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Laa diagrammed suivants illuatrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 M^ PLORIMEL JONES. y^rt^U fov. 0^ ^ ^^^^ ^^^^ S !/ ■--■■■ ' f^ FLORIMEL JONES. I'^S XXVU. SrC. s *^ OIltllT AND RIVI.NOTO!*, PBIimiS, »T. rnillt'i iqUAII. Br T. U. L'^-ft- %>tW-, loiiton : SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & KIVIXOTOX CHOWN BUILDINGS, m. Tt.tZT STHEET. 1876. lAU right reterved.] PREFACE. ^ 1 1 MAY ''b / ur It is only fair to premise that this little volume is merely an attempt at authorship. The nuthcr is painfully conscious of its many de- fects. But ho never expected to achieve even a moderate excellence in literary art per gal- turn. Criticism and public opinion, however adverse to his modest venture, will only serve to stimulate, not discourage him. The gift«d author of Pelham has said that the demand now-a-day? was simply for some- thing "readable," If Florimel Jones, with all its faults, possesses even this indifferent merit, the author ought not to grumble. T. U. CONTENTS. CHAPTEB I. Cotn««Li. '"j* CH.VPTER II. Till Jost FiMILY j„ CHAPTEB III. A FUITITIOX jj, CIIAPTEE IV. Tu» SlSTIM 2g CHAPTER V. Didehot's Rooms „ CHAPTER VI. The Uoiilu 40 CHAPTER VII. Ox TUE D0OK-STCI' ^» CHAPTER VIII. Curiu's Pranks ^ CHAPTER IX. KmiRIXEL iu| ^^ CONTESTS. CHAPTER X. MM Caicc iHl Stuam ir tod Cix gg CHAPTER XI. LoTi, roa n tbt P.,w«« kq CHA.TTR XII. *** » 118 CHAPTER XIII. Sitr-Aaneinoii jg^ CHAPTER XIV. Thi Room AOijx j^ CHAPTER XV. OiuiK AVD Sally 151 CHAPTER XVI. Aji AaaiL or Light ]gg CHAPTER XVII. Thm Mask ialu jac CHAPTER XVIII. A Coariuio> iww CHAPTER XIX. Lon, THB Lou or All 216 CHAPTER XX. PooB Salit 22s FLORIMEL JONES. CHAPTER I. COT.DWKLL. Ne^ ronNDLAND, the scene of this tale, dubbed s novel by courtesy, is in the eyes of most people a sort of terra incognita, shrouded in IHjrpetual fog and mystery. It is thought, indeed, by Bomo to be uninhabited, save by aborigines, who, either redskins or Esquimaux, eke out a precarious subsistence by fiatching seals and codfish. But we hope to show that such impressions have nothing in point "f fact to rest upon. Positively, no redskins <»r Esquimaux are to be seen there ; and, as B ^ FLOllIMRt, JOVRS. for fopnn.! rnystory, why, London far oxccc.is it, in botli. T.mnrds Iheclf.so of a col.l ,]j,y in Jnnuary, 18—, t,vo (.prsons w.to convcrsinir in fhe' front parl.M.r of a far.hion^tl.Io I.ouso in ono of tlio most fashionablo tl.oronijlifares of a thriving little town, to which, for reasons of our own, we shall give the name of Cou.- WKT.r,. Tlie window of the apartment faced a quiet Htrert, covered with snow, and perfectly destitute of attraction, with a general ap- poarancc of harsh, unmitigated desolation. At this window, nevertholcss, sat a woman, who, despite the blankness of the prospect, gazed out into the street with steadfast pur- pose. Of a superb typo of physical beauty, this woman seemed born to enkindle passion. Her eyes wero dark and gleaming with re- strained fire, her teeth white as ivory, her lips the colour of the ruby, her skin smooth kf riOHlMF.h JONKR. 3 ••'•^ " i.K„,umental alaba.ster," an.l raven hair ^irrangf.l pyramid-Iike, crowned her head '"■' "<"J"nt of the aid of art.ficial cfn\j„on. II. r forehoa.l was broad and low, her nose "•I""lin.', her mouth small, with an expression h--«If-'l.nant, half-inviting, and well adapted, as some one says somewhere, to "sneer a sneer 'I'or, ,rar to scorn." Ifer ag,, was about .iglit-and-twenty; her name Mrs. Clarke Thus n.neh of (he lady. It is fully as much as coul.l 1,,. p„,„ere.l by the most ob.servant «ye upon a first introduction. A knowledge of her .lisposiiion and character will be ac •piired as our story progresses. The other occupant of the apartment was a gentleman named Edward Villiers. Ho ^■.«8 a man about thirty, and he looked his af,"-. His deportment was ea.sy and polished, w.th a tincture of nonchalant impudence, which attracted while it irritated. His eye was hard and cold, almost expressionless; it was a worldling's eye, destitute either of « 2 ^ ^ •llr ■' l'l"IIIMKI, ?.INKS. MnrvrKv ..r r..,.|in.,r. ||is f.,,,„,,,, ,,.^,.,. H.ssi..;,|ly l.a.HlsuM,,.. |,i.|„ l,,i, j„ ^.„,.,^. <^l-i^(.r. rm-.T,..! I,is l.rnu, ..„mI ,t soCt, silky '"■•'•s(.„l„. ,,,.,rti,-,IK r..„n.:,|,..I |i,„ ,-,,,„„.,| f,,;. I'.issroii, (Icccil a,,,! cnii.lly. ^ Uv ,„..,y as wril saynt .„„•.- tl,;,t, K.lwar.l Villi.Ts was u scamp; „,., s,„.|, a l.nv l.lack- R"nnl as is usually i,„,,|i.„| |„ ,|„- torn., I,„t VMlii as Mack a heart uii.I.t liis ,r|„ssy j.roa.l. '■'"" 'l'"«-'"'«'"'-l"f-.ss..|(isl, aiMiscnsnal a sn„l ;,s any iinprisoMcl ,v i|||i„ (|„. pn-cj,,,.,, "'■■■' ''">- ^'^'"'- •'^'•^"Pl-'- li- l.a.l nuno; ,,„ ""•"'■■'l"l''"l l.y conscience. alM...,,.,.', pru.Ion't.al -^cK.prntcctivo consiil-raiions su; pli,.,! hj,,,' »vi(l,,is..n,I.lanc.- of propriety which, (o the ••"-hss ,.|,s,.,.v..r, rni^rh,, |„„|, -|,^„ ^,,,,^,^.^^^_ liKMOUl'. Willi coat-tails cxl.-n,h.,| t„.fore the (ire, ■■""i ■•* pr.eral n.ake.,ny.s,.|f-ut.h..,no sort of ail nir. this persona^r,, sai.J in clear. Rharp, but not unumsical tones,— I I 'UrMI'l, .lo«-|s. H "'""■ 1^. -M-s. Clarke, that you have caM.H.t- '"• ■'"""- •■^'"'"y. Flirtinpis a s.ienc,.. ■'""''^"' •"'• "'■ -XMNisite art. Anvilown " ••''^'•'■■^'. •■'M.l sijrh. an.I pant, an.l pr„ . "■•• ••'"•' •■'" 'I'^'f sort of IhinfT, al.s tely '''■'.'/ "I'.-.l he says, allhoufrh almost too ' ''•''-'' '"-'> "!'•'»• lio feels; hut to flirt, '''•' is. f" (lirl eh..antly an.l arti.-.ticnIK ,' ••'•-I' lharsaM..||,.rs.,rt nf |li|„p. | ,,,fra,",| "'""'U'. Mrs. Clarke, as one of the ^nvatesf '";""- "I lil-. I have ha.I n,y roruantic ■'""'-. "f OHM... an.l can appreciate t|„, '•''="■""•'""• "nn- whih. it lasts, but what ''•■•'''•"'•'••■'^-•in,- l„f,.,,,| a llanie when the ■"I '^ ^"""M"I«"P the sl.,,mpoin.r when the '"•I'slMirnC- H.nptysentiment won't .h, i,. '■'"" ' ''"leiulMr the first (in.e I spoon..,!, "'■I .'"t suit arahen.ler in .lownri^rhf ..arnest. ^""'•"1 ".V boson, raeke,| with alternating^ l"r'-="'"l r,ars,an,l all that sort of thinir, \"" know, an.l actc.l n.y best to charm my '■l"n.,er. Hut. lik.. a groat fool, I di.ln'^t h Twniwr.i. JONES. stop tlirro. I went (,n my knt-os— I profcsscl lovo— I promT(Kl iriy liniui aiul licart, xvliid: wcro polifHj acropd-il, and-hrhjh, prrsf,, .' flio delusion wns (lisjx-Ilcf]. A w.-f, disli-cloth was (lirown over the wliolo thing. I was no lonppr witty and gay; slio no longpr fasci- nating. M'o jogged along in a resigned sort of fasliion for a fortniglit, and then by miitua' consent agreed to forget each otlier, and be happy. So miicli for love, Mrs. Clarke ! " Tlio lady looked amused. "So much for vapid sentiment, you mean, Mr. Villiers. It was not such love, at all events, as filled the heart of Petrarch for his Laura." " Not quite," laughed the other. Mrs. Clarke smiled somewhat contemptu- ously. Villiers shrugged his shoulders. " To revert to our original topic," said he carelessly, " flirting is a science, and a most charming diversion too; it lends quite n rroniMEL jones. 7 liif|iianey to life, (juito a relish to existence: it dissipates, Mrs. Clarke, that unpleasant and irksome sense of feeling like a vegetable "hieli I'll 1)0 bound to say constantly attacks every sentient man. To flirt well is to pluck the ro.«

'M:s. sir," iiit<tithnian, who liotli (,'ot out and ascended the slejis. The new entered. With Ihedderly gentleeiaii. her father, l'r(>ston J ones, Vill lens was ae- qiiaintecl ; but he was introduoed to I'h for the first time. The latter was dark, rind had :i coniplexion similar to th.it of her sister; but with tliat their similarity in appearance ceased. Marion ('larke was most decidedly inclined to .»//-. }ioint : ]''loiiiin'l was slend Ti- er aiKl liehcati She was te?i years tho junior of iier s!st4T, and wore a gentle amiability of expression -fiiki Uflv eoiit rasf ill'' witli the iierv, iiii- 'tuous vhich rai-elv de.-^eiled 1 1 I'onntenance of Mrs. Clarke. Florimel .Keen nil III possess the (piiet, attraetive lie;i lilies ol' ihe violet ; her sister, the rich, voliiptunns fas- cination of the deep-red, full-blown rose. Thei'e was, in spile of liimself, a del'ercnce of inaiiiier in his address to I'loriiuel, whieli to the f the \- illiers was nnaccustoini d to p:ty i^eneralitv o( women. 11 IS oiiinions o -e\ were tar I'i'oni exalted as a rule. l''loi'iniel loriiieil ail except ion ; he tril inst iiicl ivelv that lie must jiidi,'!' lier iiy a hii;her slaiuiard. For th ■;t tiling in his lile, N'iliierR beiiehl a prettj' girl witli whom iie did not feel impelled to flirt. 'j'hei'e was, imleed, a i;al;ixv of charms aliiuit {''jniiniel that few susceptible liiiniau liipeils, llial is of the male sort, could with- lltl ^ure was laultless, her shirli ite.st sitn.l. Ill action i.'raee itself; her voice sounded like ihe solilv-inodnlated cadence of a silver lute 10 FIOBIMBI, J0SE3. -melodious, sweet, intoxicating. She had doveseyes. and pearly teeth, and lips the most exquisitely formed that the eyes of man evorbehcd. Her bro. was pale, smooth, and mtelleetual-Iooking; her head perfect in its contour. Her hair was a very dark auburn .n colour, very soft, glossy, and rich; it was caught up behind in heavy natural folds, and gave to her head quite a queenly air. There was a quiet dignity in her manner, and an open, confiding express-on in her eyes, which m some peculiar, inexplicable way would make the boldest respectful, and inspire with admiration the most blase gentleman of our acquaintance. ^Oh. Florimell lovely, loving, bveable -onoiel! unagitated as yet by passion, untouched by sorrow; would to Heaven we could preserve thee ever thus ! Alack ! but the lot of humanity must be hard when even s-^ck as thou are doomed to suffer. But let us not anticipate. No cloud as yet FLOBIUEL JONES. 11 had hovered on the horizon of her young life ; ali had been bright as the rays of tin 8un now BtrcLming in through the window, and surrounding her sweet, angelic face with ii halo as if of glory. " Beautiful, entrancing, diviue I " muttered Villiers involuntarily. Florimel started, and. meeting his rapt gaze, looked upon the ground in some con- fusion. Mrs. Clarke darted upon Villiers a glance dark and threatening, which he was too much preoccupied to heed. Suddenly t!ie sun's radiance was obscured by a passing cloud. In a moment all was dark, cold, and cheerless. niV CHAPTER ir. THE JONES PAJflLT. Tab gloom was short-lived • 8«o„ ♦!, «Hooe fo.H again in. uJt'C-^-- lat^n'ov "' l'^"'''^™-* of toilet manipu. lat.on over, subs,ded into a subdued decor! ^manner, ver^. soft and attractive. Soon ^ was announced. Mrs. Clarke prel'd -thmatronI,dignit,atthetable.'J:- to her father. Florime. and Villi^s fLe "' °"r\ "''""^•^""^ *'- --' ^He c I'estOWed tl'P mnaf «l«l- . "»'itr thefairgi^T^L "/"'""*-" "P- *„H .1. conversation was cheerful and. thanks to the wit of Villier. and smar/ 'repa-tees of Mrs. Clarke, even piquant. T. fLORIMRL JOKKS. J3 tHh'r"'^''''""^^*-*ofhis yh, managed to make occasional remarks ^^apract.calcharacter.whichwerehonou.d y-th a grave attention on the part of his 'earers; and the spirits of FlorimeLgreaUv Ht.mulated by her recent exercise. e3 - to ,mpart to the common stock fe^ ay top.cs a .0, freshness. When t l ■'" r ^ "^^'^ f-m the table thev were mutua 1, pleased with each other. ViC ..a« charmed with the freshness and lil he rt^d. unaffected gaiet, of Florimel. Her '--'« begat in him a kindred ingenuoTs "ess and « Won. He found himseraugh -ng and chattering like a boy He ell h" himself to please Ri» J ^"^ •rained by eariv' anf "'""' P°"^"' with the '1,; ""*^°* '"^"--"^^ e gay world, were well calculated '" '™P™«s with admiration the simnl ".experienced mind of a young giri^' ^tent of whose travels had bee! h^^d t ««-tmggW at Switzerland, or a^X; 14 PLOBIME. J0NB3. tour up the Rhine. Florimel listened to hit fluent and witty narrations with breathless interest. She had a keen perception of the ludicrous, and hailed all his humorous sallies With 'thorough appreciation. All this con- versational brilliancy was lost upon Mr. Jones, who had comfortably ensconced him- self in an arm-chair by the fire, making an elegant ottoman do duty as a fcot-rest. "Marion," -^aid the latter presently, "get me to-day's paper." " I'll get it, dearest papa," interposed the younger sister affectionately; " which is it = " "The Indicator to be sure," broke ij Villiers, with a malicious laugh. "No. don't get that," cried Mrs. Clarke. " papa doosn't like it." "Dmdedly not," said that gentleman testily. " Such a scurrilous rag ought to be suppressed by Government. Nobody is safe from its vile attacks. Last week I actually figured in it myself. Florimel. my love, you n,onmfi, jones. U w>Il find the Coldtrell Times in my coat pocket; and get me my slipperB, my dear." His daughter performed these dutiful offices v;ith alacrity. Her father thanked her with a kiss. "What sort of a paper is the Indicator i I have not seen it. What makes you laugh so much?" demanded she of Villiers, who appeared to be getting into a state of great liilarity. ° "The Indicator t" rejoined ho. with affected rapture. "Why, it is an ines- timable boon, a priceless ruby; it is the silver lining to the black cloud of ignorance and mrnity with which the dull world of Coldwell is covered. You have not seen it ? Ah! I forgot. Its silvery effulgence, then, must have dawned upon the benighted uni. verse during your absence abroad. It is a masterpiece of literature, a paragon of genius, socially, morally. politicaUy, theologically, . and comically, like its editor." 16 FL^UIMEL JONES. "And pray who is its editor?" inquired Florimel. "What! Is there a being in the wide world who has never heard of John Smith —that presumes to breathe this mundane atmosphere oblivious of the great John 8mith— the gorilla, as he is called by some, the viper, hawk, hornet, by others; our modern Diogenes, the Newfoundland Carlyle, the misanthrope, cynic, and humorist com- bined? But pardon me— I forgot. You hhve been banished from the great centre, the mighty focus of civilization. You have i)een out of Coldwell, doubtless residing in the midst of the semi-barbarous nations of Europe. Brought once more within the celestial confines of abcriginal, intellectual majesty, you may now be enrolled in the foremost files of enhghtenment, one of our- selves." " I hope so," said the young girl, laughirg. " But tell me, is Mr. Smith so vrry clever?" FLORIMEL JONKS. 17 "He is," observed Mrs. Clarke quietly, very clever, and very handsome, and ven. odd. " "^0 is that?" broke in Mr. Jones looking solemnly over he top of his paper. " Mr. Smith, dear papa." "Smith? Ah, yes I John Smith, the >amster. A rising man, and on the road to a fortune. Florimel, my dear, keep your ejo upon Smith. Ho will be a bird worth catching." "But if ho is so very clever," went on Morimd. .. I should be afraid to speak to him, I should get so nervous." " Oh ! he is not aggressively clever " «aid Mrs. Clarke. •■ In society he is quiie modest and retiring, although, I admit, rather eccentric. I like him immensely. He is really one of my pet friends." " \t'S, he is a great favourite with you ladies," said Viliicrs " TTn r„.„ '••iiiis. He preserves an fxquisite expression of guileless amiability } •.1' i I' 16 FLOEIMEL JONES. which wins its \^ej to the susceptible female heart at once. His insinuating address is extraordinary, you women can't withstand it. For the rest, the Gorilla is the terror of the land; swells, snobs, hypocrites, para- sites, toadies, shoddies, and humbugc of every phase of humanity shun him as they would a pestilence. Ah ! it is nearly ten o'clock, I must be off. I promised to meet the gentleman hin.jelf at the billiaid rooms." Villiers rose and took his departure, bid- ding farewell to Florimel with some empresse. ment. CHAPTER III. A FLIKMTION. Mrs. Clarke accompanied her guest as far as tb-i hall door. "I must congratulate you upon your sister," said Villiers. "She is quite an acquisition to our dull society here. I intend to pay my devoirs to so much beauty quite regularly. Egad 1 I am between the terrors of Scylla and Charybdis; yourself on the one hand, your lovely sister on the other." " Take care, sir. I'll not have her trifled with or contaminated by the hollow, false views of life which I know you are prone to promulgate. Mr. VilUers," added Mrs. 02 (I •■•••'-fiWF'i^"'**'*' 20 TLORIMEI, JONES. Clarke earnestly, "promise me that in your intercom ae with her you will not seek to scatter in her pure mind the fatal seeds of a scoffing disbelief in goodness and religion." Villiers laughed. "What do you take me for?" cried he, highly Hmused. "For what you are, sir," said his com- panion calmly ; " a sceptic, a trifler, a—" "A Machiavelli, a Mephistopheles, an lago, a Beelzebub," struck in Villiers boisterously.' "Thank you, Mrs. Clarke. Upon this com- plimentary summary of my character, I feel equal to the perpetration of any conventional enormity. I am going to kiss you. You shall piny Marguerite to ~ny Faust." He made a pretended effort to embrace her. She retreated a step or two, and good- humouredly catching up a sword-cane, bran- dished it like an Amazon, " Ah ! you men are great cowards, all of FLOBIMEL JONES. 21 you; big, burly brutes, with the hearts of chickens. I know you won't face this." He did not try. "Conscience makes cowards of us all," said he. Mrs. Clarke for a moment or two kept her posture of defence. A true woman, she knew she could not lose by such an attitude. Her fine form was displayed to the best advantage. Her right foot, firmly advanced, was not cumbered by her drapery, and ex- posed to view a finely-moulded ancle. Her arms were raised, her lips parted, her eyes bright with momentary excitement. It was one of those chance postures which, when they happen, should be made the most of. Mrs. Clarke was making the most of this one. Villiers gazed upon her in unaffected admiration. " Mrs. Clarke," cried he. with real enthu- siasm, "you are the finest .»oman I ever saw. »nd that. I assiue you. is saying a great deal! IJut in sober earnest, where did you pick up I >^0=^ 22 PLOEIMEL JONES. your curious notions of my moral depravity? I am actually shocked." "I don't think that i said anything about your moral depravity, sir; but I rejoice to hear that you are shocked. Such an ex- traordinary phenomenon I imagined hardly possible. Perhaps I have judged you too harshly. Mr. Villiers, I feel that you under- stand, and, perhaps, sympathize with my anxiety for my sister, and I ask you to aid me in guarding her from the evils I dread. Avoid in your conversation with her the quicksands of worldly philosophy, and you will earn my everlasting gratitude." Mrs. Clarke was speaking with affecting earnestness. Villiers, for a moment, was subdued into gravity. With ready t -t she improved the occasion. Softly approaching him, she laid her hand lightly on his arm. Her touch thrilled him, it made his heart leap. Standing in such propinquity to him in aU her mellowed beauty, with upturned, nORIMBi, JONES. 