you aloud." Spikeman
then began to read in the masterly style which we have before referred
to:--

"`I loved, and was beloved again;
They tell me, Sir, you never knew
Those gentle frailties; if 'tis true
I shorten all my joys and pain,
To you 'twould seem absurd as vain;
But all now are not born to reign,
Or o'er their passions, or as you
There, o'er themselves and nations too,
I am, or rather was, a Prince,
A chief of thousands, and could lead
Them on when each would foremost bleed,
But would not o'er myself
The like control. But to resume:
I loved, and was beloved again;
In sooth it is a happy doom--
But yet where happiness ends in pain.'

"I am afraid that is but too true, my dear boy," said Spikeman, laying
down the book; "Shakespeare has most truly said, `The course of true
love never did run smooth.' Nay, he cannot be said to be original in
that idea, for Horace and most of the Greek and Latin poets have said
much the same thing before him; however, let us go on again--

"`We met in secret, and the hour
Which led me to my lady's bower
Was fiery expectation's dower;
The days and nights were nothing--all
Except the hour which doth recall,
In the long lapse from youth to age,
No other like itself.'

"Do you observe the extreme beauty of that passage?" said Spikeman.

"Yes," said Joey, "it is very beautiful."

"You would more feel the power of it, my dear boy, if you were in love,
but your time is not yet come; but I am afraid we must leave off now,
for I expect letters of consequence by the post, and it is useless, I
fear, waiting here. Come, put the book by, and let us take up the wheel
of my sad fortunes."

Spikeman and Joey rose on their feet. Joey went to the knife-grinder's
wheel, and Spikeman followed him without looking back; he heard a
rustling, nevertheless, among the bushes, which announced to him that
his manoeuvres had succeeded; and, as soon as he was about fifty yards
from the road, he took the wheel from Joey, desiring him to look back,
as if accidentally. Joey did so, and saw Miss Mathews following them
with her eyes.

"That will do," observed Spikeman; "her curiosity is excited, and that
is all I wish."

What Spikeman said was correct. Araminta joined Miss Mathews shortly
after Spikeman and Joey had gone away.

"My dear Araminta," said Melissa, "such an adventure I can hardly credit
my senses."

"Why, what is the matter, de