The Fallen Leaves

le lodgings, at a moderate weekly rent. He stands before his small fireside, and warms his back with an Englishman's severe sense of enjoyment. The cheap looking-glass on the mantelpiece reflects

provement, with prospects which his less favoured fellow creatures may reasonably envy, is still a man subject to the mischievous mercy of circumstances, and c

s since he had said to Regina, with a voice that faltered, and a heart that beat wildly, "Are you fond enough of me to let me marry you?" And she had answered placidly, with a heart that would have satisfied the most exacting stethoscope in the medical profession, "Yes, if you like." There was a moment of rapture, when she su

both resolutely against him

n the room. Without actually reverting to what had passed between them during their memorable interview, Mrs. Farnaby asked questions, plainly showing that the forlorn hope which she associated with Amelius was a hope still firmly rooted in her mind. "Have you been much about London lately?" "Have you met with any girls who have taken your fancy?" "Are you getting tired of staying in the same place, and are you going to travel soon?" Inquiries such as these she was, sooner or later, sure to make when they were alone. But if Regina happened to enter the room, or if Amelius contrived to find his way to her in s

the aspect of a melancholy man. He was angry with his cigar because it refused to light freely. He was angry with the poor deaf servant-of-all-work, wh

is Somebody?" A

us, quietly entering the room. "And he's sorry to find Cla

t in which he had first presented himself to notice on the deck of the vessel. The maid-of-all-work raised her eyes to the face of the long lean stranger, overshadowed by the broadbrimmed hat, in reverent amazement. "My love to you, miss," said Rufus,

s fellow-traveller. "I am really glad to see you," he said. "It

own on it, shall I?" Passing round the table (littered with books and letters) in search of the nearest chair, he accidentally brushed against a sheet of paper with writing on it. "Memorandum of friends in London, to be informed of my change of address," he read, looking at

s to my poor father, when he got an appointment in India; and, now he has returned, he has b

a man who was waiting to hear more. "I'm liste

, wondering in what precise d

complete, as it were, in my own mind. There are names on this list that you haven

ry willingly, "I met the

information, and unwilling to receive it too readily. "How?" he exclaimed, u

r. Farnaby's," A

a letter of my writing, d

es

particular val

tain

relations with Farnaby and

y with them, which-which I haven'

on the floor, and fixed his shre

find you altered for the worse, I do. It may be Liver, or it may be Love. I reckon, now I think of it, y

f a young lady you never

said. "If you can get vent in quar

stop him, the photograph was in his hand. "I believe I've got her likeness," he announced. "I do assure you I take pleasure in making her acquaintance in this sort of way. Well, now, I declare she's a columnar creature! Yes, sir; I do justice to your native prod

offence. "Speak of her respectfully," he

for you. Well, it don't matter to me; I like you. Afloat or ashore, I like you. Do you want to know what I should do, in your place, if I found myself steering a little too nigh to the brown miss? I should-well, to put it in one word, I should scatter. Where's the harm, I'll ask you, if you try another girl or

," he said, "I've been rude, I ought to be ashamed of myself-and I am. There's only one excuse for me, Rufus. I love her with all my

by. Rufus listened, with the closest attention, from beginning to end; making no attempt to disguise the unfavourable impression which the announcement of

and that's a fact. She didn't raise any diffi

eet and kind!" Amelius a

the solid spectacle of his own boots. "And how about uncle Farnaby? Perhaps he's

I haven't spo

ed his long lank face. "Mercy be praised! there's a last

s rejoined. "She's old enough to choose

nnot stop the marriage," the sagacious New Englander admitted; "but he can stop the

is evening." said Ame

is he

lace of b

Right away!" cried Rufus, springi

"He's not a very pleasant fellow, anywhere; but he's

out. The objections to Mr. Farnaby appe

I can't endure. And-though he's very civil to me, in his way-I don't t

window, and became attentive again. "

"Do you suppose I am ashamed of the prin

world knows your principles, persist

the world to listen to me. They should hear of my

ow. "When Farnaby's at home, where does he live?" he a

on't mean that you are going to call

e. You seem to be sort of feared to speak to him your

much obliged to you, Rufus. But in a matter of this sort, I shouldn't like to tra

Query, my son: if you put off Farnaby much longer-" He paused and looked at Amelius. "Ah," he said, "I reckon I needn't enlarge further: there is another

ome unlucky accident, he made the attempt before Amelius had secured for himself the support of the master of the house? In his present condition of nervous irritability, he was ready to believe in any coincidence of the disastrous sort. The wealthy rival was a man of business, a near city neighbour of Mr. Farnaby. They might be together at that moment; and Regina's fidelity to her lover

ortable to him by dint of ancient use. Producing a handful of correspondence, he selected the largest envelope of all; shook out on the

it may be in your power to advance in this way the interests of our Bureau. Please take notice that the more advanced institutions, which are ready to countenance and welcome free thought in religion, politics, and morals, are marked on the envelopes with

closed. "If the right sort of invitation reached Amelius from this institution," he thought, "the boy would lectur

home. Amelius, popular with everybody, had touched the great heart of this man. He perceived the peril that lay hidden under the strange and lonely position of his fellow-voyager-so innocent in the ways of the world, so young and so easily impressed His fondness for Amelius, it is hardly too much to say, was the fondness of a father for a son. With a sigh, he shook his head, and gathe

line, in the event of Amelius being

R B

a mind to see the living original. Being your friend, you know, it's only civi

ou

UF

brown miss was a British miss. A strange New Englander had better be careful of his personal appearance, before he vent

I brushed my hair, and smelt a little of perfume. Yes.

pened it at hazard. Fortune had befriended him, so f

topped at some recently invented French shaving-cream. "It smells lovely," he said, assuming it to be some rare pomatum. "Just what I want, it seems, for my head." He rubbed the shaving cream into his bristly iron-gray hair, until his arms ached. When he had next sprinkled his handk