23 en reatm,. gaze, yet withal a con.dousness of l.er .rresistible charms pervading her whole -press.on she seemed like some glorious tueeudued by some mysterious sp!llwitu '• ^'"^ '"^^ «o"ld have looked upon her --oved. Villie. with difficulty refrained om some unconventional demonstration. H's eyes looked into her« with the burning ful effort that he suppressed more concTusivc «'gns of the vehemency of his emotion. The .eartofMrs.Clarkethrobbc.d; she felt that 'or her it was a moment of triumph. Her eyes for an instant flashed with the fires of victory, and then melted into a look of cares- «ng tenderness. Her hand rested on his arm; he was like steel under the power of a magnet. "You ,.,7/ promise me. Mr. Villiers. won't you ? murmured the lady in low. sweet, be- seeching accents. " Upon my soul. Mrs. Clarke." cried Villiers 2i nOBIHKI, JONKS. hotly, " at tliis moment I could promise you anything." " An ! " said the gratified woman, the faintest tincture o.' irony in her tone, " you are getting in love with zae, aren't you, Mr. Villiers ? Oh, fie ! and you so sworn against scenes 1" The words probed his vanity to the quick. The spell was broken. He shook her hand from his arm, and smiled contemptuously. " Pooh ! Mrs. Clarke. Imagination flies away with you women. Your conceit runs away with your reason. When you have really counted me among your victims, I shall reserve the announcement for my own lips, but I am afraid that this delightful little piece of experimental sentimentalism must terminate in smoke, at least upon my part." "Whilst speaking he drew forth a cigar. " Mrs. Clarke, you'll doubtless try a weed," said he, with ironical gallantry, " it will re- nORIHSL JONES. tf more in a feUcitous and impalpable manner any unpleasant impression which—" " No thanks," roko in Mrs. Clarke, adroitly turning the tables, " / have no impressions to smoke off." "The deuce you haven't," growled the baffled gentleman under his breath. He ht his cigar, however, with an air of provoking coolness, and sallied forth into the street. He walked rapidly, 'w the air was penetrated with a keen, biting f-ost, and, the fcehng of irritation against Mrs. Clarke having subsided, soliloquized somewhat after tlie following manner : — " So my dainty beauty thinks me in love with her, does she ? Love ! what a meaning, less word ! I suppose it has got a meaning, too, other than its tame signification in the dictionary. Romancists say that it means ingenuousness, constancy, seF-sacrifice. Self- sacrifice ! Ha ! I can picture myself prac- tising self-sacrifice ! And this woman said I /.t 28 FtORIMBt JONES. was,nWew.thher! What's /.. opinion of denfcalwuh passion, fierce, fiery passion! ardent, short-hved. a fever of the heart. J mflamn,ation of the brain, a bubble, a ..etoor. dazzhug, deceptive, often fatal. I ought to k.,ow a little of that sort of thing. Egad ' her SI. er is a nice sort of girl, too .-so soft" so s,m.>le, so good, all sweetness, grace and' mnoconco. Upon ray soul, IVe scruples of conscence about her. By the way, I wonder how poor Edith makes it out. It would be devihsh awkward if she turned up when she wasn t wanted." This last reflection seemed to occasion him «ome uneasiness, for he quickened his steps and gave utterance to a savage cu,-se. He hurried along so absorbed in his thoughts that he bestowed but a careless glance at the magnificent spectacle which the heavens now presented. The Aurora Borealis, a sight common in nORIMEI. JONES. 27 the skies of Newfoundland, extended its bril- liant coruscations in well-nigh every direction, darting hither and thither, shifting, glancing, ''-■Mling, reappearing, never at rest, illumina^ ting the night with iadescrioablo splendour. Fitful and fleeting, it was no unfitting emblem of human passion. The sheen was glorious while it lasted. But its grandeur and eva- nescence were soon things of the past, to be faintly remembered and described m the days to come. " Hallo. V. ! " called a voice. '• Come in. Ned." shouted another. Before he was aware of it, Villiers found himself at the door of the billiard-rooms. fl 1 _y CHAPTER IV. THE SISTEUS. Mrs. Cubke, in tho meantime, bad rejoined her father and sister, greatly elated by the sparks of sentiment which her address and personal charn.s »• " , Mcited from the ordi- narily imoassi' '.e Villie^ Soon father and daughters separated for the night, tho former to seek instant repose and dream of profitable speculations, tho latter to spend an hour or two in confidential chit-chat in Mrs. Clarke's boudoir. " Oh, Marie a, do come — quick ! Is it not beautiful?" The speaker had pooped through tho blinds, KLORIMEL JO.NES. 29 and now held them drawn aside, giving to ■■••wthe final glories of the scene described ill the last chapter. " It is, indeed," rejoined her sister; " they «re the Northern Lights. Sec how faint the quivering rays are getting, dying, dying away HO gradually, waxing more and more feeble and indistinct, until all is gloom and shac'ow and Egj'ptian night. It is like everything else in the world, Florimel. There is a glitter and brilliance for a time, and then death nothingness, despair. I am quite melancholy -am I not, dearest? Alas! I have deep cause for melancholy. Hu.sband and child gone-dead-outofsight-losttome. Some- times, Horimel, my loneliness is terrible. You will comfort me when I get low-spirited like this, won't you, dearest ? " Mrs. Clarke had approached her sister, •n.l now stood affectionately embracing her.' Florimel looked up in tearful sympathy, an!■>» iriiT - •-r-rr*rm^~"~tTT~ 30 FLORIMEL JONES. '4 » * i i Thanks dearest; I know you love me. Alhs not a blank. Some sparks of hope and love arc still left. And. look, as if in en- couragement. tho Northern Lights are bright- ening again. How splendid ! " They lingered for some time at the window the two sisters, their hearts holding silent' sacred communion together. There are' bonds in nature too deep for words ; and with out speaking, each felt the occult strength ana ineffable sweetness of sympathy Drawing the curtains-for the gorgeous phenomenon in the heavens had waned and vanished-they seated themselves before the fire. Mrs. Clarke in an arm-chair, and Florimel on a footstool at her feet. The latter looked up lovingly. Mrs. Clarke stroked her hair smiling affectionately but sadly. " You think me very dull to-night, my darling, t ^^ ^^^^ ^^.^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ take no notice of it. It does not follow that because I am sad I am unhappy. Memories. FI.ORIMEL JONES. y^ J^'ar Florimel, rush upon us af r --power us; nor doVtl k e T '^ '"'l"lge them. The heart ? . ^°^ *° ^'-rness.andwh;sW n^,rr such knowledge? Often Jfl . "" "ff-ds balm t'o the lrx"'°°'' "-t I Lave suffered bul I r,;°* ""^ 'i^at you should sffe;:!L:°"^'^--^ ''-itate to rally me aT often °"°' Them T n ° ^^ ^O" like, ^here. I am quite cheerful again Do vn., -whatsoamusedmeto-n'ighP iTas ter bit. Hal ha 1 I was delighted Mr Vilhers, mv dear ,« „ e"i«-u. jur. "ij aear, is a very vain man and deserves a little humiliation now and then He thinks. Florimel. that women V^e P-auos. always standing open ; ■ ,. .. H be played upon whenever the u . fi. W.. k. tes of c«ry ,„„„. TobefoL ••"..d „, Ob. forearmed, so ,.kee»„" ■p^ "* FLOniMEL JONES. " I hardly understand you, dear Marion. Is he not a good man and a ffcntlo- raan ? " " A gentleman, yes, my dear. But a good man— no. • A gentleman' is a term so won- derfully elastic in its signification thatit will embrace even Edward Villiers. ' A good man- ia a title of much narrower range, and most certainly excludes bWk sheep of his descrip. tion." "Then he is a bad man," said Florimel blunt r. "Well, I supposr so; but the world would not call him bad. He is a little fa.t in the world's eye, that is all. As long as one does not transgress the code of conven- tional propriety in any glaring way, the world does not hold one bad. He is vain, heartless, and unscrupulous ; but these are just the qualifications suited to advancement in life, and invariably command tacit respect.", " I am sure I thought him quite a genius," FLOKIMEL JONES. 33 «aid Florimel, smiling, "as good as he was clever and agreeable." " When it suits him. he can be an angel oi" light, hke all the rest of his tribe. Ah ' I have not known luen of his stamp for nothing - Such creatures, Florimel, are lost to every pure feeling or noble impulse. They make ffods of themselves, and render everything subservient to self.gratification. My blood Iwils sometimes to think of how women be- come first the toys and then the slaves of y^-vves like these. They snare the affections of. *oman with their falsesmiles and honeyed •^ords, and purr like cats when you stroke them, but their claws are of steel and their Uvth iron. They will play with their poor httle mouse until they are tired of it. and then tear your heart out and devour you." ^ " Are all men like Mr. Villiers ? " said Florimel, anxioucly. " Yes, my dear, nearly all of them. Papa '* '^'fft'rent, and my poor husband was, and 34 FLOEIMKL JONES. one or two others, perhaps, but all the rest are the same. I hate them." "How about Mr. Smith? Is he wicked too ? " " No ; Mr. Smith is an exception. I like him. But don't talk to me of men, dear Florimel, I have you to love now." Florimel rose up quickly and threw her arms around her sister's neck. " And I love you ! " criod she, " I love you so much. I will lever love iJese men, never. You have my whole heart." "Hush!" said the other solemnly, "you know not what you say. I thought once to escape the whirlpool, buL was sucked into it helplessly. There is Fate in these things- stem, inexorable Fate ! No, Florimel, I thank you for your love, my darling, my child, my sister; but do not deceive yourself. Har- rowing passion will overtake you, sooner or later, just like it did me. Then, while the fever lasts, I shall be as nothing to you, com- FLORIMEL JONES. 35 paratively speaking, the great love of your «oul for its idol swallowing up all lessei likings." " ^"* 2"^" are my lover, my idol," said the fair girl, persistently, « and all my love shall bo lavished on you alone." Mrs. Clarke again stroked the hair of her Bister softly and tenderly, with a look in winch seemed blended infinite sweetness and pity. " Dearest Florimel. you need not assure me of your affection ; I know it. But you have not experience enough to enable you to pro- nounce absolutely upon this question. Your heart is young and untried; and this very readiness which you manifest to bestow on me all the rich treasures of its love, is already a sufficient index that the great ordeal of your woman's life has begun. Your heart is gropmg blindly for its idol even now. Your trial must come, dear Florimel. muat come. These things ,- 3 decreed. Face the ineior- I) 2 ii 11 w PLOBIMEf, JONES. able fact bravely and calmly, and not, like I did, with impulsive, unthinking hardihood." Florimel did not answer, but gazed into the fire, convulsively pressing her sister's hand. The words had sunk into her soul like a prophecy, and she pondered them over and over for many a long day and night. She felt in some indefinable way that they were true, yet wished not to realize the truth feeling the vague dread that such truth might imperil her happiness rather than promote it ; why, she knew not. Mrs. Clarke too fell into a contemplative mood, and was silent. Shortly afterwards they retired to rest, FJorimel first going to the window and taking a final look-out into the night. Theie was nothing to be seen but thick, murky darkness. She felt, with a shudder, that the darkness wcj not unlike the Teil of her future Ufe, impenetrable to her vision. CHAPTER V. Diderot's rooms. The billiard-rooms which Villiers entered in quest of John Smith were contained in an ex- tensive wooden building, owned by a garru. lous Frenchman named Pierre Diderot. The whole structure was detached from neigh- bounng houses, and wore an air of uncommon self-assertion like its master. It was one of thc«e buildings impossible to pass without observation. The exterior, although afiect- •ng no pretensions to grandeur, nevertheless seemed endued with a sort of grave dignity winch was certain to inspire a stranger with re8|,ect and cm-iosity. The entrance to it was lilj t osing what he deemed an oppor- tune mi ,, he seized her arm and drew her towards him, notwithstanding hervigorous resistance. " Leave go, Mr. Villiers, or I'll scream I " Villiers was laughing and Gilner grinding to I 42 I rWRlUEL JONES. hia teeth, almost enraged enough to rush to ■ voice sounded her rescue, when a calm, s behind them : " Unnand that girl, sir 1 " St?T A by the abruptness and menaca in the tout, /illiers released her. CHAPTER VI. THB G1BILLA. When Villiers turned he confronted a man « ith a faceat that time remarkable for nothing but imperturbable calmness. It was a long, 'hin face, hairless and colourless. The eyes were like the face, void of expreasion, but very clear and searching ; in colour they were a light grey. It was extremely difficult to fathom their expression. Although seeking to penetrate the miods of others, they them- selves made little or no teU-tale revelations of his own secret thoughts and designs. His chin was large and sternly furrowed; his raouth compressed and lips full, the upper 44 PLORIMBI, JONES. one considerably projecting and giving to his countenance a caste of Roman-Iike dotermina- tion. He had a high, pale forehead, with contracted wrinkles immediately above and between the eyes, and crowned with light yellow hair, closely cnt and carelessly dressed. On the whole it was a very remarkable face ; intellectual and passionate, one would say at the first careless glance ; a face of a high type of poetical development; a face, perhaps, that some great and earnest genius might possess, mtenteven to fanaticism ^n a crusade against folly and error. Yet on a second survey this impression would be corrected. Something wad wanting to vivify it into earnestness. There was an air never altogether absent from it of gloom, of despondency, of utter in- difference to the affairs of life, as if the pos- sessor had made some superhuman effort U) probe the mystery and utility of his existence and given it up as a bad bargain. And in this pervading air of sadness, half-molancholy. FLOHIMEI, JONES. 45 hulf-despair, lay the key-stone of his charac- tlT. John Smith had been from his earliest years a profound thinker and self-analyst ; unconsciously to himself, he was a born philoi sopher, so constituted from the peculiar com- bination of those faculties which in such rare instances go to make up the metaphysician. He was a nervous man. and a man of keen sensibilities, of extended sympathies, as well as of profound reflection, a man thoughtfully alive to every event occurring in that internal and external world, which, centring in him- *.'If, embraced every object perceptible to his eye or to his mind. For him the mighty pro- blem of existence of animal and vegetable life, of sentient matter, developed to its extreme hmit in the intellect, in the soul of man, pre- seiitod itself with grave and solemn import. Hut the all-absorbing question, while it ele- Tut43d his soul into a higher stratum of intel- ligence than that affected by purely mundane 46 FLOfilMEL JONES. philosopbers, at the same time fretted and vexed his understanding. Hence upon his brow there ever dwelt a perplexed, dissatisfied look, which never failed to kindle interest in the beholder. With the softer sex this interest, stimulated by the profundity of his observations, and the supreme self-possession of his manner, would deepen into sentiment and high regard, thus paving the way for more powerful emotions. Such was the man known amongst his little circle as the Gorilla, and greatly reve- reuced and feared for his satirical powers and keen Timon-like love of invective. We leave him with Villiers for the present, and busy ourselves with some minor figures on the stage. CHAPTER VII. ON THE DOOB-STEP. The clock was striking eleven, and the worthy Tierro Diderot was announcing the fact with «U the force of his stentorian voice. The rooms were invariably emptied about this time of the night, and the doors shut, the local regulations in reg-.rd to such houses of I'ntertainmeut being of the most stringent character. The crowd issuing from the bUliard-rooms, mingling with the crowd leav- ing the rtstaurant and bar-room, usually made a la.ge conconrse in that quarter of the town, and a very noisy one. The pleasure- «ttkers, excited by stimulants, frequently (:i !J ^^^fm I f:i ! '! 1 - 48 FLOBIlCliL JONES. created no small uproar; some singing, som-) shouting, some resuming, with invigorated energy, arguments in the open air, which had been 'nore tranquilly inaugurated at some of the snug little tables over pots of beer. Sally Cook, who resided in lodgings remote from the scene of her daily labours, could never have wended her way alone through such a mixed and gay assemblage without molestation. She found the escort of Thomas Gilner upon such occasions invaluable. Pre- vious to the amorous attentions of that gen- tleman. the pretty little damsel had been obliged either to run the gauntlet of the young bloods, ripe for any impertinence or liberty, or submit to the irl'some alternative of waiting u he bar until the objects of her dislike had taken their tardy departure. It was on one of these occasions that Thomas Gilner, an ingenious, bashful young fellow, aged t! ->e-and-twenty, and up to that time unskilled ffairs of the heart, being as FLOEIMEL JONES. 49 innocent as a new-born babe of the wiles of the sex, had, gi-eatly to his own astonishment, Hcri'wed his courage up to sticking-point, and actually proposed for her hand. But perhaps i>ally was not so much astonished. She had kt'pt count of the mugs of porter he had dis- posed of in the course of the evening, and consequently made allowances for the inclina- tion he would naturally feel to support fier for life. Moreover, Sally, a maiden of some judgment and tact, had foreseen the propriety fcud advantage of possessing a male protector m her nightly walks iiome, !.nd had with this object encouraged the attentions of her ere- dulous lover to such an alarming extent, that the surprise on her part would have been •hown on his not proposing for that soft, white little hand, whicii she had so often per- mitted to hnger in his own, and with whicli •be had so often returned the fond pressure of his. Ah, Sally I pretty little deceiver, sly little . £ I H 50 PLOBIMEL JONBS. mini, cruel, manoBuvring, clever little beauty, It 13 very delicious to plot thus for your own convenience and amusement, but in a game of love strange pranks are played ; it is a re- creation highly dangerous to tamper with the trump cards, hearts being so hard to keep always in one's own hands. Cupid, shuffling the pack with his quick, pitiless fingers, has dealt to you Gilner's heart, but yours? ah! to whom has he dealt yours ? You know that Gilner does not possess it. Already you are beginning to be conscious that it is in the hands of another player. She looked like a little fairy as she glided here and there, marshalling into some sort of order the glasses and decanters now being deserted by the bacchanalian crew, or, to vary the simile, what with the blazing lights of the bar-room, and the artificial flowers gaudily ornamenting the counter, she ap. peared, as she flitted about, like a butterfly, and as beautiful as the lyrically.famed Polly FLORIMEL JONES. 51 Perkins. Gilner gazed upon her in delight, llns bewitehing damsel was his first love. Ah ! how expressive of his emotions are the wonls « first love " ! What devotion of soul thiy suggest! What entrancement of the facult.es ! What ecstasy, what celestial rap- ture and-what self-delusion I But it was a glonous self-delusion, worth the penalty of mental anguish which he was destined to •ufftT, and was in all his future retrospects to be the halcyon period around which would cluster the "bitter-sweet •• memories of his lifi'. Hi>t he did not content himself with idly »?uzing on her beauties. He assisted her in the final arrangement of the bibulous para- I'liernaiia, and helped her to put on her cloak. These attentions were performed with reveren- tial awe, especially the adjustment of the cloak "vtr her plump little shoulders No Hindoo worshipper could wait upoL< his idol with more sacred devotion than did this young s 2 .