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Rh Absence, like every other pang, weakens by repetition; the friend who has once returned in safety may return so again—we soon draw precedents from the past. She had to say farewell for the first time, and whatever we do not know, we always exaggerate. They sat together, with clasped hands, till the silence was suddenly broken by Guido, who had been intently watching a small bright flame, which, after having struggled for some time with the smoke around, sunk into darkness.

"Francesca," exclaimed he, "that is my emblem! Did you mark that little blaze, how it has striven, and how it has perished? It had in it the germ of the glorious and the lovely, but it had no open space wherein to expand; the heavy vapour oppressed it—other and brighter flames obscured its weakness—and now it is gone quite out. I see our resemblance. I, too, have in me a gift of power and of loveliness; but it is power that will be subdued, and loveliness that will die undeveloped. I feel around me the iron weight of circumstance—I am oppressed by the heavy vapour of hopelessness—and lo! I go, and my place will be no more seen."

"But that I have no heart for chiding to-night," replied Francesca, "dear Guido, I should blame this weakness, which creates the