Evan Harrington -- Volume 6

symbols and sensations he knew that Rose was lost to him. There was no moon: the water seemed aimless, passing on carelessly to oblivion. Now and then, the trees stirred and

l, struggle of human nature in those who can so far master it to commit a sacrifice. The loss of that brave high young soul-Rose, who had lifted him out of the mire with her own white hands: Rose, the image of all that he worshipped: Rose, so closely wedded to him that to be cut away from her was to fall like pallid clay from the soaring spirit: surely he was

t Mel had been his son's instructor in the chivalrous science of fence, and a maitre d'armes in Portugal had given him polish. In Mel's time duels with swords had been occasionally fought, and Evan looked on the sword as the weapon of combat. Face to face with his adversary-what then were birth or position? Action!-action! he sighed for it, as I have done since I came to know that his history must be morally developed. A glow of bitter pleasure exalted him when, after hot passages, and

o a place and drew forth one that had the stain of his blood on it, and the name of Rose at one end. The beloved name was half-blotted by the dull-red mark, and at that sight a strange tenderness took hold of Evan. His passio

had been accused, Evan Harrington was responsible for. The latter expressed regret that Laxley should have fallen under a false

, who according to report, had been furnished with a bed at the house, because of a discovery, made at a late period over-night, that farther the gentleman could not go. Evan found him sleeping soundly. How much the poor youth wanted a friend! Fortune had given him instead a

'I was dreaming I was Napoleo

mine for half-an

and peered on tip-toe over the top, from which, with a glance of self-congratulation, he

I believe it will develop cancer sooner or later in me. I feel singular pains already. Last night, after crowning champagne with ale, which produced a sort of French Revolution in my interior-by the way, that must have made me dream of

you could let a man p

it for one o

're a tailor,' returned Jack. 'It

cause yourself to

f I dread the profane vulgar, that only proves that I'm above them. Odi, etc. Besides, Achilles had his weak point,

ature was beginning to rely

I met you that night so oddly, you had been acting like a worth

d ever since,' said Jack. 'A clown or pantaloon would have given me balance.

er in the sheets, and gave two or three snug jolts indica

to carry on thi

e strained to shorten the period of penance. I had the best linen, and put on captivating manners. I should undoubtedly have won some girl of station, and cast off my engagement like an old suit, but just mark!-now mark how Fortune tricks us! After the pic-nic yesterday, the domestics of the house came to clear away, and the band being there, I stopped them and bade them tune up, and at the same time seizing the maid Wheedle, away we flew. We danced, we whirled, we twirled. Ale upon this! My head was

receiving a groaning assurance that the letter should, without loss of time, be delivered in proper style, the egoist, as J

e? And, ah! the sullen brute he must seem, standing before her dumb, hearing her sigh, seeing her wretched effort not to show how unwillingly her kind spirit despised him. The reason for the act-she would ask for that! Rose would not be so philosophic as her mother. She would grasp at every chance to excuse the deed. He cried out against his scheming sister in

he not co

top. It was Caroline. She kissed him, answ

the way, don't forget th

was really a mistaken sense of honour. For what

face at times. Presently she said: 'I want just to be assured

n turned to her wi

u did not do what yo

n me not to do what

en how can you remain here an inst

Louisa?' h

will never appear at brea

itude would do he

ould prove true, thin

Evan had his

ou in this way, my love, he said fond

d till we disgrace ourselves.' Possibly with that sense of shame which some young people have who are not professors of sounding sentences, or affected by missionary zeal, when they ven

always love

e have I

ays? Under any

, and shall. I look to you now. I h

, and he spoke w

ich voice. 'I will live any life to be

words and tears w

outh of another? If so, there was something less for him to lose. And now the sacrifice he had made did whisper a tale of mortal magnificence in his ears: feelings that were not his noblest stood up exalted. He wai