A Nest of Linnets

their own cleverness in whirling round the topic of the moment, Mr. Long and Miss Linley were walking on t

uite a miracle that he did not fly at Mr. Long's throat before the latter had completed the sentence that he uttered, while grasping his cane in that expressive way which had so appealed to the imagination of Garrick. She had ever sought to allay by considerate words the anger which Mathews had shown upon several occasions when she had apparently favoured ot

r. Long; he might, she felt, be too greatly astonished at the adoption of such an attitude by an elderly ma

m the gardens beyond the maze; and then the expression of terror which had been on her face gave way to one o

understand how you succeeded with him. I felt sure when you had spoken tha

one argument which the habitual biter appreciates to the full is the bite, therefore one should make one's teeth meet upon his flesh, and all will be well. There is no need to be surprised at the sudden

icer and a gentleman of

t necessary to obtain his admission

ook he

se," she replied. "Ah! that is one of the most distressing things about our life-the life of people who

I really fail to see how your father's profession -and yours-gives the right to every adventurer to your society. It is one thing to be debarred the privilege of hurting the feeling

one of the greatest hardships of our life. But all our life is made up

n once, however, that I noticed in your manner a certain shrinking from the favours which the public are ever ready to fling upon their favourites-yes, for a time, until a fresher favourite comes before them. I f

ents which some people have made upon me in that respect," said she, and her face beca

e from women who were overwhelmed by thei

is in no way impressed by the presence of thousands listening to his playing on his violin. Mr. Garrick-he, too, h

pends the first ten minutes of his appearance on the stage every night calculating the sum of money there is in the house. That is beside the question. If you are not in the possession of genius, you h

with some appreh

g in public again," she said. "Oh, surely you are not

starting-place. We were talking about that Mathews, and how easily he obtained admission to your father's house. I wo

y father became aware of how distasteful Mr. Mathews was to me, he ceased urging me to accept hi

of paper, the exact amount of loss per annum, worked out to shillings and pence, that the withdrawal of Betsy from the concert platform would mean to her father. Mr. Long had been greatly interested in the calcu

ittle pause b

sleepless night thinking what answer I should give to th

ered, my dear

le suitors in favour of himself. "Oh no, indeed! I do not believe that there was any offer made to me that caused me a great pang to decline. Of course I was sorry-y

e, you must have perceived this. Well, so much for the men who professed to love you; but you must know that when

and she saw that the expression on his face was that of a man who is amused.

u have given me-that sweet confusion-that sweeter blush-of your having the heart of a girl. 'Tis as natural for a girl to love as it is for her to laugh. If you had ass

love you as you should be loved!" she cri

use I had told you that my sole hope in regard to yourself was to make you happy; and I knew that I should be making you unhappy if I were to impose upon you the duty of loving me. Such curio

e cried. "Every time that you speak to me as you

that mean that you

should-as you expect to be loved-as yo

do you know how I

ld be loved, and I fear t

deceive me. I do not say, mind you, that I would have been deceived. I have been speaking just now of what is natural in a girl. D

tis not i

a young woman you are-how determined you are to give me every chance, so to speak. B

to love you-

ome without your trying to love. Is that

rd is the matter to which it refers-you

ou will find it so very hard to

omised to

ur promise unless you are sure that you can lo

ame graver than ever as she walked along by his side. She was silent, and there

nd, my Betsy," he said. "Tell me, what

did not know that yo

hat; but even if I were, is that any reason why the reflection

ad, but made no

of the privileges of Nature on the outskirts of artificiality. There was a warm sigh of wild thyme in the air.

d them ou

the windows of the house. It is pleasant to stand at the top of the terrace-steps and look across the greensward to the basin of my lake. Very early in the summer morning the deer come to drink there; I h

lies fluttered past her face, but sh

is on your mind-in your heart. I think I can promise you th

nothing can lessen

peak in connection with you," he said. "You cannot

love you, but solely because singing in public had become so great a terror to me that I welcomed the ea

your whole

my promise only because I was selfish. I was ready

and arbitrary husband so that you might escape from the irksome flatteries of the crowds of discriminating people who have always del

gift, so divine a gift, that I shrink from exercising whatever of that gift has been given to me by God, only for the amusement of people who are incapable of understanding anything of the beauty-of the real meaning of music. Oh, I tell you, Mr. Long, I have felt, every time I h

king her last sentence, and he took it in both

iment which involves the assumption that looking at happiness through another man's eyes is in itself the truest form of happiness; but however this may be, I was not so senile as to believe that when you honoured me by accepting my offer, you loved me with the natural love of a young girl for a young man. You confided in me upon one occasion when I pressed you to answer some questions which I ventured to put to you, that it was a torture to you to face the public, and that you were awaiting the return of your brother from Italy, in great hope that he would be able to persuade your father to permit your withdrawal from a career which, h

you happy; you are

let you into the secret of the only

rd about your own happiness-you ha

have been seeking to realise my own. Now, my sweet one, we shall talk no more on this subject. I only ask you to remember that my aim is to see you happy

hers lay limp in his own. She gave him the idea that she

; you have not even said that you forgive me for deceiving you, for agreeing to marry you when all

use to say anothe

forgive m

ness. Now we must hasten on to our destination; and if you see any of the modish people nudge each other whisperin

tisfied expression-not, however, quite a dissatisfied one. Once or twice her lips parted as if

is that you are the best and noblest man who live

y one," said he. "Some people-they are,