^—^ •^ bm FLOKIHEL JONKS. lover attend upon his mistress. He felt more than rewarded by the lively glance of her bright blue eyes, which eyes he could rarely look into without a flutter at his heart and a thrill of admiration. Nor was Thomas Gilner the first man whom the charms of a pretty face has bewildered. Ah I these deceitful Eves, how they beguile us ! How is it that men ever extolling the staid, sober graces and virtues of plainer women, tmll recklessly at the sight of a pretty girl cast their all upon a die, or at least fancy that they do ? These anomalies mock our reason, just like the love- fever of young Gilner mocked his. When the cloak was adjusted, Sally drew the hood over her head, so that all the visible charms of her person were concentrated in the aperture through which peeped a face round, fair, and as freshly coloured a? a peach. She did not forget to show her t«eth and smiles whilst engaged in her hasty toilet, and used her blue eyes bewitchingly. When her PLOBIMEL JONES. 53 toilet was completed she gave a low laugh. e^ soft and musical, that won its way righ ■nto the secret depths of her lover's heart and made h.m drunk with joy. Oh! she was a perfect Lamia this ! "Now, sir, I am at your service " Gdner sprang to her side and offered his •rm. She took it quickly and coquettishly, Pre«s.ng .t tightly with her nervous, strong •ttle ungers. Buttoning up his coat closely! for the n.ght was ^old, Gilner . ' .ted off for the dulcedomun of Sally, that seraphic little creature hanging on his arm. Ue took short bnsk paces, accommodating his step to hers They passed quickly the noisy groups of revellers yet hovering around the rooms, and r«8ponued curtly to the cheerful "good- ".Khts" with which they were grated M.ortly after passing the last of these groups" (..Iner caught the sound of his name men- •'oned inquiringly. He lost the rest of the ^ntence in the distance. But the answer 1 ■I ^r' I'i. 1' 54 FLOBIMEL JONES. uttered in 8 coarse, loud voice, by a man evidenti; a a state of semi-intoxication, struck upon his Ccfs with cruel, cutting distinctness: " Bah t she will never marry him." Such were the words. Sally, as they fell upon Gilner's ear, could feel his frame quiver. He had been laughing and talking gay nonsense when he heard them, rejoicing in the thought tlmt he had the girl of his heart all to himself for one little, brief half-hour. Now he checked himself, dropping into sullen taciturnity. He felt as if some enemy had lodged in his bosom a poisoned arrow, as if some scorpion had stung him. He walked on in stolid silence for some minutes, turning over and over in his mind the harsh, bitttr words. He could not get past them, and exercise his faculties upon them in a logical process ; he could only keep turning them over and over with a dull, heavy feeling tugging at his heart, and weighing him down. FLORIMEL JO.VES. 55 " Whafa the matter, Tom?" said the girl presently, in a voice very sweet and clear, Imt lacking that rich, indescribable power to «oothe, which true love, and true love only, can impart to its tones. " Nothing, Sal," said he, " I was only think- ing, that's all." " Thinking ? A penny for your thoughts. Come, out w>th them. I know. You are thinking about your pipe. You forgot to light it." "No, Sal, it isn't the pipe. Curse the pipe. It's something that almos', chokes me." " What ?" said the girl, looking up. He bent down until his face almost touched bers. "You know, Sal, well enough,— the man Wo last passed." " Oh, Tom ! look up at the Northern Lights, ain't they pretty?" answered she, eva- sively. 56 PLOaiMEL JONES. "Did you hear what that man said?" reiterated he, hoarsely. "I did. What of it?" •' Was it true, Sal, was it true ? Tell me, as you value my peace of mind and your o: . was it true ?" He looked into her eyes as he spoke thus yearningly, thirsting to know the worst, if the worst was to be told, determined to search in them for the truth of her soul, if that truth should be belied by her words. She hardly liked this. Courted, flattered as she had been by handsomer and richer men than Gilner, her haughty little spirit rebelled at the peremptory tone which the intenseness of his passion had led him to adopt. In addition to this, Sally, like most pretty girls, had a natural ' •-». f team- ing. " What would you give to kno ..ce. box ?" cried she, throwing back her pretty little head jauntily. PLOBIUEL JONES. 57 " Sal," said the young fellow, solemnly, "one of us will regret this." "Will they? It won't be your hu.able lierviint, then." Gilner groaned, and kept silenct . They were approaching the residence of Mr. Preston Jones, which was directly in bar route hc-.e. " Se' jm ! " cried the girl gaily, rs if nothing Lad been said to v. x him, " they are lip dt Mr. Jones's still, I do declare ! How laUs they are to-night, and usually they retire Ko early! It must bo on account f Miss Jones. Perhaps they have been givino- a party in honour of her return from England. I do 80 long to see her ! Have you seen her, Tom ? They say that she is so pretty I and xuch a pretty name too, Florimol ! it sounds Hweet, doesn't it ? sweeter than Sally. Ah ! Tom, I expect you will bo jilting me one of these days, an . i ling in lovf with her. And she ia so ricu too. Ah. ?ao! if I ««W PLOEIMEL JONES. only had money, what beaux I would have ! " She pressed his arm tenderly. But Gilner made no reply to her light banter. Dullard as he was in knowledge of women, he nevertheless intuitively divined that her object was to lead him from his point. He did not break the silence until they stood on her own door-step. Then he turned upon her with an air of resolution : " Sal, things are come to a crisis. I can no longer bear this suspense ; it is wearing me out. You do not treat me as you ought. I know that I am jealous. But even •!■ I was not, your evasion of the subject whenever I speak of marriage is enough to make me doubt you. For God's sake, Sal, speak out! don't equivocate. Do you redly love me ?" He awaited her reply ith a throbbing heart and compressed lir There .s some- thing in the iron will of a man bjfore which the nervous force of a woman's resolution FLOUIMKL JONES. 59 quails. As she looked up into Giber's deter- mined features, marking the stern lines about liis mouth, and the fixed, ruthless expression of his eyes, she felt this comsthing, with a timid flutter about her heart that made her press her hand tightly on her bosom. Her acute perceptions at the same time steadily realized the ."ull importance of the situation, and she quickly decided to deceive her lover a little longer ; so serviceable an adorei- was to be retained at all hazards. Coming to this conclusion, she could not avoid regarding him with an icy gaze, as if calculating the exact value of his services, and what she coxdd afford to pay for them. The poor fellow wine 1 under her cruel stare. " Don't look like that, Sal, I cannot bear i', so help me God, I cannot bear it 1" It may be that the poignancy of his distress touched her. " Tom," cried she, softly, putting her little arms lovingly aroiud his neck, "you are a IS i 60 FLOBIMEL JONES. queer fellow, ain't you ? and I'm a queer girl." " Oh, Sal. spare me this frivolity ! Do you love me ? is all I ask." " You know I do, Tom ! " His heart stood still for a single instant, and then his eyes flashed fire. He hurled her from him violently. " It's a lie, a wicked lie, you know it is!" But she embraced him again, with an eager clasp. Her game must be played out. "I do love you, Tom, you know I do." "Then God forgive me if you speak falsely ! " he murmured, yielding hdple:,3ly to her syren spells, and raining upon her eyes, cheeks, and lips a thousand burning kisses. " Good night, Sal; God bless you !" And he left her, his soul overwhelmed with emotion. FLORIMEL JONES, «1 " True as steel, true as steel," muttered he delightedly. As he was speaking, the Aurora Borealis in its dying glory flared up into the heavens with a wild, fitful flash ; it quivered for an instant, and was gone. ■' ir ^1 . i ■1 r. Iri CHAPTER VIII. ccpid's pranks. Ik ascribing to the opulent little town of Coldwell the credit of possessing at least one sourer of recreation for its busy citizens, namely, Diderot's Rooms, we had forgotten to mention an institution not at all behind it in attractions. The Skating Rink was a long, wooden building of more extensive dimensions than the Rooms, but lacking any pretension to exterior ornament. Within, it was gaily and even gaudily decorated. At night, lights and music contributed their fascinations to bewilder the unaccustomed spectator. Desti- tut« of theatres, concert halls, public gardens. KtORIMEI, JONES. 63 promenades, and other places of popular amusement, Coldwell offered to the disap- po.n^2>easur.seeker a haven of refuge fn You paid for admission the insignificant um of ten cents. An elongated specimen of humanity, acting n the capacity of porter -l-vedyouof this bagateUe. and indicated' heentrance to the sparkling cave of Aladdin through a narrow corridor. You, seized by a «p.nt of adventure, penetrated to the scene of ga,ety and icy brilliance. And then did not your heart exult, your brain reel with TZTT ^'^"--^^^ -to a blaze of l.ght. Above you. pendent from the ccJ.ng .n a sort of wooden cradle, the band poured forth its enlivening strains. Around you, beauty, fashion, wealth vied with each other Railed off from the spacious sheet of ghttenng .ce in the centre of the building *»t« were arranged. Into one of these you •Iropped. if fatigued, and endeavoured at / • I mm 64 FLOEIMEL JONES. your ease to revel in the spectacle. Ladies, young, fresh and rosy as the houria of Para- dise, glided past you smoothly, tremulously, daintily, more like intangible, airy sprites, than real, substantial entities. It was impos- sible for these delicious creatures to look solemn, morose or spiteful. The spirit of the place forbade such profanity. Here Comus reigned supreme. Laughter, wit, jollity held a carnival. There was endless food for mirth. Unlucky rencontres never ceased. Often some one of the giddy, light- hearted houris fell, accidentally of course, and then an Adonis glided to her rescue. It was the spot of all others best adapted for Cupid's pranks. Indeed, at the head of the Rink was a conspicuous statue of the god, while at the opposite end a brilliant constel- lation of gas-jets illuminated the languishing form of his mother. But all this time the band has been playiug, and pretty feet twinkling and glancing over FLOBIMKL JONES. 65 ibo gUstening surface of the ice, in brisk lime to the music, for the houria and the )(.uth8 are dancing a quadrille. What » charming pantomime! How the rosy cheeks grow more rosy, and the golden Imir more golden in the flashing light! How the lips of the sweet damsels part to let llitir pearls be seen, and how their eyes sparkle with healthful, innocent deUght ! "What k-comes of the stilted, ceremonial figures of » ball-room quadrille after this ? Bah! chill li* not with the comparison ! It is at the Rink that Nature's beauties triumph. Even .Smith, who was seated outside the arena, -wknowledged this, and felt a pleasurable tri'mor thrill him as his eyes followed the motions of one fairy creature, sweeter, •uiiuier, diviner than all the rest. She was • stranger to him, a lady he had never before «.vn. But her motions, her face, her figure ! Wliat grace, what beauty, what elegance! Wliere was the mocking fiend in his breast i! ( • ,'t' (,! } I II ill 66 FLOHIUEL JONES. now ? Where hia lofty superiority over tbe herd of mankind? Whoro his armour- plated philosophy ? He glanced appealingly at Cupid, for lie felt that he was getting shot at. He fancied that the mischievous young archer was smiHng at him maliciously. He determined to baulk his aim. Slu-ugging his shoulders with a contemptuous air, Smith rose from his seat, and addressed some acquaintances chatting in the promenade which encircled the icy arena. He did not once look at the unknown lady. He knew too well the weak- ness of humanity to risk an encounter with the amorous god again. Vain hope I Suddenly there was a httle cry, a laugh, some commotion. The lady had tripped and fallen. There she lay, in interesting, charming confusion. Ever)- male biped was at her side in a moment Smith could not go; he had not his skates. How he ground his teeth ! But Smith looked, and looking was just as bad. Cupid, with FtOBUfEt JOKES. M %';tning rapidity, let fly another arrow. 1 'f ^ r^ ^^'"ff -ised by a handsome P«"ant, whom Smith, with a sharp, bitt" f-g. w.ch he could not repress, recog^ie^^^ to be ..Ihers. The latter nodded to him gaily -nuchas to say. "What do you think'; .s.JacK.myboy?-. Smith could have seen M ers hung, drawn, and quartered without on throeofp.ty. But he masked his feelings mde. The lady at this moment looked at ^"?':^'^^«"*^-- There must have been •omethmg more than ordinarily interesting in t.« expression. Their eyes met. She did not •^.thdraw her gaze, but the™ was no boldness no rude mqui.itiveness in her stare. Cupid -er on the watch for his prey, fired another' arrow Onward it sped on its viewless course. >ow he h.t another victim, and right in the jrold of the target. Cupid knew th.s by the •^•st of all mdicatious, a blush. The ladv f2 ■" 68 FLOBIMRL JONES. much embarrassed, looked away from Smith, and joined her partner in the quadrille. She did not exhibit, however, the same animation as before. Her looks were more demure, her actions more grave. An undefinable feeling controlled her. Much as she wished again to behold Smith, and endeavour to find out what it was in his handsome, tranquil face which attracted her, she felt that she dared not do it. It was a self-protective instinct that warned her of some hidden danger, some shoal, some rock. For the first time in her life she experienced the sensation of being abroad upon the ocean of passion with no pilot save her own good judgment. She trembled. Determined not to look at Smith, she tried by a powerful effort of will to ex- clude him from her thoughts. His image defied her. Theie it was daguerrootyped upon her brain ; a long, smooth face with fine!)- chiselled features, and deep, unfathomable, expressive eyes, pervaded by a look of majestic, earnest thought — like to some face FLOniMEL JO.NES. 69 that she had seen in dreams, a face pregnant with the nobility of high re- solves. Smith, whoso soul had already begun to feast upon her, sought to catch her eye with feverish solicitude. He could not succeed. After the quadrille her partner led her to a seat, and slid away again to the air of a hvely waltz. Smith decided to approach her, to throw himself in her way, to compel ber to look at him once, only once; once •gain to ijave those speaking eyes, the windows of her soul, looking into his. But he was forestalled. Villiers was at her side before Lira. She seemed glad to listen to the soft, honeyed sounds under which that Lovelace knew so well how to inject his poison. But Villiers little dreamed that she used him only u a diversion, only as a means to withdraw ber mind from the one object around which her fancy lingered. Smith, defeated in his manoeuvres, passed behind them. He heard her thanking Villiers in sweet tones for his 1 1 li t I r,>' 1 tr 70 FLOBIMCL JO.NES. timely aid, and bantering liim upon his ready gallantry. Her mellow tones fascinated liim, went deep into bis soul. Some human voices possess mighty, peculiar charms for us. Had not his priae come to his rescue. Smith would have hovered like a moth around a candle too long, and, to use a homely but expressive phrase, have made a great fool of himself Alive to this peril (and of all evils Smith dreaded with genuine horror the slightest appearance of looking ridiculous) ho moved on. Villiers, intent upon a new conquest, had quite forgotten Smith. Ho was doing his best to fascinate in his new-found quarry, oblivious of all other considerations. When Smith turned, shortly after sauntering past them, he saw, with unaffect«d chagrin, Villiers and the lady arm-in-arm skat !ng over the course; the one pressing his attentions assiduously but politely, the other receiving them with sinule, easy grace. The sight galled him. FLORIMEI, JONES. 7' The harassed victim of Cupid's pranks resolutely walked away, threaded the dark corridor, scowled upon the stalwart porter, although that functionary had done nothing to merit such treatment, and was soon liastening over the snow to Diderot's rooms. The night air revived him wonderfully. He U'gan to laugh at himself and his craven fears immoderately. " John Smith to succumb to tlio wiles of the sex indeed I Catch i.im ! " At the rooms he ccme upon Gilner and Sally love-making. " How absurd they look!" thought Smith. The usual crew thronged the rooms; some drinking, some smoking, some playing billiards ; all looking jolly, happy, contented. Approaching Sally, lie demanded brandy. She looked pleased and glad to see him. Cilner looked sour. Why sho :;d this hawk rob him of his pet •love? But little cared Sally for Gilner'a ill-humour. She, without a thought on her : •• W i; 72 PLOBIMKL JOXKS. • I lover's anguish, coquetted with Smith. Some women do such things ; it is .eir nature. Smith, his mind a little off its poise of equanimity, and his emotions still of th-t tumultuous sort common to gentlemeu wnthmg under the shafts of love, was over- .joyed to ease his pains by a little raillery. He also paid her some fine, well-turned compliments, expatiated largely upon the susceptibility of the male human heart, hinted at the depravity of some feminine beings who arrogated to themselves the admiratbn of men as their due, and rambled on with .similar thin, spread-out sentiments, until the girl, but too ready to c«t^h at a straw, thought that Smith must be getting in love with her. Having innocently done this mischief, off went Smith to his lodgings, greatly soothed m mmd, and his bi east comparatively tranquil. But someway or other his quarters wore a more dreary and lonely aspect than usual; they looked dull and dingy and comfortless. CHAPTER IX. FI.0KIMEL. W. return to our heroine. Who could find am their hearts to be long absent from her. »ir, soft, radiant J'lorimcl ? With audacity, bred of admiration for her •«auty and truth and goodness, we intrude "POD the young girl as she wiles away the •iull hours of a dreary winter afternoon. Of ^"rse we know that she is human; all -omen are human. But under the carnal •hell of some women lurks more of pure •''v.n.ty than a venal, gross world ima- It is very possible that before the reader lays M i I i( ' 'I .'' = i' ' I h Hi 74 VlOWKEh JO\ES. down .book our eulogyof this good ,ou„, creature may not be voted so fulsome and unwarrantable as it appears. Mrs. Clarke is with h^r u wo t. .ho prefer, .hmkinj. i„ ,„^ look nf „kii- >^ '-^pression; but t \' g^ne She seems pensive and self-conscious. g?enh::rT'''^^^"^°'^-^«^^- Tol? Shi T'''•'■°'"'"°^"•^'-• udeh '^'^^^"''^'^^P^'-s.cruderand elude her grasp. A gentle sadness has rept overher^ Why? Because the whinwind pa.s,on has but breathed upon h^. slumber „; «oul and moved it. just as the surface of tl' ocean nppies after a long c.l. .t the fir t ^ *-ch of the breeze. She has be" J«stle.ss and seemingly preoccu, ..d all day IXORIMEL JONES. 