rds, excited, eager welcomes, and all those other
circumstances that usually attend upon the meeting of long-divided lovers,
were, in this case, clearly impossible. Brooke felt Talbot's
presence--Talbot, who was worth to him ten thousand like Dolores; so he
could only take refuge in the most commonplace conventionalities. It is
true, Talbot could not understand Spanish; but Talbot could understand
those tones of voice which form the universal and natural language of man;
and if Brooke had felt ever so full of eager delight, he would have
hesitated to manifest it under such very delicate circumstances.

At length Brooke cleared his throat.

"This," said he, in a solemn tone--"this is indeed an unexpected
pleasure."

Dolores sighed.

"It is indeed, senor," she replied, "an unexpected, a most unexpected
one."

"It is indeed," said Brooke, in quite a helpless way.

Saying this he held out his hand. Dolores held out hers. They shook hands.
Then they cast hasty looks at one another.

"I hope you have been quite well," said Brooke.

"Oh, quite," said Dolores; "and you, senor?"

"Oh, very well," said Brooke, "very well indeed."

And now another pause succeeded. Both of them were horribly embarrassed.
Each had the same feeling, but neither one knew the feeling of the other.
Each knew that a change had occurred, but neither knew that the same
change had been experienced by the other. Brooke knew himself false, but
thought Dolores true; while Dolores had a similar feeling. Besides, this
new love which each had conceived and cherished made the old one seem a
mistake--made them regard each other with aversion, and this meeting as a
calamity; yet each felt bound to conceal these feelings, and exhibit
toward the other an impossible cordiality. All this caused a wretched
embarrassment and restraint, which each felt and for which each took the
blame, thinking the other altogether true and innocent.

The deep feelings of the past were yet strong in their hearts--the
immediate past, and with these their hearts were full. Yet these had to be
concealed. Each felt bound to the other by a solemn vow, and by every
principle of duty and honor. They had exchanged vows of love and eternal
fidelity. From such vows who could release them? Yet the vows were already
broken by each, and of this each was conscious. Had Brooke met Dolores
before this last scene with Talbot, he might have felt self-reproach, but
he could not have felt such a