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 your heart, if such had seemed your Dulcinea?"

"I should, perhaps, have been but the safer!" answered he, laughing.

"Pho! you would not make me believe any thing so out of nature, as that, when you were in such a tindery fit as to be kindled by that dowdy, you could have resisted being blown into flames at once by a creature such as this?"

"Man is a perverse animal, Elinor; that which he regards as pointed for his destruction, frequently proves harmless. We are all&mdash;boys and libertines alone excepted&mdash;upon our guard against beauty; for, as every sense is up in arms to second its assault, our pride takes the alarm, and rises to oppose it. Our real danger is where we see no risk."

"You enchant me, Harleigh! I am never so delighted as when I hear beauty set at nought&mdash;for I always suspect, Harleigh, that you do not think me handsome?"