75 -able to give her ntention to anything real or tangible. ° Mrs. Clarke is her only companion. Her father, having thoroughly mastered his Comparative Estimates." is uow at his cour^.ng.house with the germs of some luck! speculation floating i. bis brain. Happy -n ! what have the caprices of la ,Zl y'a««w« to do with him ? "My dear," said Mrs. Clarke, "you seem "rangely quiet and mopish to-day! What is the matter, my love?" Florimel stated, surprised by a question e -port of which she hardly gathered. How bhnd we all are to the bubblings of ose hidden springs at work within us. flonmel was perfectly unconscious of any exterior change being visible in her demeanour towards her sister. Of course she did what •il good young sisters do towards their elder «nd kissed her. ill ^' i .,^.M:" 76 FLORIMBL JONKS. "Nothing is the matter, dear Marion. Why ? You know I have promised to imve no love but you." "Love? Bless me! what is the child talking about?" " I don't know," sighed Florimel, blushing and dropping her head into hor sister's lap. "Ah, Florimel, my darling," said Mrs. Clarke, softly, "you see I was right. You will have your troubles, like the rest of us poor mortals. Now kiss me. and tell me all about it." "Dear Marion, really I have nothing to tell ; only that I love ijou better than all the world, better than myself, my dear, my mor." than sister." florimel looked up, frank and uneni- barrassed. Her novel emotion was as yet in subjugation to her will. It was not unlik<> a small spring, oozii^g so slightly as to be almost undiscerniblo oven to herself. But once started, check //w? stream if you rmi. FLOBIMKL JONES. 77 irrs.ClarkesearelunglyglancedintoFlorimel'8 lovmg, mtelligcnt eyes, and, detecting nothing |l-e to confirm her suspicions, believed "erself to be mistaken. She changed the topic. "So you liked the Rink last night, my 'lear? Tell me who were there. Mr Villiers of course ? " ' "Oh. yes. I l.ad a fall, and he picked me "p. How strange you should dis(ike him ' Ho IS qu.te charming and witty. But I must confess, Marion, that I could never like ■m very much, fall in love with him, I mean, lliere ,s a cold, almost cruel look in his eyes Ht t.mes. Once or twice, as we were skating round the Rink. I noticed it. It made m! .udder. But he is certainly a very agreeable man, for all that." " Mr. Villiers is a very dangerous man. my love, rejoined Mrs. Clarke. "I warn you against him! Ah, if you could only see my It't, my beau ideal, Mr. Smith I You will 78 FtOBIlfEI, JONES. soon, my dear; he often comes here. I an. quite a favourite of his. uo you know. He calls me the most intellectual woman of his acquaintance. Don't laugh, Florimel. Of course I know that it is all flattery, as well as you do. " No. it isn't, dear Marion. You are very clever, and so is he. I don't know what I shall do when he comes. I shall run away for fear of your both quizzing mo. What sort of a looking ma- is he? Does he look kind and good-tempered ?" " He looks-I can't tell you how he looks Now you have put the question you quite puzzle me. But one thing I can tcU you, and that is that his expression rarely varies' I have observed hardly any variation in it smce I first knew him. But his is a facp, once seen, you never forget. There is some-' thing so uncommon about it; it haunts you. Often and often I catch myself brooding over it, and trying to guess what he is thmking FLORIMEL J0N£S. ^q JW He always looks as ifhe was thinking. I am sure that Mr. Smith is a very extrf ordinary man, my de.ir T «», '-knows it maT'- ^''",«"'-^'*°«.t'"»t ^ «. Uld you gp^ jj^ papa's shirt, dear?" "«on on "Yes, last night. T nnf if u , «-^nt t« the Rifk n '^''■^ ^ 'o Kink. Dear papal Do you remember what he said m .T i. Smith?" *° *"" about Mr. "Yes Fiori^el. But of course he was -ly jokmg; although you might do w"e ^.ann^arry Mr. Smith, my dear! believe me don tthmk that M... Smith has thoughts of p.-g any one. There is no one here clever enough for him." JUnlessitisyourself,"said the younger wster. admrinfflv "infJ T u ■'""nger •-■ lamsu^;;,;:'''^'^^^-'- -dow w.th a heightening colour; "don't Ulk about an ugly old woman like me ^"g 80 HiOKIMEL JUNB8. in lore. And who in tho world would care to have me? My chances are all gone now that you are here, Florimel. I feel laid aside on the shelf." "No, you are not, dear Marion; and perhaps Mr. Smith loves you. If he doesn't, I will try and make him love you, by telling him how kind you are to everybody, and how good and clever: and then he will be sure to marry you and make you happy." " Stuff and nonsense, you silly girl! Bless me! how fast the child's tongue does rattle! Will you hand me the scissors, my dear? Thanks, love. Well, wb- did you see besides Mr. Villiers at the Rink, Florimel ?" "Oh, I saw a lot of people that I did not know. But all was so bright and dazzling that I felt quite bewildered. And, then, you know that I have been so long from home that many of my old friends have grown out of knowledge. I have not forgotten mj skating, though. I got along admirably, nOBIMEL JONES. gj "unesque. bometimes, I am tol.l t»'Py have a masquerade W]i-.t 1 Z . '""«t be! Whv donV ^"'^^^'g^tthat wiiy don t yoti come and skato sometimes, dear Marion ?" "Because. Florimel. such frivolity has lost ^e power to enchant me. Mr. Sm'ith and I -auite agreed upon the subject of Skating ,. ^^ '^"'^orously calls them pan emon.umsfor,W//„, angels. I call them pa" demonmms for— " ^ ^J^^a//e„ ones." inun-posed a rich, masculine The owner of the voice entered the room ..nmltaneously with bis sarcasm The kdies. .ith a start, recognized Vifc. He came forward, bowing and laughing. A thousand apologies, ladies, for mv unceremonious call andve.7u„,,„,,,3,jj I^dh!" '"■'''°''^'•^«''^^"-'^«." -idedhe,turmngquicklytoFlorimel;..and I j 'f «• FLOBIMEL J0NB8. for some time past, just three days, I believe, have been entertaining a Platonic affection for each other. Doubtless, Miss Jones, you will infer from my injudicious and somewhat rude, if not venomous and sarcastic language about the fallen angels, that I entertain rather Plutonic than Platonic feelings towards your sex. But Mrs. Clarke can correct such an unfortunate impression. Some men have sacrificed their best friends for a joke ; but I hope that what I frankly confess to be a foible with me will not lose me the good opinion of Miss Jones. May I ask her not for a moment to attribute to my disreputable observation any deeper signification than that which the harmless play upon the wore"' implied." Florimel, who had arisen and was looking a little disconcerted, bowed gravely. " The object of wit, Mr. Villiers, is to im- ply a great deal more than what terras sig- nify," said Mrs. Clarke, coldly extending her nonilfBL J0NB8. 88 hand, -u cannot deceive us in that way Flonmel, would you mind getting me my «;.nab,e. like the dear you are, up i„ 2y boudoir?" f 'u my VVhile she was gone, Villiers, to keep his handin.cecidedto amuse himself with Mrs. Clarke He gracefully th«w himself upon the sofa, clasped his hands behind his head and smiled complacently, "And how has my Calypso consoled her- •If since I left her? "asked he. with an air Of royal condescension. "Oh I Calypso has been in despair. Mr. V.lh-s. She has heard that you are not go",toVanD.eman's Land, as she fondly anti ;.pated, but intend wintering here " V.IIiers twiried his moustache reflectively. Th.s fish ,s on the line, but must be played cautiously," thought he. "Airs. Clarke, do you know that lam quite enchanted with Miss Jones? She seems to possess such an amiable temper, and 2 4 .If » 1 1 ii! :• m-.-- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) / o %. s^.% .V ^. 1.0 I.I illll.25 U|28 125 «. ..„ mil 2.0 IIIIIM JA IIIIII.6 /a ^^ ^ ^9) '<^^;^ '^ ^ k ^ J \i I *' f M Ft.OBIMEL JONeS. rtoesn't make viperish ppeeches. Do you object to having your share in our contract transferred to ber? She wants a little initiation into the intoxicating delights of flirting, you know; and a draught of the cham- pagne of social life, such as I could give her, would, I assure you, be something worth having. Pray do not stop the sibilation of that romautic air, I beg. You have paused. Egad I it's divine, quite divine, I assure you. But if you won't sing or let me play the swan and die in music, pray talk. Your voice is equally charming in all styles." "I am sorry, Mr. Villiers, but at this moment I labour under a dearth of ideas. I beg to be excused." " Very well, then, hum I What is it the song says? Life is all a hum. No, egadl that's not it. Love is all a hum, that's more like it. Go ahead, gentle lady, anl I will do the talking. Egad I I labour just now under a flow of ideas, a torrent, a deluge of them. PLOBIMEL JONES. M Vou sLall have a dissertation on Love, Mrs. Clarke, d.v,ne, ecstatic love. Ah! here comes be fount of inspiration, fresh and gushing ^e gods I mto what rivers of ecstasy shall I not plunge." ^ Florimel at this moment entered, and pre- rented Mrs. Clarke with the thimble. She ooked a little flushed, and, if possible. mor« beautiful than ever. The secret of the flush r 1^1';"^^^''''' '""J^ of admiration with which Vilhers was regarding her. She was unaccustomed to such kind of admiration. Sbe felt, intuitively, that it was impure. Vilbers divined her thoughts. There was .omething in the shocked air with which she looked at him that left no doubt upon his "iind about its cause. He hastened to undo the evi, effectof his injudicious impertinence. But he was too late. Before he could get to I'M feet Florimel had glided from the room noiselessly and swiftly. Mrs. Clarke, happy in the possession of 1 1 S6 FLOBIM^L J0NB8. her thimble, did not recall Florimel. Why should she ? " Egad I I suppose your Elster thinks me a wild beast, Mrs. C'arke. She hes fled from nie like a startled deer. Only fancy, madam, the meagre preliminary steps for a flirtation producing such a disastrous cala- mity!" " I thought you had promised me a disser- tation on Love, Mr. Villiers?" said the lad- he had appealed to, sewing away with exemj/lary vigour. "Oh! hang Love! Mrs. Chirke, I am sorry, but I must postpone our rambles in Arcadian bowers until our next meeting. I have some matters on hand demanding imme- diate attention. Entranced with your charm- ing society, i had well-nigh forgotten them. Good-day." "Good-bye, Mr. VUliers, don't get drowned, please, in those rivers of ecstasy into which you were about to plunge." F.X>HIMEL JONES. 87 Mrs. Clarke parted her Hps in a mocking 8mil3. Villiers, disgusted and irritated, loft her. He tramped through the snow, growling savagely. "Ah!" muttered he, "I have made a false move. This is a good girl I have to deal with, a good girl. Pshaw! I should have seen it at first, and not have made such a booby of myself! Henceforth she shaU find me an angel of light-an auBel ©flight." Mrs. Clarke, the moment he was gone, went to her sister and embraced her, "My dear Florimel, I owe you so much ! You quite defeated Mr. Villier's designs, and so innocently too. Ha ! ha ! The superb lady-killer is quite hors de combat." "I think that Mr. Villiers insulted me, Marion. I think him a very wicked man." Florimel coloured indignantly. "Why, my dear, do you think him a wicked man ? " 'I! 88 TLOniUKL JONKS. " f''"'"^^ ^« ^^^'^ Jike one. dear Marion. man t you see his look ? " "I did. my dear. But his looks are nothing new to me. They are habitual with y- Some day or other. Florime!. I'li describe at length what b^s views on women are. Men such as he are by no means un- common in the world, so that the description ought not to present any novelty. But for you. dearest Florimel. by nature pure and unsuspicious, .twill seem new and startling I would to God it were so to me also! Never mmd. my love, all men are not alike, thank Heaven I Papa is different, and Mr. Smith and so was my poor dear husband." Mrs. Clarke neve tired of impressing "pon her sister's mind the virtues of her glonou3 triumvirate in which Sraitn had so happily found a place. "Surely," thought Florimel. ".his Mr. S™th must be an angel, and Marion loves him," CHAPTER X. c«KK ,a, „„,, „ ,„^ ^^^ p"»<.i.e». The, „.„„.„;'• 7:::: ;- '"Ckhng. drop by drop, drop by d^op until ^ «hown certain, unmistakable. then.-cW- -•/y— . It wi,n„u,h them to set:! •/A • . 90 FtOBIMlt, JONES. toss them h.tber and tbitbe.- l.i t'.o ,dij and either wreck thorn irretrievablv. or cast them high and dry upon the solid, immove. able rock of matrimony. The evening after Cupid's rranks at the Kmk. Smith found his way to Jones' house quite naturally, indgot in introduction to Flo- nmel. Villiers was noi there, bo that he had her all to himself. They got along famously. Flonmel was a little shy at first, he was so clever, you knowl But under the happy, gifted way in which he Loked at things, this' feeling wore off, and she felt that if he was, indeed, as clever as he was reputed to be, he' did not seem to possess the most remote consciousness of it. She found it impossible to look into his clear, earnest eyes, and not feel herself perfectly at her ease with hi His expression was so different to that of Villiers, it was so unassuming, deferential even, and above aU so permeated with some- thing above and beyond the mere animal, FLOBIMEL JONES. gj -auanook that eternally hung about ViU ' r; r ''PP'^^«"d^ all these dis- ^nct.ns between the two men in a moment, "d -soul. t once, by one of those st„.ng '^pulses CO common and yet so mysterious corned for itself affinity with his.' It ;:; .1 done without any sudden, ti^mulous shock l'[ '°'° «^'f-«-nation and nervous alarms but quit, a thing of course, as if it had been on.a.n.i so to be f«.m the creation of the ^c'd. Lookingmto his eyes, those speaking "".cere, good eyes, she i^ad her own soul fn tbem and did not trouble herself, as yet. with "7 harassing fears about the dangers of so '-d.ng herself there. " No wonder Marion ioveshim!" thoughtshe; "dear Marion! and .1.0 shall marry him too. that she shall, and then he will be my brother." Thus mused the young girl for the twentieth l^me on the evening of their first meeting. The Idea that she herself might many him 92 PLOUIUEL JONES. never occurred to her; the great flood of lier afl-ections having hitherto set towards her sister, how could she at once discover that the current was being diverted into a: .other channel? No. not a thought disloyal to her "ister did Florimel cherisli. Smith, upon his part, was drawn towards Florimel, but more consciously, which made It the more difficult for him to feel i-nembar- rassed. Evening after evening found him at the house of Jones, discussing with that gen- tleman the relative value of the " Comparative Estimates," talking philosophy to Mrs. Clarke, and tailing more and more in love with Flori- mel. An acute consciousness of the real state of hio feelings finally attacked him. Smith discovered, long before Florimel did, that he was in love. Villiers all this time had not been idle. He performed the part of an " angel of light " most angelically. Ho behaved with exem. plary decorum and politeness to the ladies, so W.0RI1IEL JONES. |g much so. that Mrs. Clarke began to think tl">t she might have been deceived in Villiers •'ter all. There were some good points about "m. and perhaps she was prejudiced, and tac been too hasty in her judgment. To lonmel he was most courteous and consi- derate. He did not appear at Jones' nearly »o often as S.n.th, but when he did he largely monopolized the society of Florimel. Smith ielf-conscious, and embarrassed, talked morJ to Mrs. Clarke. And this was Villiers' op- portunity; an opportunity, indeed, that no man kne^ better how to make the most of With an agreeable smile ever at his command .ud an unction of manner at times, acquired early m the school of fashion and the world V-lhers. in the eyes of an unsophisticated girl, appeared thoroughly genuine and honest But the practised reader of physiognomy would not be deceived. The mouth and the eje told against him. He could not always govern their expression. Few men have the ni ■I!' i! ! .'ii I I 94 rLODIUEL JOXKS. gift of caUing into a hard, cold, worldlj eye, any expression akin to feeling, control their features as they will. The eye of ViUiers. in spite of his splendid acting, was cruel and selfish, and Florimel, in some undefined sort of way, knew this, much as she felt herself drawn towards him in other respects. Vil- liers did not succeed in deceivii,g Florimel. He thought so, for he was vain and self, confident to a fault, like all such characters. But Florimel possessed a mind encased in the armour of virtue, and such armour is invul- nerable. Smith did not fail to regard the intercourse of ViUiers with Florimel with t;uspicion. He was tortured by jealous feers. He under, estimated his own powers of attraction, and over-estimated those of his rival. The solitaiy joy in the bitterness of his cup was the deter- mination with which Florimel resisted the urgent solicitaUons of Villiers to allow him to accompany her to the Rink. She declined FLOBIMEL JONM. 95 jnng there, cbcfly. no doubt, on account of M™ Clarke s strictures. Smith, therefore Wh.le talkmg to Ai.s. Clarke, he stole many • irtive glance at them. But even his jealous eye had -detected nothing, as vet that the v.s.t, of VilHers were not without toeu- object, but he could not construe any of ^ actions of Florimel into even tacit en- «u«^ment of them. His fears were for the future. He dreaded lest a flame should •pnng up unconsciously to themselves, that If ""'«*' ^'» °^^ hopes for ever. Never. Iheless. so great was the pride or hyper-sen- -Uveness of Smith's nature, that ne made no open advances to Florimel. His eyes looked tenderly mto hers sometimes, ^hen he left her ^>r the night, and his tones softened so as to thnll her with vague longing after some •"imagined happiness, but she did not inter- pre^ these signs into a passion upon his part ;./ I i < 96 FLORIMEL JOSES. for herself. Absorbed in a scheme for the union of Smith and her sister, Florimel was obstinately blind to them. Mrs. Clarke was in her glory. She had always liked Smith, that dear, delightful, clever fellow Smith ! Now he seemed actually tossed by some curious revolution in the wheel of Fortune into her lap. And she was not going to let him go in a hurry. She listened to his queer, metaphysical sayings with undisguised admiration. To steal into his good graces, she promised to study Hobbes and Kant, and Cousin, and all the other in- tellectual philosophers. She had read the first page ol Locke's " Conduct of the Under, standing" and, of course, knew something about that. The title-pag- of Smith's own extraordinary work, " Ev -ry thing a Mistake; or a Screw loo.se somewhere," she had also studied, and could tl us, so to speak, debate with him upon his own ground. Smith would often smile, in spite of himself, at FLORIMEL JONES. 