leasing.
The day-dreams of youth, however fallacious, are a composite of pain and
pleasure: for the sake of the latter the former is endured, nay, even
cherished in memory.

_Miss Gryll._ Hearing what I hear you were, seeing what I see you are,
observing your invariable cheerfulness, I should not have thought it
possible that you could have been crossed in love, as your words seem to
imply.

_Miss Ilex._ I was, my dear, and have been foolish enough to be constant
all my life to a single idea; and yet I would not part with this shadow
for any attainable reality.

[Illustration: Constant all my life to a single idea 250-208]

_Miss Gryll._ If it were not opening the fountain of an ancient sorrow,
I could wish to know the story, not from idle curiosity, but from my
interest in you.

_Miss Ilex._ Indeed, my dear Morgana, it is very little of a story: but
such as it is, I am willing to tell it you. I had the credit of being
handsome and accomplished. I had several lovers; but my inner thoughts
distinguished only one; and he, I think, had a decided preference for
me, but it was a preference of present impression. If some Genius had
commanded him to choose a wife from any company of which I was one, he
would, I feel sure, have chosen me; but he was very much of an universal
lover, and was always overcome by the smiles of present beauty. He
was of a romantic turn of mind: he disliked and avoided the ordinary
pursuits of young men: he delighted in the society of accomplished young
women, and in that alone. It was the single link between him and the
world. He would disappear for weeks at a time, wandering in forests,
climbing mountains, and descending into the dingles of mountain-streams,
with no other companion than a Newfoundland dog; a large black dog,
with a white breast, four white paws, and a white tip to his tail: a
beautiful affectionate dog: I often patted him on the head, and fed him
with my hand. He knew me as well as Bajardo{1} knew Angelica.

1 Rinaldo's horse: he had escaped from his master, and had
revelled Sacripante with his heels:--

Tears started into her eyes at the recollection of the dog. She paused
for a moment.

_Miss Gryll._ I see the remembrance is painful Do not proceed.

_Miss Ilex._ No, my dear. I would not, if I could, forget that dog.
Well, my young gentleman, as I have said, was a sort of universal lover,
and made a sort of half-declaration to half the young women he knew:
sin