n my eyes, is an acted falsehood, a varnished sin. Ah,
if I had thought so always! But away regret and repentance! The future
alone is now before me! Alban Morley! I would sign away all I have in
the world (save the old house at Fawley), ay, and after signing, cut
off to boot this right hand, could I but once fall in love; love, and
be loved again, as any two of Heaven's simplest human creatures may
love each other while life is fresh! Strange! strange! look out into
the world; mark the man of our years who shall be most courted, most
adulated, or admired. Give him all the attributes of power, wealth,
royalty, genius, fame. See all the younger generation bow before him
with hope or awe: his word can make their fortune; at his smile a
reputation dawns. Well; now let that man say to the young, 'Room amongst
yourselves: all that wins me this homage I would lay at the feet of
Beauty. I enter the lists of love,' and straightway his power vanishes,
the poorest booby of twenty-four can jostle him aside; before, the
object of reverence, he is now the butt of ridicule. The instant he asks
right to win the heart of a woman, a boy whom in all else he could rule
as a lackey cries, 'Off, Graybeard, that realm at least is mine!'"

COLONEL MORLEY.--"This were but eloquent extravagance, even if your
beard were gray. Men older than you, and with half your pretensions,
even of outward form, have carried away hearts from boys like Adonis.
Only choose well: that's the difficulty; if it was not difficult, who
would be a bachelor?"

DARRELL.--"Guide my choice. Pilot me to the haven."

COLONEL MORLEY.--"Accepted! But you must remount a suitable
establishment; reopen your way to the great world, and penetrate those
sacred recesses where awaiting spinsters weave the fatal web. Leave all
to me. Let Mills (I see you have him still) call on me to-morrow about
your menage. You will give dinners, of course?"

DARRELL.--"Oh, of course; must I dine at them myself?"

Morley laughed softly, and took up his hat.

"So soon!" cried Darrell. "If I fatigue you already, what chance shall I
have with new friends?"

"So soon! it is past eleven. And it is you who must be fatigued."

"No such good luck; were I fatigued, I might hope to sleep. I will walk
back with you. Leave me not alone in this room,--alone in the jaws of a
fish; swallowed up by a creature whose blood is cold."

"You have something still to say to me," said Alban, when they were in
the