97 «omc of the sententious observations she -arded^ They were so nar.e, so enthusi- at.c, and so very wide of the mark. Mrs Clarke s philosophy was of the sentimental' 0- 1 all pa.s.on and flummery. There was othmg analytic or commonly rational about ^- But, phdosophy or no philosophy. Mrs. Clarke was getting desperately in love with t'm.th, and, from the attention.s he paid her ^ed. She had ceased for some time to ful- h her fl.rt,ng compact with Villiers-indeed ^■e would well-nigh have forgotten him, had' '■at gentleman been one who could allow hnnself to be forgotten. But Villiers still dpgned a hold upon the thoughts of Mrs. Clarke. Attentive as h. was to Florimel, he was not oblivious of her sister, and provoked '"■■'• very often into fencing with him. One evening he 3„rprised Mrs. Clarke, Of^^J sm.th and talking philosophy in her "sual gushing, sentim. utal fashion. f tf ;j m ^® ►•LORIMEL JONES. " O Love, for me thy power! " cried Vil. liers. clasping his hands melodramaticallv Mrs. Clarke felt a tell-tale blush overspread h^r features, but recovered herself in a moment "Bj-the-bye. Mr. ViUiers, you never treated us to that dissertation on Love which you promised," and the lady showed her teeth maliciuusly. But the gentleman was quite tranquil. •'Didn't I, Mrs. Clarke? then you shall have it now. Love, in my opinion, is one of the prime conditions of existence. We love from instinct, from impulse, because we can't help it. We thus unconsciously obey a law of nature. Egad ! a fellow must love some- thingorsomebody, eh, Mrs. Clarke? AVhether we love too much or not is another question. For myself, ladies and gentlemen, I plead guilty to the charge of not having lived a loveless lire. Perhaps I have erred fron, tlu- opposite evil. K may be that T hav.- ]„yod too much." FLORIMEf, JONES. gg "Yourself you mean, Mr. Villiers " t, , 'D Mrs. Clarlr« »,*k . '• v«'"er8, broke ^o, madam, not myself, although I never Joryet Myself," replied Villiers w,vf ? emphasis. "TrueLovIr "^'^'^ W. True C '*^' "°* ^^°"^^P Clarke. Ce Lo7e "?'' ^""*^' ^'•^• ''-gmces andh k/T '*'' '''''' ^^^^ -.^rMi^To^^^^^^^ There was an awkward pause. Jhe^ meaning Of the speaker was unmis- '-/ii^e^iS^LTr '°' ''^"■'^^^^ utmost Sh 7u . ^''^"''^ *° '^^ H ZL '''''I'l''^' «"^h boldness merited sun^ng rebuff. But how to administer ir ' ""''■ ""''■ ^'-^^ -- to her "We hanlly expected, Mr. Villiers th«f J- dissertation was to end in an :::^^^^^^^ «'llHssa.lyour ears before the season isover h2 li t V:' ''1, 100 FLOBIHEL JON'iES. It is quite the fashion for dandies to propose io this style. It sensationally breaks the ennui under which they all labour." " Mrs. Clarke," said Villiers, a trifle super- ciliously, " you have mistaken me. I didn't propose. I never propose. I merely inti- mated to Miss Jones that I was a happy illustration of my argument that True Lovi- worships Beauty. I was a case in point, you perceive. Miss Jones can't help being beauti- ful, and, egad I I can't help the True Love, Mrs. Clarke." " But you can help this impertinence, sir," intarposed Smith, rising haughtily. " Hario, Jack ! " cried the other coolly, what's the matt«r? I wasn't .speaking to you." " I know you were not, sir ; but I am speaking to you, and — " "Come, gentlemen, no altercation before ladies, please," said Mrs. Clarke, with dig- nity. " Be seated, I beg of you, Mr. Smith. I l-tOlilMEL JONES. 101 I call upon y„«. in ,jour turn, to give us some ^deas upon. True Love.' Now, Mr. Smith, weare all attention." said Mrs. Clarke, good- humouredly. ^ Viliiers had seated himself, and feigned to be hstening with an expression of mock -stasy^ But Florimel, her heart yet palpi- tatmg from the alarm which the excited in- 'errupt.on of Smith had occasioned, listened vjith real interest. Smith looked at her. H.B soul had been moved. His was a chival- rous nature, and what he said was just what might have been expected of him. " Tliere is only one genuine sort of True l^ove, 8a:u he, reverentially, "all others are counterfeit. True Love is founded upon the principle of self-sacrifice. True Love, in a word, .8 simply, purely. self-ahiegatUm." Tins was said with singular eloquence and feehng. There was an earnestness about it tW penetrated aU hear.s. The party soon aftfrwnrds broke up. * I »■' ! 102 FLOBIMEL J0NB8. " Self-abnegatiun," murmured Florimel soft!/ to berself, before going to sleep that night. A nameless feeling crept over her, a feeling which caused her to shiver and weep. CHAPTER XI. O LOVE, FOB MK THY 1Y)WER ! "Comepermedeicno." Aa Sonnnmbiila. «mTH's words greatly exercised the mind of Flonrnel. The, caused her to think deeplv. Her .deas about Love had been very much of tl.e romanfc sort up to this time Girlish prejudges, and the tawdry sentiment paraded n novels and on the stage had given W very undefined, romantic notions Tpon the -ject But Smith had spoken as ifl hi: eally thought the problem out and solved t foreverandadayinthewo.»dB..self.abne. 104 PtORIMEL JONES. I gation." There was something, to her mind, absolutely starthng in this curt, arbitrary concluBion. She could not help thinking that if this was the key to True Love, very little of it was to be seen in the world ; and yet, someway, the idea had a fascination foi- her. There was something divine about it, something entirely free from the dross of earth, from that innate selfishness, the main- spring of most human actions. The idea grew upon her. She pondered over it, and, under its chastening influence, she felt that her soul was being more purified, her thoughts more elevated. Her esteem and admiration for Smith naturally increased in a proper- tionate ratio. Listening to his dialogues with her sister with all her ears, she was struck by the high tone of his sentiments, by his stem, uncompromising regard for princi- ple, by his lofty views of man, his origin and capabilities. The ephemeral existence of a WPre unit in ihe universe like herself seamed rWRIMUL JONES. 205 «unk into insignificance, contrasted with the sled LV. "''^ ^""P °^ ^'» -*«"-t, seemed to take under his wing and protect H.^orfelWlwasa^this^hile'si:;y talking agamst time, talking for the pleas^ ^ enjoying Flori^el's society, although he^ •^ely directly addressed her and ^nning deeper eveiy day, until at lengtf ness of love within her, and with that con- -ousness a sharp pain, as if «he had Zn tabbed and stabbed to the heart. She ^L VT^ -'''-' ^^^^^^'^ ^niith She determined to study herself Honest y and ascertain how far IJ7H whelmed T ^ ^'^ '-estigation over- «tttaoX:lrtrme''^^"°^^- -eindeed,^rs:C-:r --;^- Manonsima^e had been mirrored oiiti lOS nOtUVKL JOXES. c^^stal surface. But „owP Ah! Marion had been rigl.t. She remembered her pro- Phecy and her own secret misgivings she remembered the midnight co.4u,!;,t: s^a^boudo.r. the ^^orthern Lights, her 8«U,r 8 passionate warning and counsels, she r^memHred them a,l. But with the r;co.. -ght be too late, for did she not love? Yes. she d.d love. She knew it. she felt it n was a blessed feeling, but. oh, there was so "";' b.t^mess mixed with it. It was an «ile love, futde and foolish, never to result in happmess. Nay. wa. ic not. for aught she knewto the contrary, positively wicked V How dare she cherish a passion for her sister'I love .^ It appeared but too evident. H. nearly always talked to Marion, rarely to her- self, and when he did. his intellect seemed to stoop at the act. to descend from heights above, the clouds to the dead level of the common- nomuEL JONES. 10- atl the'* "'^'"' ^''' *'*•' ^ «'«^' '^ -al ah ays the commonplace that he talked with her, there was no sentiment in it nn %ht. of fancy l.ke there alwa^slX^^^^^^^ conversed .Uh Marion. Pshaw Ithete, J classmg herself with Marion, the cleve L cnatrng Marion, and thinking that ! ' -bl,3tupid lUtle girl could li'lr^^^^^^ L'r~!;°r'^^--^^--li^e Smith o^htl t"°^r'r°^^^•^"^*^-n / lue secret m a scarlet flush wLpi, !"• ""^ ," "« -««'IJ Ota .1,0 had „', J, I 108 K^RIMBL JONEg. "leep and awake, the face enshrined in he. «ouI a. someth.ng too high for earth, and too h^h for her. a face only to be worsh.pp.HJ .nd .dolued. What witchcraft was it tL now placed this face so near to her and yet ,o L^°:;/:'t'(-^«He clasped her hal: to her forehead) the thought wa.suubearab.e --9hen.ustgomad.yes.mad; her very heart- stnngs seemoi breaking. It was all true that Manon had said, all true, gospel truth; pas. «onb,,,eued,nherforaprey.andshew« to be cons,gned to life-long despair, for she knew now that she loved, ay. loved with all her soul, all her being, all her strength, and he love must be in vain, unrequited, hopeless, smful. No. no, not sinful-her love should not harm her sister, fo. she would hide, stifle, and let .t consume her before that. With ame. perhaps, in the distant future, so far ^ away, the intensity of her pasdon might be softened. Meanwhile she would live for them both, Marion and Smith, and thus make nOHIMEL JONES. ^qq I'er passion holy, sinless, serviceable. Ah' ""« was t.ue We. then-th.s was J k «-tiou ! Balm was poured ilT "" .. n I . l'"urea into hep wounds Uvc, for „„ n °"»- -'^l.vefo..„„,J.,%J;^^' M" W„„p.ng.„,aisuppoin..e... ..^.JC « to leel It by experience. 4nd sue .-.onderfd if - "Florimel. dear." said she one morning a^«eated befo. the looking.g.^^^ «rn.ngmg her ha.r into rich, heavy fblds. N 112 PLORIMEL JUN'KS. "do you know, love, that I have r little secret for you?" "For me, dear Marion? Wliat is itS" said Florimel, with a beating heart. She had been schooling herself for this disclosure which, sooner or later, she felt must come' But, in spite of her efforts, her heart would throb and throb and throb, until she faneie.1 that her sister heard it, so she poked the fin- desperately and coniplainod of the cold. "What! are you cold this morning, Florimel dear? Why. I feel the weather quite warm' and see how the sun is shining! I declare' my love, just look on the window, it is actually thawing ! " ^ "Yes, I know, dear Marion," said the other, her heart still going like a steam pump • "but I feel quite chilly. Go o.. with the- with the seciet, dear Marion." "Well. I think that John Sm.>!. is going to propose to me, my dear, that's all;" an.l the handsome widow, with ilUdisguined pride PtOBIMEL JONES. jjg and pleasure, tried to treat tJ, fl"'te a thine of .. ^^ ™***«'' as "'"g or course vi^ • , . 'nomcnt, but only for « ™^^ ^°'' » °f herself. Her h '"°"'"*' ^°«* ''onimand -ay her head Id "d "''''• ''^^ '"^^^^ '^'"g appropriate Vo 7""' ^° «^^ ««-- '•-quivering ;_'^,^;;'f-.„/ "'' "o doctor for poor fellow! ' ^'^^^'^^'^ ^'""^^ It was strange that Mrs CU.i ".--nt suspected wht'S^r"'''^ ^"th Plorimel-passin*. «f ^'"''^ nevertheless P'; ^, *™"^'' ^"* '^^^. astothefe: '''"'''^'^^'•^'"^--ord ^^^eint!;:::rr^n'"^"^- Florimel had f:.inted. '^^"^^^'""^^ "«ture; I' I! if ■i ;) -^ 119 I .US CHAPTER XII. BRIECTED. Lots, or the absorbing passion for some oDJect usually implied by the term, is a greai agitetor, quite as grtat, indeed, as the great Daniel O'Conneli himself was. Smith was under the thraldom of this great uptator. His mind was perturbed, vexed with doubts about himself, about Florimel, tormented by jealousy of ViUiers, haunted by the fear that his was a misplaced attachment only to result in despair, misery, and utter wretched- nesB. The sooner Smith tells his love the better. fU)RfjfEL JONES, ny After some weeks of self infl.^* j fe't that such - c. '^^^■"'^"'^ torture he to him In " "' "*' '^' °"'-^ °°« open '•o^es and prepare hlself ;r^ ^^ '^^ , • "' ■''• "'"-ous t»itcbi„, of . ,i„„l ™«le i„ hi, e„„„^„.„. B« sli.h " IN FLOEIMEL JONES. oae of Smith's tampera.nent the effort de- manded some moral courage. He was -standing in his little room, tho editonal chamber, surrounded by his books His eye rested on the most curious of all his literary works, "Everything a Mistake, or a Screw Loose Somewhere; a Metaphysical Satire, by John Smith, B.A." He stood with Ins back to the fire, and his hands in his pockets, musing en his pasl life, on his pro- bable future, on the marvellous efi 3 of love «^hich in a few short weeks had so changed and subdued him. Everything rra. a mistake' It was of no use to attempt the role of r-hilosopuer and succumb to passion in this way. Wtat was philosophy ? Was it the discovery of the highest good? Suppose that he had been wrong, and mistaken what Bulwer would have caUed a « grasping after the unattainable " for happiness, when happiness was all the time at his elbcw. in the person of the first love- able girl who w4s ready to shar. his lot in FtORIUtf. JONES. joj '"^bition all humbug and t) , "^• certain panacea for a Tssed ,- ' T'' -ul. requited love and its a L . °°'''''*' -^ded bliss, domes iMt::' '''"''' ^Po«ties.andalltherer^^^^^^^ P-Pose without deC. Zt "' T'' steering his course straight for the . "*' of Preston Jones. ^''^ '"'^ ^^^^ '•evidence The air was bracing and revived him The snow .as crisp, the skies clea the ^ shining. Jf wa« « fi ^ ' ® ®"" 'i 122 -LORIllEr, JONES. With Newfoundlanders this day is the greatcsf of all the days in the year. Business is entirely suspended; it is a general holiday. Procession after procession parades the stiwu, for the great mass of the population derive their origin from the "Green Isle;" and music, rejoicings, whisky, fights, and »peache» dlustrate the fervour with which the anni- versary of the great tutelar saint of Irelrnd is regarued. Smith's spirits were most certainly acted upon by the jovial sallies witu which he wi\a saluted as he went along. He actually caught himself humming " St. PatricL's Day in the Morning" », gaily as the gayest. Oh, hf had been such a fool all his h. . ! Philosophy and metaphysics forsooth! Give \.\n a pretty ,rirl, a genial Irishman and "St. Patrick's Day in the Morning," and he'd snap bis fingers at metaphysics and pbilo- sophy. Everything is auspicious for him— nature, rr.oniMEi, jones. 123 hi« own spirits, and-by all the gods, here comes Florimel herself, all by herself, too |inv.ngapa.>oflialecream.coiouredponies; wor d ,^, ^ ,^,^ ^^ ^^^^ t s St. Patnck's Day, reader, a privi- leged day. There is just room for two A recognition, friendly smiles, "the top of .epning to you," much laughter, and Smith an ^-nmel are side by side, drawn on.arlsbyth cream-coloured ponies, and together by one of those indescribable links of sympathy forged by Eros, with his li.ht feathery touch, but for all that strc^o/and more binding than the heaviest fetter Vulcan evermoulded. "0 Love, for me thy power!" Their eyes had met again, met as they did at the r nk two months before, and-God forgive t».em .'-their souls had gone out to each otlier to be indissolubly intertwined for ever This wa. Smith's idea of it, as, seated at the 8i.le of his goddess, the silver sleigh-bells J * :fpftP. 124 FtOHIMEi, JO.VES. werellr„„ A '^'" "™<"» »f Caldwell "^'kroog^i; ,„„,« driving, ,„^ „„„ h«n^ . °°°° *^«^ ^ti^ins of a ^th'C'r-"^--'-gp.oce3sL sTght Ts,';°r: f"^ -•"«-. ca.e into «-aeHe..Horo™e.re::ei^-^^^ cr^am^ooured steeds grew restive. 'Oh!"criedFlorimel ."we m„.f . ofthewa,. Where shall we go"' "^*"* " To Waterford Bridge." pron^pted Smith eamestJj. " to Waterford bL, t1 T .' w^l be desertedin that direct:,:::: -pardon me. Miss Jones, but I have sole h"g to say to ,ou that can be better sai." ::'»'' P'^^^*'^-- this crowded thoroug f-LOHIMtX JONES. jgS tlic aom»lhi„g „„„H 1^ ^^ ■"""I"-" »We ".anno. . n,a„el,„„,X. ° W «.-«f.i.at„„„,,i„,,„„^,' ,; modesty or reservo. -^ "% God!" groaned he. with a sudden apprehension of woe. -I ana undone'" ''' -- •«^'" -l-t. her feature., working i. Hill i '•'vmrs-^ ^' If i; i ■r 126 PLOBIMEL JONBS. painfully. Oh ! hers was such a liard case ! To have discovered tliat slic loved Fmitli. a man with his faith almost plighted to her sister, was bad enough; but now tn know that it was herself that he loved to the destruction perhaps of that adored sister's happmess, was a thousand times worse. What was she to do ? How answer him ? The poor girl kept silence, enduring all this agony. Smith buried his face in his hands. He wished— may gracious Heaven pardon him for it !— he wished that a thunderbolt would come out of the clouds and s.i-ikc him dead. All this time the sleigh was going on, tbu cream-coloured ponies trotting swiftly, the bells jingling merrily, and the lively airs discoursed by the band in the distanci- striking on his ears with every puff of wind that reached him. It was getting uneii- durable. " Fbrimcl," whispered he hoarsely at laM, FLOlUMEr. JONES. 127 iearest Flonmel. my own darling Florimel, orlknow, I/,.,, thatyou love me, why ""•^a.,tat.on? this strange agitation? Look o" ...o, say that my passion is not hopeless. G.ve some token, if .ot in words, then by ^^^pros.sureofthehand,byalook.bysome He attemnt..d to encircle her in his arms. She drewback quickly, with s.ch an expression of angmsh on her face, that he felt as if bo was committing sacrilege. "Go-go-Mr. Smith, we can-can never be anything o each other-go-and-and lorget me. "But myjearest,t.ll n.e why." said he pleadmgly. " There is some great mistake somewhere, some misunderstanding. I do not cannot think that my love is all in vain IveHect, dearest — " "No. no-go at once, sir," said the girl farndy, gathering her strength for a resolute effort, "go at once-I am sorry to seem-to I 128 FLOBIUEL JONES. seem rudr. but I must ask you to leave my sleigh, sir-or-or to suffer me to leave it, sir." She drew up the reins with a still figure and passionless face, still and passionless as if turned into marble. All the courage that Smith had possessed oozed from him. He threw one long look upon her, gave a piteous wail of misery, heartfelt, hopeless misery, and left her. Anoher minute and the sleigh went from him like a whirlwind. Florimel was standing Dolt upright, and flogging the pomjs like n maniac. "She is mad, surely mad!" sighed he, helpless and dejected. A sort of stupor seized upon him. He could not yet realize the blow to its full ex- tent. He walked homewards, sta. .ng blankly about him. mat had just occurred seemed at one time to have been blotU'd from his memory, for, as the strains of music fell upon nOBIUEL JONES. jg^ ^^' ear, he found himself «.) • ''^^•Patrick'sDayin,:^!^;^^^^ I'e vacantly, "ah ves ' fi . ^" ^"^''^'^ goingoutcfmysC; ' "''"*'^'^^-" -res? Letmego" ''"'"^"^^"•^-l ;■' I 1 !| ! i ; I ■ I CHAPTER XIII. 8ELF-ADNB0ATI0N. A SICK room; the bliuda drawn down; a girl on the bed tossing her arms wildly, and incoherently talking; Mrs. Clarke in great terror and distress attending her; a doctor. Poor Florimell there she lay, her hair disordered, her swan-like throat bare, her face white as marble, her eyes closed — in delirium. The physician was a tall man, with an intellectual-looking countenance and bland manners. His patient was to him no more than any other patient, saving that she was exquisitely beautiful, and just now excited in FLOHIMEL JONES, 131 Iiis mind some curious speculations as to the cause of her disorder. "I strongly suspect." muttered he, "that it is an attack of Erotamania-juat the a-e and temperament for it-other indications not wanting-yes, that is it-what may be techn-cally called Erotomania— must be." "What did you say, doctor?" inquired Mrs. Clarke, anxiously. "Nothing, madam-talking to myself a httle-making a diagnosis-yes, that must be It," added he, under his breath, "never met with such a distressing case before, though— quite critical-must be kept entirel- undisturbed and system quieted down. Au I have it." He sat down and wrote a prescription. "I need harclly say that your sister's condition is extremely critical just now, Mrs. Clarke. Everything depends upon careful attention and strict quietness. She must see no one— only you and the nurse." K 2 ■■ \ ; 1 > ! H I . ! I 183 FWEIMEL JONES. .^^^;Ohl tell n,o.doctor.i8 she dangerously "No not dangerously. I hope.- answered .e.^.th a grave face; "but things wear. ^P'^' "^ ^^^"^^^^ ^Vbat do you Hisvoiee trembled and his hands shook; tbe^^ Co.pa.t.ve Estimates" were for- "Well. Mr. Jones. I can't say anyfMng dec.s.ve yet. We must trust i„ God. Je great Physician for us all What «f * sbeinwhenshecamehomep. '^''^'"""^ "Oh I very wild, almost insane. I thought. Mrs^Clare says that she caught cold dri'ng :htr;;.»"^^''^"^-«*^-^-- •'Nothing of the kind, my dear sir, I n-ORIMEL JONES. 133 It-.,llboga,l,c™Of„„.,|,,|„.,^„ fcalrusglo tow.™ ,„,, „„d j„ "^ ?"«' ,' " ™* °f ''""Mit/ 8l,c had „„ ^, 134 FIX)BI1IEL JONES. and their 8v».