which he was attached gave him an
opportunity of an easy divorce from his bride, and it is likely he had
not twice thought of her since the event had happened. Now, however,
that an intention of marrying in reality occurred to him, the incident
came freshly to his mind, and he jocularly wondered if his second
marriage might prove more fortunate than his first.

The hour and the place were favorable to revery. It was past midnight.
All was silent and noiseless in the great palace; the sharp ticking of
the clock on the mantel-piece was the only sound to be heard, save, at a
long distance off, the dull, subdued flow of the Arno. The room itself,
unlighted, except by the flickering wood fire, was in deep shadow; and,
lulled by these influences and his mild Manilla, Norwood was free to
revel in so much of dreamland as natures like his ever explore.

Who can tell whether men of this stamp know what it is to "grieve,"
whether chagrin for some momentary disappointment, anger at being
thwarted, is not the nearest approach to sorrow that they ever feel?
The whole course of their lives seems opposed to the notion of deep
or intense feeling, and the restless activity of their ingenious minds
appears to deny the possibility of regrets. As for Norwood, he would
have laughed at the puerility of going over the bygone; therefore, if
he did recur to a former incident of his life, it was involuntary and
probably induced by the accidental similarity with those which now
engaged his thoughts.

"If this Dalton girl be rich," thought he, "I might do worse. There are
no relatives to make impertinent inquiries, or ask awkward questions.
Hester can, and must, if I desire, assist me. Living out of England,
the girl herself will have heard nothing of my doings, and in name,
appearance, and air she is presentable anywhere." He thought, too, that,
as a married man, his character would be in a measure rehabilitated. It
would be like entering on a new road in life; and if this could be done
with a certain degree of style and outlay, he had great trust in the
world's charity and forgiveness to pardon all the past. "A good house
and a good cook," thought he, "are the best witnesses to call to
character I have ever met. Turtle and champagne have proved sovereign
remedies for slander in all ages; and the man who can sport Lafitte in
the evening, and split a pencil at twenty paces of a morning, may defy
envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness