Alexander, in an inconsolable
tone, 'we shall hear of fine goings on, I can see.'

"From what I have told you,' continued Marzell, 'you can form some idea
of my state of mind. I was torn by a thousand passions, and worked
myself up to the highest pitch of heroism. I made up my mind that I
would quaff the brimming cup of poison, and then go and breathe out
what was left to me of life far, far away from the beloved one. In
other words, I meant to tell her I loved her, and then avoid her, till
the wedding day, at all events;