-ugat:on wl.cn inordinately exercised or u...iappily directed it was part of her duty to cultivate. The temptation to give way to the fervour of her passion assailed her in vain. Her agitation and present ill- ness originated in the intensity with .vhich that passion consumed her. But not on that account did a single thought unworthy of a virtuous mind move her. She h.ad not in the 8 .ghtest degree encouraged any advances from Smith. She did not, after the model of sensational heroines, cast herself into his arms, acknowledge her love, and then re mantically bid him leave her for ever. Such a course would have been unworthy her educated sense of propriety and rectitude, of herself indeed. Therefore she did not dally with temptation; she acted at once and decisively, but not without an evidence of the fierce throes of pain that this lofty and chivalrous conduct caused he? She could not control her features; it was hardly to be FLOBIUEL JONES. 135 expected that one so unpractised in the art of disguising deep emotion could. It may now bo argued that if her immaculate honour was of so elevated a type, why could she not have borne herself bravely to the end, and not succumbed to the overwhelming force of her emotions in the manner described? Ah ! dear reader, that is just it. Why couldn't she indeed ? Because, in a word, her passion was too much for her. It must be remembered that was her first love, as a rule the most fervid if not the most lasting of all loves ; and she was, as her physician had seen at a glance, of an erotic temperament. What an opening for a novelist to paUiate a leglect of duty, to go farther indeed, and exalt passion into something superior to it; something that -voulJ Lhrow duty, virtue, and the like into the shade by the side of its grand abandon- ment of everything high in morals or self- respect, for love of the idolized being for ' M ■ i I \ 136 FLORIMEi, JONES, Assiduously did Mrs pi i invalid Ti \, ^'■''° """0 tto •nval d. The doctor's injunctions were reli giouslv observed vu^ i '^tre rpii- but surely. vjlh^lT """^^«'-'>' by her iL J . ^''^''^ P'-°«*'-^'«l 7 T ""''• '•>« ^«« at length able to eaveherroo.,„d.ewith,Jr„t::„: «'8ter How these watched her and waited upon her. anticipating every want t^ father by her delimfn of* .• Preston T. attentions as formerly, i-reston Jones grew himself v. ain n,„l / -ed his ..Comparative E..im:::r; - Clarice whose mind had been most painfun! ereised about Smith (who, to her surpri' had never once called durf,igI,orimersnro,: FLORfMEL JONES. J 37 •^ again, why have betrayed sn ^ u '•sritation? Ti "'^ ° ™uch for she had acted badlv ihu ♦! ^' ^-yi".. He had d „?;ot '^^^^ -c.. positive rudeness from :'heX^^^ ^n secret loved her so much I , \ blood boil Hi« -^ '""'^^ his '• "'' P"'^^ ^'ame to his rescue. 138 PtOniHEL JONES. The scales fell from his evP<, «!i Sallv TT,/ I . ^'"Jerota Rooms and Respects, a wise one. that is. wise for him But was .wise for Sail, p Alas , no. f" Wtesequel proved that it was singular! that she saw h,m every day. to maintain the Ff^RIMEt JONES. igg «"~:^e^r"°^^"---- --« with ,0 r ; '"' '^''^ '°-^ ^- Wo.fome ' '°'- ^^"■»^^''°' "0 victim wL' P^'^^^-'*' «- -as a fresh Heav" oJLT'? ''^'^^-^dfor it? --ofLrn-ri'""'^^- '°^^^- with your eves r. , ' ^°" ^^P^ about knowfwh? "'^^^''^"^-'^^^'■eLord Smith consoled himself wiftif] a" J bright sm.,es of Sa 1 '^'' ^"»^ P"«le HowasadospaTrilotVTnr'^^""^'''- f-m any quarter. ZolZ T' '''''' ""■itingly open an.? , °^ ' ^«°"i« stood b .y °P<^" and ho entered. Sallv r„„u was pretty and entertaining r ^ J-'sclf wkh her itw ^; '" -"' '""^'^^ ^"chapieceo'w r""''°^°°^^'"^* #F^ 140 FLORIIIEL JONES. sought a lethean respite from them in the -et, of Sail, and the wine-cup. H aughed and jested like a man lost'to the sombre gravities, the sad realities of life But the laugh was hollow, the jest bitter.' ^lonmels repulse rankled in his soul, and gnawed into his happiness like an undyin. worn ; so. to obtain a respite, however brief he had d.pped a little into dissipation Meanwhile Mrs. Clarke was growing more and more restless concerning that "dear dehghtful fellow Smith." How was it tilt she now never saw him PVilliers, who auring Flonmels.llness often eallod to learn how she was^ could not satisfy Mrs. Clarke about h.m. He asserted, with ,„«//.. ,,,„^„,,,_ ,^^^ John Sm.t had given her the slip, and did not care a button for her. Why h„d «he not stuc to h„(Villiers). and kept her compact? Sm.h « defection served her right. This was all the satisfaction Mrs. Clarke derived from that quarter. During the earlier months of 141 FLORIMEL JONES. ^rhnel, ,,dy she had hardly .i,;;; muh a all. so absorbed had she been in nurs-ng her. But now that her sist^Tw convalescent, and did not need so ^ ,7 ,' he. care, her thoughts were more atTbrt and she occupied them with Smith, pel' "^-=- npon his absence and its cause and harassmtr heraoif -i i . , ^""se. and l,in,. '^ '""'^ *^^''y ^'th doubts about She did not say anything to Florimel about her m.sg.vmgs. The doctor had ordered hi P t.ent to be kept perfectly quiet. M Clarke nghtly concluded that I wou'd be k pt her perple..t.es and uneasiness to her- elf. B t .t was hard not to have some one confide m! Oh ! that the some one coujj have been Smith himself .-Thus Mrs. Car fferedm secret, nursing her miseries uni !; ^7 '--t-sick and pale with hope deferred And Florimel. with her own grand -cret of self-abnegation, watched her as"^;, 142 IXOBIMEL JONES. decided that Mrs. da c. was e„duri„; J he pangs of defeatec' .opes in silence, and tb John S.ith was for ever lost to he» CHAPTER XIV. THE BOOMS AGAIN. ■»ortey,™;uhi„^l."r,:r" ,'"■"■ -for, wL„ i, ,„. n.„,f„ J, ■^'' ■»". r *";;.''"">""'•'"■'"»«. "vocook-M I I I I 144 iXOHIMEL JONES. " pretty girl. Me perceive you no love M^stare Smith, eh ? You von philosopher' no eare for do sex. Mon Dl.n ! Diderot' adore do voman. She n.ado for de man. made to tend him. to delight hi,n. to love bim. It pleasure me to kiss pretty girl and make love. Ha ! Mistare Smit. you no heart, no love. Hear vat Beranger say in de bootiful tongue of ma Idle France! But nevare mind. I vill not say it. You too cold, too English, too systematique-no fir. — no noting. Bah ! " " I don't know about that." rejoined Smith, aughingat the look of comical disgust ex- hibited by his garrulous companion, "still water runs deep. I have love.l not wiselv but too well. I fear, mon cher ami" "Vat! de philosopher make love? c'cd impossible!" and the Frenchman threw up his hands. "It is quite true. I assure you." said Smith, with a bitter smile. ri-OniMEL JONES. j^g "Veil! datisallrite-v..ff happy ? '• "t«-vat for you no look -th a contemptuol hlnl T^f ^^^•^'"' DiJerot broke 11 . ^' '^°"''^*^'-«- Hal ha! iIistareSmit.me perceive von dim fonl „, ""i^rceive— you ten— twenfv \ j , °'^'''me l^ave loved Thus (l,e Preochman rattirf I' M 146 J'WWMEt JONES. ton, Afu,. .11, „igt, „_^^ ^__^ . {• ""Z"' «'<"•'<' 'ko »« to such . BiJd, .»hfoUj,? No. Yet ho, .J irth ,, ^ to^ .tto,„„e„^. .„.,,„ ™j'^^;. - «" .n the „„«„], „( ,„i „^^ B».use,.,.,S„i.h..ho«™ „.,,:; ^trjToXr '"■'T'" ""»'■"« "'' <^ope with, soraethinff that was -penor to intellect, and soared above Ur !''■ '"^^"^^« *1>° c>o"d«. something that' n>ere n,,nd could not fathon.. that J.ht be apprehended indeed bvthe «nhr baulked fh« , ^^^''^'"^•"nersenses.but baulked the rude grasp of the understand- >ng- il'nd and matter, forsooth! Pshaw! rtOBlMEL JONES. 147 D.derot was a fool, an idiot! There was --etlnng more immaterial in nature than Ddc,ot .magmed. and it was because woman possessed so much of this nameless some- ''"«?. th.s sparkle of divinity, that the edged her power. Could he for one n,oment desptete native strength of his minZ' body, cal hiniself the superior of Florimel ? ^^- ""'J"-' tnew he could not. A sort of -ctity hedged Ler m and raised her fa' above him. But it has to be acknowledged that Flonmels rejection was a deep wound to us vanity His pride was hurt. It was on< ftl^ose blows very hard for a haughty spirit ^ke his to bear. He made love to Sally Cook, especially after Diderot's counsels, most heinously. He paid visits to the Rooms daily, and at an hour when few cus- tomers were there to interrupt his amorous inclmations. Gilner was absent. Diderot h 2 f^ 148 rWWMZl JONKS. smoked h.s cgar indiff-erentl,. or if he ^trayed any .nterest i„ what was g„i„g on. ' ^<^. by a nod of approval. Under these favounng circumstances Smith won Sally's heart with very little trouble indeed. Not that he for a moment realized the sad havoc of her future happiness that such a conquest mean. She was only a pretty g.rl to lim. and rather a jolly one. She liked him too and was at no pains to conceal it. This was fla tenng, for she snubbed most of the young feUows most persistently. But Smith found hat he was a privileged being. His arm stole around her waist unrebuffed; he could , ^f ''^ P°"«"& lips as often as he pleased. Wine is a great stimulator of amorous blood. Smith, who. for reasons already kno^vn. spared not the vintages of D-derot. said under such influences a great many soft, meaningless things that he ou^ht not to have saia and made love altogether too funously for a dignified personage sup- PLOBIMEL JONES. 140 uoworiu. Pretty girl too much for M.»tare Smit annodder cock-tail " not^'L?" '''"''^'' '" '''' *''"«• Smith did no bestow a thought. She supposed that bm.h was dymg for love of her. but that some mahc.ous slanderer had sown mischief between them, or that she herself had. in some mnocent manner, offended him. She attnbuted his absence to everything but its rea cause, which was his iove for norime nd utter .ndifference to herself. And Th retted and s.ghed in secret because Smith d.d not come to her. Smith, for whose «l.ghtest comfort she felt ready to lay down -l.e Oh! it was cruel 1 Heaven was ".k,nd to have forgotten her. Husband and cluld were dead. She had lived so long with nothmg to love, and now that her affections 150 "flWllBL JONBS. h^l all gone out from her and fixed them •n^o. s^^p,,. ; '!, -^ '•^•1 »ot even -".Wit. ..J^t^^-^ He.„3. .'"Merest whatsoever- so thn , ''""'^ °^ -^--anotnear,;" :^^'^--'^"P'>raid- ''avebeen. She ha.] . '"' " ""^'''t to ^■«-,tas this J.:. "L'r •"•--•= ;-- -dinars circumstance T J"" r'" ^^'^o-thatsohandsomoa', "'/^°"''^' ''"^ ffono out to Smith . , '""' *"-%; an. sh. ,1 t 'r "'^'' '■^^- ,tr-^. Hocouiarir,"'?'"^ '.'^^'^'- «'- felt that she rr"'^ '"^only. Oh! the n,a,J •? i^'^P'^rty, ' ""ad 'ntoxication of his FWniMEL JOXES. J 53 ''«'• ear ! When h ! f '^^'^'"'""^ Pa««ion i„ »» uen ins iipg ♦„, 1 , , '^'■Itinc. kiss of I ^'"■^ '" tlio fask-rnaster HJ, , ^' ^'''''' '" * hard •""Wcon, ;,°''"'"■^';"■«'-' WooA.j'l.c:,, '•'"•■ ^'"'•■' JO" cold. > '"-'"'less rharisG.'q Inf n t'>«>'> in..„u„i,v fron. Z • ' '"^"^ nessp, n ■^° I't-n.ous weak- ioUSi^ - -Vt-ti ■ 1- 154 fl-OBIMEL JONES. ^^Sree excusable. Id , "'"" '" --« ^^en upon the do «»>« fad pledged her trorjGr"™^^' ^^'>%. his passion had i 1 1''''"" «°^^- halfpersuadedhersei ;r?'°'^''^^«J'« *-keephervo/s '7;^^'-'^%-eant «-ousness aMhe "' : ''^^^ ^ ^^^-^— - being definitei; d^^!':' ''' ^"'"^ -s P«»dence altogether ' "' /"'^''^^J ^^ inde- ;-'-p-peotsi:ha^' rr°^^'- ^- '-'^'J as clesin.b!e eve"! """'^^' motives. And sJ.a u T " pecuiuary P^wUhXlndl"""'^'^-^^^^^^' -i%.as,on;a;l?rf'""«*^« ff sJie coulu, by her own FLOEIilEL JOXES. 155 mdustry, support herself. Then from some, to her, perfectly miraculous cause, Smith.' the very man whom she had been secretly adonng. actually makes love to her and looks into her eyes and kisses her lips, and takes her hand with a touch that thrills her. Sally Cook's sense of obligation to Gilner was not proof against this trial of it. She Jilted him. jilted him unmistakeably. jilted h.m without a throe of pity. She was absorbed in Sn.ith. Gilner was in the way He was bothering her. She was getting to Late the sight of him, with his look of mute suffering and whining entreaties for her to have some compassion, some mercy for him Mercy indeed! Why couldn't he let her alone, and show some mercy for her. and go away, and leave her altogether to Smith upon whom she doted? But the poor fool still hung about her. clogging her free move- ments and persecuting her with his loathsome addresses. AVhy hadn't he more pride, more 156 FWfilMBL JONES. spirit, more pluck? «j. despise him; hi3'f' "^^ ^'^"'"ff to ^--ating L C bo " """^^^ -« ^-owndorbl ''?""' '^''^^-.-''er to molestation .' „ ? ° '"^''^^ '-" ^''o- devotion .:3rlt;^--';-traora.nar, ter towards hirrsp.rrT"'''"^^''^'' -o^ sf- looked pon't '"'' ^"^ officiousness. as sW ""P-donablo -d in her ea /ootid 7"'T"'^"^'^ '^-- Nevertheless htrrrr^'-^^'^ knowled..ed tha^ H , Judgment ac- guard, a sort of n. "^ "^'ccssaiy safe- omitted. ^' ""^'^^ to have FWBrMEt JONES. 157 It is a Sunday afternoon in the early part of April, very bright and inviting. The earth is still covered with a white mantle of snow; the air, pure and bsrene, seems to havea breathing stillness singularly in accord with the idea of Sabbath repose, of resting from week-day labour, of, in solemn quiet- ness, enjoying sweet, subtle intercourse with nature in the thousand-and-ono nameless forms in which she woos the harassed sonl to commune with her and be satisfied. But such salutary refiections are thrown away upon the excited inhabitants of Coldwell at this precise moment. The whole town is alive. Don't say a word about subtle com- raunion with Nature. The town has other fish to fry. The past month has been for Coldwell a month pregnant with results. It is the seal-hunting season. The steam seal- ing fleet left on its perilous voyage in the early part of March, and on this Sunday after- noon one of the steamers is in sight from ■w^ i^a ■MM* 158 nORIMEL JONES. the look-out at fi,« be realized. In nn «fi '^ ^''®''« .';p~™o„ ,«„.,, CIV""'* '• ''«ed b, the gl,„ 1T,I, '^"" '"' ™»t m»s, of .Vv. r. -°"'«"'''»6 ■•"111 tie a miracle in the art of 7 u , '*'"°'''' constructed e.^; ,! J o ' " ''"^ " "''''' -^Pressij to overcome tbe almost FLOBIMEL JONES. 159 -upera le d.ffieulties of ice navigation. Propelled by powerful engines, andiron- sheathed fronz stem to stem, she forces her way along with convulsive bounds, like a It .ri'r' "'' "'" ''''' -"^^'t"*^- upon the hdl watch her motions with breath- less anterest. The success of the expedition means bread-and-butter for numbers of the poorer folk, and fortunes, perhaps, for those of the richer who have invested their capital m it. t"««M But the commercial interests of Coldwell are without our province; we have for the moment to confine our interest to Gilner and sally. They encountered each other in the midst of the scene described. Had it been possible, she would have evaded him. but it was too late. He saw her. and fastened on to herhkea barnacle. There was a look of ernble resolve about him that she could not ad of observing. His features, even in his happier moods, oflen wore an expression of .■: I 160 FLOEIMEL JONES. 2™: '""""''"P''^'^''"^•^"*"- th>8 unpleasant caste to them seemed au.. -ntedrnto absolute ferocity. Ui. f^, ^, pa e ; h. teeth clenched. He took her b, the hand and withdrew her to a sequestered w^;t 1^""°^ -^^-- ^^ - "ot be .nterrupted. You need not be fright- ened. Sal, I ..hall not hurt you." The girl was regarding him with a look of e^or. Gdnerdidnotinhereyesseemto be himself. His actions were too wild, and h>8 eyes unusually fierce. She dreaded for a 8.ngle mstant that he might be losing his senses; and shuddered as she percLed how easily he could, if he desired it hurl her to destruction, as Tarquin was' hurled from the Tarpc-ian Rock. She looked upon the cruel ice-fields such a long way beneath her, and clutched his arm despe ratcly. ^ FLOHIMEL JONES. 261 ,fc',^'"" '■'""'■» P'"». Tom. I don't ,„;"'" ;° '''"•.«•'•■■ "i'lkerlov.r. bit. " Sal," resumed he " T o™ . , vou fnr fi I ^ ^"'"^ *o bore you for the last time. Bear with me if I wearyyou. I don't know that I am doing you or myself any good m thus seeking y! -for the last time, but it is a me Jchlly -t.sfac. on for me to feel that since we have to part the parting may yet be made in peace." H.8 tones were tender and sad. but pene- tratedwxth a certain music of their own that -k mto the soul like gentle, touchil^W- mon.es played upon an ^olian harp Th« heart of Sally was momentarily affeLd by ,11 162 KLOBUIEt JONES. Tom. why do you keep on loving me «o? I Jon't deserve it-indeed I .lon't. I have deceived 3 ou, Tom. God help me • I begin to 8ee the evil I have done you. Can you torgiveme? Tom. forgive me. and forget me and H me go. I do not love you. Tom. and cannot help it. I thought once that I could have brought myself to like you well enough to marry you. but now it i.s too late. I love another. Ho has my soul in his keeping. Tom. It .8 acase of life and death. I could not live without him. Tom. Already, Tom. I 'ear that the seeds of a fell disease are rooted m my system. The doctor warns me to be careful. He says that I have overworked myself, and have been too careless of my health. Tom. listen. Bend down yo, head, and let me whi^p.. it. Ho thinks hat I am .n consumption, Tom, ,.«,«,„.. 'o«-- only think of that! "and the poor gh-1 trembled. "Nonsense!" said Gilner, turning upon FLORIMEL JONES. 163 * dill not rea«,„re him. There u™ i, ;««PO«u^.h„eheek.,„h,'roL„t "ght a fatal significance. " Tom, you are good and generous " «},„ wert on " I L-„^ B^uerous, she on I know you are. and will forgive '"e. I have tned to love you, Tom- oh -hard! but it was not to be Wei .' -tended for each other. I am It fi T you, Tom, I feel that I am not iT --,anast.y.fitfornor,moThe:i:r -her ess. only fit to die. I have no brotC /rr;r;v"^^^--^^- ^^what!: my own." % heart ,s no longer sal^'T;!'""^^^*"*^"-.'' -id Gilner Sar'.nd, .'''•'"' ^"°'-^«^ -"'ion, ^ai. and his voice sanL- t^ , ■ ^e sank to a whisper, " I M 2 ■ilM>M ■Ji^ 164 PLOP J''NK8. "re different. H» m.. ■'"-''»"« m M« '■Ooo»,Tom. Iu„ervedtW.|„„ t". promiMd mc tl,., i, i, , ' , •, ''"* J-"" "•"^'■.H. I. ma,T ;„;':' r™'- kind„f„ \ °« "P ""■» "ind by , •l^J-a fren, tbe horizon T"^''' ".OBIMEL JONKS. jg^ ■' W , be. b„„ „,„„^i,g ,„^ ^|_^ J^d.wbi.eo„p„ion. attention to tb. "Do jou ,ee ih.t, s.] , , ,„ .^.*..bip.fi,bti.gn,.in,tlt* it;::.r.'"°"^«°°^-''^«-''«»^-God wabrarinr^r^r-"'"^.''"'- -...b,e.ie,e,j.Xr,:::,:t:; •-.vered fro.n „er „.e„i,i„,„, ^ J^^ ■StlyvanWovertberoekaboveberhr »nd was out of sight. b.d^'';;r^'r''°"°""""-"">-i'™ke !■ T, tf mmmHiMim 166 PLORIMEL JONIS. "HaUo! taking an «in„g? Let me help you down the hill." The voice made her tremble with joy 1} w^ Smith's. He soon joined her. and Gilner was forgotten. Forgotten ? Yes, entirely forgotten-for- gotten as if she had never known him-for- gotten, as if he had never existed. But, not so very far from her, Gilner hur- ned away, forgetful of nothing. He did not -could not forget. The past was bur-.t into his soul. Memory was ever present with him He could not banish it and forget. Such lethean happiness was impossible. He reached his lonely lodgings, and for hours stared m pitiable wretchedness at the fire, his mind reproducing his recent interview with Sally with pitiless fidelity. It made him moody, sullen, despairing. A cat that h. was accustomed to fondle jumped on hi.s lap. He petted her unconsciously. In doing so he must have rubbed against the grain, for she ir.OEIMEl. JONES. 