priate phrase, _meant nothing_. What
might follow would be a torture merely to himself--the torture of a
hopeless passion. She would know how to regulate her own feelings
towards him. He alone should be the sufferer.

Very fallacious reasoning! If he with his eyes open loved and suffered,
how could he tell but that Mildred might do the same? and this quiet
intimation of certain barriers and impediments to his passion was likely
to prove--as indeed it did prove--little better than a declaration of
love, and not the less ardent because coupled with avowals of
despondency.

Meanwhile, having made this concession to the cause of prudence and his
honour, he resigned himself to the charms of Mildred's society. Every
day brought some new excursion to scenes of surpassing beauty, in
companionship with one of the most lovely and gifted of women. Winston's
theory, that what is most beautiful in nature ought to be enjoyed in
solitude, was entirely overthrown. He cared to visit nothing unless in
her society; nor was there any scene whatever in which her presence was
not felt to be the higher gratification.

Mr. Bloomfield and his sister, after their first visit to some of the
environs of Naples, felt little disposed to make any unusual exertion.
They had both discovered that the bay was much the same whether viewed
from the right side or the left, and that in this warm weather--it was
now the month of May--the shady walks in the _Villa Reale_, or a
promenade in the town, was to be preferred to a ride in an open
carriage. To Mildred, on the contrary, almost every excursion, whatever
its professed object, derived its chief attraction from the different
points of view it presented her of that bay, which every hour seemed to
make more lovely. It followed, therefore, that Winston and Mildred were
sometimes left to proceed on their expedition alone. How the heart of
Winston beat as he, handed her into the carriage, and took his seat
beside her! It was something very like a curse which fell at that moment
upon the memory of his selfish parent. Had he been fairly dealt with, it
might have been his lot to hand her into a carriage of his own--and
hers.

Winston was almost in danger of forgetting the existence of Mr.
Bloomfield; but habitual politeness so far prevailed, that he
occasionally brought himself to listen to the account that gentleman
gave of his own impressions or afflictions.

"I was never more disappointed," said Mr. Bloom