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372 a very accomplished, well-brought up girl; just eighteen—who—"

. "Re-enter life by the side of Eighteen! Am I a madman?"

. "Neither old maids, nor young maids; the choice becomes narrowed. You would prefer a widow. Ha! I have thought of one! a prize, indeed, could you but win her—the widow of—"

. "Ephesus! Bah! suggest no widow to me. A widow, with her affections buried in the grave!"

. "Not necessarily. And in this case—"

(interrupting and with warmth). "In every case, I tell you, no widow shall doff her weeds for me. Did she love the first man? fickle is the woman who can love twice. Did she not love him? why did she marry him ? perhaps she sold herself to a rent-roll? Shall she sell herself again to me, for a jointure? Heaven forbid! Talk not of widows. No dainty so flavorless as a heart warmed up again."

. "Neither maids, be they old or young, nor widows. Possibly you want an angel. London is not the place for angels."

. "I grant that the choice seems involved in per- plexity. How can it be otherwise, if one's self is perplexed? And yet, Alban, I am serious; and I do not presume to be so exacting as my words have implied. I ask not fortune, nor rank beyond gentle blood, nor youth, nor beauty, nor accomplishments, nor fashion; but I do ask one thing, and one thing only."

"What is that? you have left nothing worth the having to ask for."

"Nothing! I have left all. I ask some one whom I can love—love better than all the world—not the mariage de convenance, not the mariage de raison, but the mariage d'amour. All other marriage, with vows of love so solemn, with intimacy of commune so close—all other marriage, in my eyes, is an acted falsehood—a varnished sin. Ah! if I had thought so always! But away, regret and repentance! The Future alone is now before me. Alban Morley, I would sign away all I have in the world (save the old house at Fawley), ay, and after signing, cut off, to boot, this right hand, could I but once fall in love; love, and be loved again, as any two of Heaven's simplest human creatures may love each other while life is fresh! Strange, strange—look out into the world; mark the man of our years who shall be most courted, most adulated, or admired. Give him all the attributes of power, wealth, royalty, genius,