167 l^ucldenly turned upon him and drew (he blood from his hand. " Get away, you treacherous beast ! " cried lie. "you are like a woman, f .frol. ,ou, ar^ ijoii x^ratr/i me." } CHAPTER XVI. "an angel of light." Salli Cook spoke truly, when she said that her love was a case of life and death. Her passion for Smith, although not decider than Florimel's, was of a fiercer and more un- governable sort. She had muci greater energy of character than Florirnel. with much less moral culture and self-restraint. AU this energy of character was employed, not in reducing her passion witliin manage- able bounds, but in increasing its iiitensity ; and her moral tone was of a standard so far below Florimel's, that the glaring sin of her behaviour U, Gilner hardly raised in FLOBIMEL JONES. 169 ber breast, as has been seen, any compunc There was a wide gulf in point of virtuous e-xceUence between the two girls, and a huge gap yawned betwixt their respective degrees of cultivated sensibihty. Nevertheless, pas- sion made them akin to .ach other; they both loved. Creatures ci impulse, and of the age when impulses but too often deter- mine the whole career, they are hardly to be held responsible for the almost supernatural power which these impulses acquired over tl.om. But it behoved them to guard against evils likely to accrue from allowing such im- pulses to gain the ascendency. It was in this necessary caution that Horimel so greatly ex- ceeded Sally. The former, ouly too well aware of the strength of hemassion for Smith made It her study, since she could not change its object, at all events o suppress its out- ward manifestation, and suffer all the at- tendant anguish in s ' .,ce, Sally, equally iM 170 FtORIMEL JONES. cognisant of the migl.V,. force of f. • , which held her in fhnJii ^^ ™P^«^ effort to confine the secret t^ 1. ^ °or to curtail its poTern ""'""'• conscious at times Jr ''°°'' ^""^ *'^ fervour of J " "'* ^""'^"d bv the s-x:e:ir::n:;.*^^'*'''-^o. "eing anything more to f,«.- ♦! a mere eallanf o- „ ^ . ^'^ ^''^^ « gajiant, or an admirer of verv do„l,f <• . despair. He n.,- u **"*^'^^ «' _,./ "® »n«^«< marry her ,^ u Gilnor's wut^y-hL, ^ "er.—perhaps ^' -^muter hints were but th^ o tionsofjeaJoasj. the sugges- ■ Let us now leave Sally and I«^u c lately rnpardonably neglectful p, Vniiers still enacJtherSoT^'/r' '^^;t." But such an unusual Lerl:^; d'd not su.t him at all; and what made the more disgusting was the fact that ft di not seem to further ,usp,„3with::gr^^^^^^^^ FLOEIMEL JONES. J72 f'lorimel one iofn «i 'lithium stran ,''"'' ^"^^*"^ted easeandJrafr;""- ^' ^'^ ^-ful thrown away L M ''"'""'"*' '"'"^'^ at the indlff T ^"^ ^'""-^^ ^^^^ered va n but handsome peacock, transformed for -ever entm-d li, b»J. * " '" "'"P"" mvariably showed so m, i ^''^" distress and J, '^""P^'^^y ^o"- his oftternal f T '° '^^"'^"'^ ^^« «tate or paternal feehngs so thoroughly that thp I I v.thwt.eh he propounded his scheme. But deare.st papa. Mr. Villiers has been -^..ssolutei He would never suit a girl of - Punty as Florimel. IfeelsuretTati vould never do. It would only result in n .appmess for her. Besides, papa. I doz^t think that Mr VilhVra T, lur. V iJliers has any mtentions with regard to Florimel U^ ■ thtf • ., °""^'' He IS amusing himself. 'hat IS all. I know him too well ■• " No. you don't know him at all. my dear " •"nk . he .s m earnest, my dear. and. between you and me. behaving very well. He has been a "ttlegBy, my dear. I admit, but he has sown "s mid oats. and. in my opinion, will be all 'he better man for having sown them so ^•aj-ly. In a word, my dear, all things con- -Jered I th.nk that Villiers will be a capital match for Florimel. In confidence. Mario,, I m«.y as well tell you that, if he marr.es her II i| v'4 I.; I . ' i-'' f •• 176 FLORIMBL JONES. Auld Sandy and I will take him into partner- ship." '^ Mrs. Clarke shook her head. " I am con- vinced that you misinterpret the attentions of Mr. Villiers. Let Florimel take her chance of getting a husband better suited for her dearest papa." ' J' Ah! that is all very well," replied he; but a bird in hand. Marion, is worth two in the bush. By the way. what has become of hmith? A capital match for Florimel he'd make! But there, lie is a bird in the bush. There is no use talking about him. although I fancied at one time he was after you, Marion eh ? Ha ! ha I I thought so." Mrs. Clarke was blushing. "Look here! "cried old Jones in enthu- siasm, putting his hand on his daughter's shoulder, "you make sure of Smith, and leave ViHiers to Florimel." Very shortly afterwards, as if to promote the old gentleman's plans. Villiers called, and TtOHJUEL JO.VES. 277 was received by him with overflowing cor ^.a^.ty^Pre3t J.„,3contrivedtowithd: Z ^'•■"^'^" ^-"^ the room, and, Florimel ;;^n. present, thus left the suppos'edCs sac^htbf"/""""'"^ "^' ^^^^"^'J after ^itttdr^r'''^^"^''""'^''^*'-^-' ofl ' ''^'"'^^ '° ^0-Prehending the drift "Egadf" observed the «,« t . under his breath "theollflr "^'^' .^ L , '" °'ek wants me to make up to his daughter, and curse me f dontdoit. There will be money here too nd my e,che,uer's exhausted. "MfssW.* rhril'^^'-r^-'-^^-'-'-arelef tt'o wWlhopewillproveadelightfuUe7.-a-.,,, I rust that your seat by the window is no omuche..posed. Will you let me dispose o^-morecomfortablyuponthissofaoyThe Florimel looked at him and shook her head 'iecidedly. She was very well .hero she was! » i I < i '1 ^^^'^> ''-^\\^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // :/^ Ua i/. 1.0 l^|2B |25 I.I mil 1 o 1.25 1.4 i^ ^ vg ^ A "^^Z v^ (9/1 '^ [C Sciences Corporation 23 WE^T MAIN STREET WESSTER.N.Y. 14580 (716) •72-4S03 S: -'^-* them- onlthis "'^'^'- ^''^ ^--i father onL "'"' ^^'' "-^ this delicious ^PPortunUy to declare them, unreque^ How patent to the world, then, must be X t^of my heart I But what do I say P 3^ ITt M 7 ''"'' "^ •^°^^'' '^ - ^-- rZ'j •^°''««~Florimel-I love you • need I say more? I love you " The girl looked at him for a moment per fectlya,,,,^. Could this man be. nearne^t^ Could any man be in earnest and tal,.uTon" toherm.„d.such a sacred subject asTov^' m the glib tones and wiff th. ■ ' air that Villiers did S """"P^^^^-^ ♦1 u /""^'^^ ''"^'^ She invountarilv ^.ought of Smith's declaration and the bu^^ "^ '-'g^^o-e m which that had been con- r li'i N 2 ^iT- itifflffniaifirr-it ir^^iT^ -r ■ •| I ti 180 FLORIMEt JONES. veyed. and his excited, earnest gestures Th. wi™, Ploa*.." — -elasa of Vir V I^o Jou feel better ?'• aeuce of a rum girl, anyhow. Nervous ''eaupposed.-hewastoonauchforhe T? -tas, of the thing was too much n -J tone hxmself down. and so forth or th.r could tell what might happen R T Poetr.andtaketopJle'^""^""^^'^™? " To recur to my subject, Miss Inn. » resu.,edhe.inpracticaltone »L * ^or-^.ouofthe.ateofm;;;J:;:f;: nOBIMIL JONES. IPI "''' '^°'"^ *° the point at once and ask vo acceptance of it; you tak« wK .t ^^ course? Ihavo LTu ** ^ ™«^°' «<" that you will have prett^l^ I ^ """""'' '° «"d will be , ble to r ^'"^ ''"" "^^^ ' oie to do as you lifefl w, , not many fe„ows would ca 'e to ^ th ' °f thing, but I don't behevi n . """^ up too tightly T „„ r ^'°^ •* '^^e ■n these fff^s w' h'^re r °"' '^"'^°'" «»r^ '^^^^'^^ to Other neoe« «ar7 arrangements. I think that-- Stop. Mr. Villiers." interposed Florimel. Jha am I to understand by all this" ; 't m pla,n words that you wanf m / you ?" -"^ °t me to many "Egad! you've hit it. That's th„ He struggled to embrace her. E : i tts iXORIMEL JONES. " Mr. Villiei-8 ! " cried the giil, springing to iier feet, " this insult is unpardonable. Your language was impertinent enough, but your conduct, sir, is a deliberate insult." VUliers drew back in astonishment. She levelled at him a glance of living scorn that stung him into fury. There was a striking resemblance between Florimel and Mrs. Clarke row, which indignation had thrown inio her lineaments. Villiers could almost fancy that it was indeed Mrs. Clarke who was before him. "Enough, Miss Jones," said he, gnawing his lips in impotent passion. " I shall not forget this. You women don't know when a real compliment is paid you. No doubt you have been schooled by your sister into this folly. You can say to her that I'll remember her too. Ah 1 you needn't ring— I can find my way out." " ^ " her," growled the defeated ad- venturer, when safely outside the house and FLOHIMEL JONES. out of hearing; "I'U crush her before I've done. I'll crush them both. It is that in- fernal Mrs. Clarke, that she-devil, that has put her up to this; but I'll be even with ber yet. Hang it ! I xnust be even with her. Ihis angel-of-Iight business is not played out yet. Hullo! what have you got there?" '^ He was not far from his own door by this time, and thus accosted a postman who was about to knock there. The man gave him a letter and departed. It bore a foreign post- mark. Vdhers sprang the envelope hastily. " By ,•' hissed he savagely; « I'm undone now and no mistake ; it's from Edith. She's unearthed me at last." The letter was from his wife, aud dated at Plamfield, New Jersey. It was a letter ser- vile and upbraiding by turns. She reproached him with his heartless desertion of her and entreated him to think of their child, soon •she said, to be left an orphan, for her strength m 182 I'LOBIMEL JONES. " Mr. Villiei-8 ! " cried the giil, springing to ner feet, '< this insult is unpardonable. Your language was impertinent enough, but your conduct, sir, is a deliberate insult." VUliers drew back in astonishment. She levelled at him a glance of living scorn that stung him into fury. There was a striking resemblance between Florimel and Mrs. Clarke row, which indignation had thrown inio her lineaments. ViUiers could almost fancy that it was indeed Mrs. Clarke who was before him. "Enough, Miss Jones," said he, gnawing his lips in impotent passion. '• I shall not forget this. You women don't know when a real compliment is paid you. No doubt you have been schooled by your sister into this folly. You can say to her that I'll remember her too. Ah I you needn't ring— I can find my way out." " ^ " her," growled the defeated ad- venturer, when safely outside the house and FLOBIMEL JONES. 183 out of hearing; "I'U crush her before I've done. I'll crush them both. It is that in- fernal Mrs. Clarke, that she-devil. that has put her up to this; but I'll be even with ter yet. Hang it ! I must be even with her. Ihis angel-of-light business is not played out yet. Hullo I what have you got there?" *^ He was not far from his own door by this time, and thus accosted a postman who was about to knock there. The man gave him a letter and departed. It bore a foreign post- mark. Vdhers sprang the envelope hastily. " By ,•• hissed he savagely; •« I'm undone now and no mistake ; it's from Edith. She's unearthed me at last." The letter was from his wife, and dated at Plamfield, x\ew Jersey. It was a letter ser- vde and upbraiding by fums. She reproached hun with his hearUess desertion of her, and entreated him to think of their chUd, soon she said, to be left an orphan, for her strength 184 nOBiilEL JONES. jasgou^g out at last, and she felt that her Jl r™ T'"^"- '' ^^« ^ '^'^^ full eloquence of despair. CHAPTER XVn. THE MASK FALLS. the letter .n h.s hand. He stood for some moments rooted to the ground. This un expected blow paralyzed him. He 2 stunned, bewildered, overwhelmed b, t h" :::;tei*^'''^^°"^^-'^^-^'^^^^ was utterl. undone. It would be impossible to conceal any longer from the world ^sr^ -tuafon. Ho was lost. If he had ol money topurchase silence, he might yet t able to suppress the knowledge that he w^ already married. He might '^lie.e the T mediate necessities of his wife and keep his ■r'l 186 'LOBIMEL JONtS. ch,W out of sight. His designs with regard to Flo„„.eI might be again pursued, and his socml position saved from irretrievable dis- grace. But without money he was helpless • a me.^ straw blown about by the wind. All the efforts of his wife would be directed to- wards reaching him for the sake of their child. How was he to prevent the disclosure which T *"'*' ""'' *^"«« ? Ali^ady. perhaps. «he was m communication with some lawyer of the pkce.arl secrecy was at an end. How dse account for her thus ferreting him outP He had married her under the name of Edward Forbes, and taken every precaution m deserting her to leave no clue to his move- ments. How. then, had she discovered his whereabouts, and identified him with such unemng instinct under his real name ? He remembered an advertisement soliciting infor- mation regarding a certain Edward Forbes that he had seen in Smith's chambers. Could that lawyer have aided in undoing him '^ He rtORIllEl, JONES. 187 was uncertain about it. Smith had nothing to go upon butconjecture. Villiers had nevef breathed a word to a living soul about h" -amage. Smith knew of his having live^ - a httle time at Plainfield though, ani «^erewa« a possibility that on speculati;n he rjj J ""'^'™^ '^' advertisement and ascertained all the truth. If he. Villiers ever d.s.ve™d that such was the case, he;::; After the first moments of confusion, these werethethoughtsofthenowdoublyd^aM '^'lam. He entered his house and called peremptorilyforspiritsand water. Hedrank freely, a rare thing for ViUiers to do. habi- tu^y. cautious man in the case of stimu- iauts;^cautious. because he dreaded, by some •ndiscreet admission when under such in- fluence, that he might compromise himself and put himself in the power of others. For many and important reasons he preferred to always keep his wits about him. But on the -'11 tllj LI I III ri- I' 'MBIMfit JONES. PJ^seneoccaaionhU ordinary caution deserted rthei:;r^'^''''^-^^^-nue„t recourse 2" as well known as he was himself, had always contnved to retain a ,ood hold up^ the regard of society. He was hold by 1 one- to be an agreeable, handsome i wh s^^powers of fascination served to cove op^n-handed. .nerous fellow, ready for any «hen.e that had pleasu^for its o^ect. and ^ntu^n drinking as deep a draught f J Circe s cup as m.ght be enjoyed short of ab- solute safety. A man of pleasure is always weU received in the world, so long as he .^. tarns the means of pleasure, .aoney, at his command. VUliers knew this, and wis righ •n concluding that the worst feature in his ea^e was the want of cash. A little money would set everything right. But how pro- go. "" could not even "fioat a bill" / "•any of his bills were at tU. -g about, that there wI^k'TT"' '''''*- ocean f.f I "'* '"'"'"ee of the Thl H^L°'^*'"'»-«•■'^»<>™ »bid T.; °° '""°""' "™ri'J' upon was at the pawn-she d H« „ u -stHp himself, nd race society as'^rntd , : ^" "•"'' ^« «^''' V'lliers. the gay the handsome, the fascinating Viliiers.-- "^ A vain man, his personal appearance was the first consideration. He must still externals; his watch chaindanrdf'^T^ w»fr.i, <• I, 1 . aangied from his wa^^. fob. although the watch .tself was in Viilierstortui-ed his invention in vain. He -uldh.t upon no scheme by which to r! :^;:!\'"''-P'^P"-. no scheme but one' aad that was dishonour. He gave a gen tL.' tl 190 FLOBIMEL JONES. if ^nlj shudder at it. and muttered doubtfully. It '^on't do." But the temptation kept re- currmg; . ,e idea grew familiar to his mind • by degrees it became divested of its enormity • stem necessity goaded lumon • no alternative presented itself; he shrugged his shoulders, with a reckless, devil-may-care air. and deter- mined to become a forger. If cleverly exe- cuted, a forgeryupon Campbell. Jones and Co would free him of all his embarrassments and enable him to foUow up Florimel. when, if successful in that quarter, the means of con- ceahng the fraud would be almost at once put into his hands. In the midst of these meditations the ser- vant entered to lay the clot.h for dinner. He bade her desist. He would not dine at home on that day. She could replenish the bottle and leave him. Three hours afterwards shf made some pretext upon which to enter the apartment and found her master still gazing into the fire, with the bottle nearly empty. fLOBIM£I. JONBS. jgj He had eaten nothing, she said. « Egafl h«l nearly forgotten i,» he answer wih\ bibulous chuckle. "But it ;« . . , ^ r> " is not too latp my Ganymede. Get «.« - ' faere-Zwantyou/' ""'"°"-''°^«- Shecametowardshim. He caught her by the arm and kissed her hotlv Sh. • , f and freed herself. ^' ^^^ S^S^Srled " Jj&w I how could von ? •• „-; J . " Ma^t^r'.. h^ ., . ^ ''"^ «^« aloud- JMasters beastly drunk" nroo i comment. ' ^ ^'''' ""'^""^ When she brought in the dinne- he m«H« renewed efforts ofan amorous so;. BuHhe escap^lhim. He sat down and began 7, U ' He was not bUndly intoxicated.'^^r ate heartily and d^nk a g^at deal of wat! H.S habitual wariness ot mind apprised ht tliat he was on tbe verge of inebriety He g;ot up and paced the room. He did ■; 'i I I* : i 192 FLOEIMEL JONES. " Curse the stuff ! " muttered he, " I must get sober someway. I'm half drunk." He staggered to the sofa. He stretchtJ himself upon it with indifferent skill, and was soon breathing stentoriously. When he awoke he discovered that the girl had thrown a shawl over him, that the lamp was lighted, that it was eleven o'clock. He arose and shook himself comparatively sober. So sober did he feel that he took another glass of brandy to keep off the chill that was creeping about him, and felt revived by it " Hah I " cried he, " I am all right again, and ready for anything, by Jove! Eleven, eh ? Egad ! I must get a mouthful of fresh air, and see what the night has in store for me. I must turn over these pecuniary com. phcations of mine, too. Egad ! I feel equal to anything. Forgery ? Ay, and murder for that matter. If I come across that Smith, I'd FI.ORIMEr, JONES. 195 J'c the death of him!" He put on his hat, lit Ills cigar, and walked out. It was one of the fine, starlight nights common in Newfoundland at this season. The air was just cool enough to make exer- cse enjoyable. ViUiers felt a glow of heat permeating his whole frame and tingling in Ills fingers as he walked. If he had been given to admiration of the picturesque, he would have been struck by the quiet beauty of the scene. The moonbeams tinted all objects upon which they fell with a mellowed radiance, the dark roofs of the houses, the snowy landscape, the still waters of the har- I'our. The Block-House upon the top of the lull, where had been signalled the seaUng steamer now anchored in the bay, reflected the moon's soft rays, and a stream of golden effulgence stole down the side of the moun- tain, and was lost in the impenetrable obscu- ntj shrouding the houses and streets about Its base. The atmosphere was singularly I nil I!i' l::i, I' 194 FLOHIMED JONES. cleur. Objects at a distance seemed much nearer to the spectator than usual, and stood forth m bold, sharp outline. It was like a cosmoramic view; it seemed unreal, false; everythmg was unnaturally still. Surely life mth all its fevered impulses, was over; the' world lapped for ever in lethargic slumber- human pasg". eternally suspended ; every- thmg that had been was a dream ; there wa» no future, only a present, a present to be subtly felt and revelled in by the sublimer instincts of the soul, a present not to be dis- turbed by sound, by action, or even by thought, a present the intoxicating sense of which was to drink in by the thirsty spirit with silent, awe-like ecstasy. But Villiers was a man not given to admi- ration of the picturesque, and these reflections did not occur to him. His eye was intro- verted upon himself and his own concerns; he bad no time to meditate upon the beauties »nd lessonsof nature, a man hard up for cash W-OHIM'SI, JONTS. 195 iXaftent ""^ '^'^ '^°' P^-^^-^ - before h,m. He had been rapidly approaching it b^^t h.s thoughts had been at first so pre.' -up,ed that it was onlynow that his interest n the figure was aroused. It was a woman, and a young woman, judgingfrom her active Hpnngy ga.t. The loneliness of the hour and' h-ted by hasdebauch. irresistible temptations. He overtook her; boldly linked his arm in hers turned her face towards him, and beheld to his astonishment— Sally Cook Oilner? Had a lover's quarrel, oh? He's got t^ed of spooning, has he P Give me a kiss, Sal— that's a good girl 1 " He had snatched one, •' Let me go. Mr. Villiers f" cried the girl Htrugghng to disengage herself. She wL' t«rr.fied. She knew that Villiers was half ■ntoxicated. His eyes glared upon her with »8 ■if :■ '1.1,1 I ii 190 rLOBIMEt JONBS. a drunWs glittering stare; and She well -ret^rr; " '-'-''^ ^- -^ C^ ''-''' " ^- ^- -'i -.ess P«%;ut,ew.ngs so .uch. the, a. getting her b'ooH ,/ expression that raade her bod run cold. She had been too be- -Idered at first to think of screaking, bu^ :';". '^^^ *« ^^ yo- Co^e-thi. clumn 7'^'^°":'^ *° '^'•^ h- towards a laughed to scorn her futile resistance, and eas.1, earned her in his powerrui I J, rWmUEL JONES. jgy strength of thl , . '^°®'"- The d.sda^L idol : ^°"! '^"''"'^ ^°^« ^- h- «imul Idol was such that he had foIIn»^ l^er m spiteof all. He had kept at ad -that she had not seen h-r at ,T"' cognized the figure of Villipri; '"• her.butaturnTntheriX "'"^"P*° observing what had aken ptce'""".^' ''^ ^^-wards. until, upon hel'l /"^ ^^ had quickened his step !, ' ""' W upon the br:r;urn Tosttl moment. »"cost in a " How dare you interfere with m. l... V.ll,er, M put do™ hi. 'b,^"° 1 < <> i IW rtOBIMBL JONKS. de.lt hun a staggering bW .poa the • ^'I^' '^°^«^ ^^y^. was no n^atch for a ^1^0 .il,e„.a.anaWst twice hissL of the haghest type of n^uscular development •nd perfectly at home in the science o Pug^bsm. His only hope V in impeding tho movements of his antagonist in order to give SalJy a chance to escape. With this object ho wound h.s arms tightly around the body her hfe'"' '"'^ ""^"^ "P°° '^' ^' *° % f- Villiers with one hand still detained her with the other he ^as about to deal another heavy blow upon Giber, when a voice i„ calm. ,cy tones stayed his arm. " Make but a move. sir. and I fire." He looked up and to h.s surprise saw Smith standing a short distance ofi". with a revolver pointed at him The chagrin of the baffled villain wrs re- jealed m a blasphemous oath. But his wits did not desert him. He quickly interposed nx)RIMEL J0NK8. 199 :l ti l: '''^ '° '""^^"^ ^-- -^ed Smith quietlystepped towards him. coo' as "as appearances went, but interna rwitt ^•3 blood boiling. Although of a phW temperament, the nature of Smith w^^^ tensely chivalrous. This attempted lu^ra^" uponSa,ly.thenatu.ofwhichhe'^i^^^:S from the p.ercmg shriek that had smotet^ h«e«r^«edhimwithan.ntensehat'rL of Vomers compared with which all previous feebngs of animosity towards him sLZZl mter unto wine. HadSallynotbeeninthewayofhis ^adly a^m. he would most certainly have had^ lood of Villiers upon his herd.l':^.t be came on with the deliberate intention o; ^^ngaballinsomepartofthescoundi.;; f-mtbebou,e of Preston Jones, around wh.ch poor Smith had been hovering in the < III I ■'->iV "* nOBIllBl JONES. hope of catching a fleeting glance of Florimel through the window, or in some other acci- dental fashion. In spite of all his philo- 8oph,cal plans for the subjugation of his un- happy passion, it still consumed him. Love was still the lord of aU. Every night, after feverish hours spent in dissipation at Diderot's Rooms, would Smith take a circuitous route homeward, and scan the windows of Jones's house m the hope of seeing at least the sL^dow of hi. beloved. He had been rarely gratifie,] even in this humble hope; but love still chained him to the spot, and he hovered about It night after night, heart-sick and weary but hopeful stiil, hopeful frcTi some indescrib- able feeling in his breast that all his cold marble-hearted philosophy failed to entirely extinguish. When within a foot or two of Villiers, he again levelled his weapon at him wiUi a steady hard, aiming at that part of his body un- screened by Sally. Fr-OlUJItL JONBg. 201 Scoundrel! "cried Smith, in a deep strong voice, thick with suppressed passion, "the law ,s impotent to reach you. but aU is not." The position of Villiers was far from envi- able. Gilner still clung to him with a grip of steel, and fettered the freedom of his limbs ; ^ally hung upon his left arm and weighed it do^ so as to render it of no service either for attack or defence ; in front the cold barrel of Smith's nvolver threatened instant death It was enough to sober him. and it did. His hfe hung upon a thread. A single twitch of ^mith s forefinger, and he was a dead man. He glared upon Smith like a wild beast at bay, and nervously drew back his right arm bent even if the breath was almost to leave' h.s body, upon expending all the remains of vital force he possessed in having a fair blow at him. Another instant and all would have been over. But in that single instant the terror of Sally proved his salvation. The moment f I i FLOHlMEt JONES. tut She felt Smith Close to her, she aban- doned the arm of VOliers and caught wildly at her preserver. '•Thank God!" cried she. gasping. «... had done a tatal thing for Smith. She had deranged his aim. His ball missed its mark. Ihe next moment dcwu, full upo. Smith's unprotected form, came the crushing bio.. „t VUhers. He went down like a reed, the back of his head striking against a projecting stone. He did not once move. He lay coldly still, His face upturned ,0 the calm sky. "J-ve killed him by •• ejaculated Viiaers. afler a minute's pause. " I said I would, and I have done it. God help mo ! " He broke away and rushed from them Sally threw herself upon the prostrate body of Smith m a paroxysm of grief and despair. She called upon his name, and kissed him a thousand times, but there were no signs of Me m his white, fixed face. Presently she perceived to her horror that his head was FLOBIIIEL JONES. 203 lying in a pool of blood, and then she swooned Gilner gazed upon the spectacle awe-struck ^hde the .etars above and the pale moon shone on m composed, glittering, unconscious splen- dour, as If there were no such things as stormy human passions, love and jealousy, lust and anger, pride and hate. I ' I ? CHAPTER XVIIi. A CONFESSION. Fi-OEiMEL. upon the abrupt departure of Vil- liers. briefly .nformed her si.ter of the ill success of that over-confident gentleman's suit, "But you don't mean to say that he really made you an offer ? " said the elder lady, in a sceptical voice. "It is quite true, dear Marion. It was done m such an astonishingly cool manner too. He actually had the impudence to as- eume that I had accepted him. and was going ou making arrangements upon that assump. t.on. until I had to let him see pretty plainly FLORIMEL JO'ES. OQo "'f '"^ ^"•'' i" ^^^or. Only fancy his trying to kiss me, Marion, a bold, bad man like that ! " "But of course you did not let him, mv dear?" ' ^ " No, indeed, and then his look was some- tlnng frightful; it was so threaf-^ning and •"ahgnant. He said that my retusal of him «as all your fault, and that he would remem- '•er you for it. He is a terribly revengeful man, Marion, I am sure of it." "Pooh! my love, a fig for his revenge. He knows me too well to think that I should care for his threats. But what do you think. Florimel ? you have dismissed the very man whom papa so much wished you to marry." " Me, dear Marion ? " cried Florimel, much surprised; "I thought that he meant me for— for— you remember that evening, dear Mainon ? " She checked herself, greatly embarrassed. She wanted to mention Smith's name, but felt herself tongue-tied. ^i! :! ♦ t ;• . I J 206 '4 I PLOEIMEf. JONES. "Ha! ha I" laughed Mrs. Clarke, con- fused herself, "you mean Smith. Oh, no! He means me for Mr. Smith, of all the persons in the world. But really it was only this mom- ing that he gravely advised me to counsel you what to say to Mr. Villiers in the event of his proposing to you. Of course I laughed at the idea of such a thing. But ha seemed bent upon it. I suppose they had been discussing the scheme together. I am so glad, Florimel, that you have defeated their little plot. I could not bear that horrid Villiers for a brother-in-law, I hate him." " So do I, Marion, almost. But dear papa will be augry with me, I fear. I wish that I had known his wishes before." "Why, my dear? it ought not to have changed your mind in the least. You surely would not thus have sacrified yourself?" Florimel smiled sadly. The words touched a great chord in her heart. Sacrificed herself! Had she not already sacrificed herself ? What FtORIllEr, JONES. 807 mattered any further sacrifice ? Her father wanted her to marry Villiers. Verj well, she was ready to marry him, to marry any one tliat her father wished her to. To sacri- fice her prejudices against Villiers and marry him seemed a small thing compared to the sacrifice she had made on the altar of sisterly affection, and made, she believed, uselessly. It might be indeed, that a marriage with VU- liers would tend to perfect her noble work of self-abnegation, by at once and for ever shut- tmg the doors upon any hones of Smith. Once ru.ted to Villiers, she would doubtless soon be forgotten by Smith, who then. Heaven only knew ! might be drawn towards her darling sister, for whom she was ready to lay down her life. Florimel knew that this con- duct on her part was chivalrous, and very much out of the common. Sho was pursuing a course of high-minded virtue, and pursued it purely for virtue's sake. But it crucified her sometimes. The desperate trial of her 1" FLORIMEL JONES. moral courage that her actions involved taxed her powers to their utmost. If Smith had not said that he loved her. the task would have been easier. But, knowing that he loved her, the ordeal was rendered more terrible, it was a fiery furnace, seven times heated. It was telling upon her too, telling upon her physically. She was the mere ghosl of her former self, of that gay and happy Florimel whom we first knew. Fer energy and spright- linesa seemed to have fled for ever. In their place brooding melancholy reigned, closing up aU the sweet founts of joy and gladness still latent within her. Mrs. Clarke had fre- quently pondered ipon this great change. It was a change that recent illnesa but indiffe- rently accounted for. She had probed Fieri- mel about it in vain. The secret was pre- served intact. But it made Mrs.Clarkeverj- nervous and SLiious. She did not like Flori- mel's sad smile at all. A young girl, witL lif« and its dreams bofore hec, to smile so I'LOHIMEI, JOXES. 209 piMy as She did, as if existence was a mere nulhty, everything a blank, seemed to Mrs tlarke perfectly incomprehensible. " % dear Florimel, now you mmt tell me what .t .s that ,s preying upon you. I have a nght to know. Am I not your sister H Why keep a secret from one who loves you as 1 do. Come, confide in me. my darling, and let me share your trouble. I claim this con- cession from you, Florimel. It is a sister's pnvuege." Mrs. Clarke rose as she was speaking, and. approaching her sister, kissed her on the cheek m a manner inexpressiblv tender and compassionate. Florimel was shaken by a sudden tremor. Her emotion, so long, but at last vamly suppressed, overpowered her The flood-gat«s of her soul burst their bounds and she wept convulsively. She caught her sister's hand and pressed it against her bosom. " My poDr.^oor darling!" said the other, P |:i^ ' t I I f 1' 210 FLOEIMKL JOVES. secretly glad at aU this, for she thought that riorimel's sobs would bring relief to her; It was better than moping and suppressing them at all events. " My poor, poor darling i Now come and sit on my lap as if you were a little girl again, and tell uie all about this great bugbear that is working you so much mis- chief. Tell me." The kind-hearted T^oman seated herself, and took Flonmel upon her knees. " I can't, dear Marion ; it is something that I may tell you by and by, but not now. No, no, not now; I couldn't." "Very weU, my darling, I can wait; but not long, my love. You are getting ill, Florimel. You must tell me shortly. When, dearest?" She kissed her fondly. Fiorin.el looked up and smiled faintly through her tears. " I will tell you, Marion, as soon as you and Mr. Smith are married." " As soon as I and Air. Smith are married ? VI-OUUEL JONES. 211 Why, Florimel, what has Mr. Smith to do - t .t ? Besides, my dariing, ,f you wait until then, I am afraid you will wait a long t.me. Mr. Smith, my dear, has evidently cut "I know he has. dearest Marion, and that IS what It is that makes me feel so miserable. It IS on my account. Marion; I was un- pardonably rude to him. and he has not been near us since." " '^^^° tl'J this happen, -ny love ?" "The day that I was taken so ill." said the other, looking down. "^11 see it all. Florimel. You are in ove with Mr. Smith, my darling, and that is the secret of your trouble. You are pining away because he does not come here." "No, no, Marion, don't say that; it is not true. But I am .n-ieved for your sake. Marion, because I know you love him. and I wanted you to- to marry him." " Well." replied Mrs. riarke. s.ailing. " that r 2 sit FLOBIUEL JONES. may be well enough, but hardly accounts for your being rude to him, my dear." Florimel thougl. tiiat this was said a little tartly. She feared that Marion was angry with her, or. at any rate, suspicious of the truth of what she said; and the sensitive girl burned under the thought. She answered, not without a little harrJess indignation,' and, perhaps, somewhat stiffly,— " I was rude to him, dear Murion, because I thought it my duty." "Your duty? Why?" " He proposed to me, Marion, and I had always looked upon him as a suitor of yours." Mrs. Clarke was astounded. She stared blankly in her sister's face. Had a bomb- shell burst at her feet, she could not have been more struck with astonishment. " Pro- posed to Florimel? Whatl Smith, her Smith, propose to Florimel ? Ihe world was coming to an end, surely. Of all the im- probable things that might have happened, FI-OEIMEL JONES. 213 »Iie had come to recrar? f»,;- lu regard this as the mont '•np-bab e. And yet when she came To -1^. coolly upon it. there was nothing o ^ery,mprobable about it, after all But it ^^ ^^^^ ^.^^^^ ^^^ ^^ Smth, Lis paying her so much attention, and Wail the while secretly in We witi her She wnn"''"^'^^'^'''-*'^- brute. She would never forgive him, no. not to her tie def r' ' " '" '"*"-« ^'^« *^t t|.eJefect.on of Smith meant, and groaned This was too much for Florimel, who had been anxiously watching the effect which her words had produced. "Dear Marion, don't look so, please: all -1 yet be right. Ho will come here again ; m sure of it; and when I am mamed to Mr. Vilhers all will be—" "No, Florimel, you are mistaken. He n-ill never come here again unless you ask I ) .) i lb. 214 FLORIMEL J0NK8. him, and then he will renew his addresses to you. I see it all now; I deceived myself. It was you of whom he was thinking all the time. What a fool I have made of myself, to be sure! Florimel, my darling, you must solemnly promise me one thing, and that is never to breathe a word to your husband about my being in love with him." "My hushand, dear Marion?" repeated the astonished girl. "Your future husband, Mr. Smith, my dear. Do you think that I am blind, Flori- mel, not to read the feelings of your heart to- wards him ? You shall marry nim, Florimel, of that be sure. I am going to invite him to tea to-morrow night, and then, my love, we shall both do our best to scare away from you that horrible giant Despair, who has had you so long in his clul iies." "lorimel looked fixedly at Marion, and seemed hardly able to credit her set ses. Had FiOB/MEL JOSCS. 215 «l.e heard aright? Was Smith really given over to her, actually her property? "!"'•/"•""• *'''™°--'^«t can I say to you? You are too kind, to. good, too seif- sacnficing. It ,s n,ore than I deserve " "More than you deserve. Jlorimel? What nonsense! Don't you see. my dear, it is only a virtue of a necessity that I am making ? fennt .snot for me in any case. You spoL of self-sa.nfice. I am a heathen comi«r,3d you Florimel. It is you that were gig to make the self-sacrifice; Heaven bless you! now k.ss me and dry up those tears; and never keep a secret from me again. But after all, .t was not so much of a secret, for how could any one help loving .hat dear dehghtful fellow. Smith?" i-lorimel could not help smiling at the hght-hearted. bantering tone in which this was sa,d. Then she threw herself into her sister's arms, completely overcome 1V> 1 1 ■ 1 1 < 1 1 ' I CHAPTER XIX. WVE, THE LOBD OP ALL. FLOBFMKLand Mrs. Clarke, full of theomotioas set into action by their mutual confidenceR did not retire as early as usual. They lingered in the boudoir, discussing Smith with unwearying zeal. It was while they were discussing him that the frantic shriek of SaUy Cook reached their ears, and very shortly afterwards the report of a pistol, ihey -ere thrown into consternation. The whole household was alarmed. Mr. Jones summoned his coachman and butler, and proceeded in the direction whence the sounds had issued. The three men were armed with nOBIUEL JONES. 217 incongruous, but doubtless very effective weapons at short ranges; a poker, a pitch, fork, and a carving-knife. But they had no occasio., to use them. A few steps brought ^bem right u^on the body of Smith. He was msensible. but breathing very percentibly. Gilner had been using all his efforts to bring Sally out of her swoon, and. having now .succeeded, assisted in the conveyance of Smith to the house of Jones. Sally following '" the rear, and weeping pitcously. Mr. Jones took the pr. -aution to tranquillize the ladies as much as p. :,sible. and prevented t-.em from seeing who it was for whom he had acted the part of the good Samaritan. A aoctor was sent for. The injury was found o be only a simple fracture, and the patient by this time quite conscious. All cause for anxiety on behalf of ti.e wounded man was I'ow dissipated. But Jones, still wary and guarded, forbore to reveal ^o his daughters tl'e identity of Smith until the following ii , i 1 1 . > ■» ' .,. ( 218 FLOEIMEL JONKS. morning. Sally Cook, in the meantime, resolutely refused to leave the side of the sick man. He was her preserver, she said, she would never leave him. When Mr. Jones, at the breakfast-table, carelessly told them that it was no other than Smith whom his roof was sheltering, the astonishment of the two ladies may be imagined. "Smith, my Smith, dear Jack?" almost screamed Mrs. Clarke, starting to her feet. " No other, my dear, I assure you," re- marked her father, composedly. " You need not be at all alarmed; he is getting along famously. No serious injury; hr was only stunned a little. If you lad- <.,: quietly finish your breakfast, I sha ^_ great pleasure in taking you to see him." " Oh ! bother breakfast, we must see him now ! " cried the elder daughter. "Yes, dearest papa," pleaded Florimel, with a beseeching glance. FLOniMKL JONES. 219 "All right, my dears, and so you shall." "' Preston Jones swallowed a mouthful of coffee, and escorted his daughters to the bedside of Smith. Smith's back was towards them wb^n they entered. His head was bandaged. It looked very shocking, that horrible bandage; the ladies almost fainted. At the side of the bed sat Sally. She had not slept a wink all night. There she had sat watching and attending him in mute anguish. Now Smith was not in a bad way, by any means. He had all his senses about him, and, having learned that he was in the house of Jones° felt almost happy at the prospect of spending « week or two there, for would he not by these means in all probability see the adored of his soul, the beloved of his heart? At the moment, therefore, of the ladies' entrance. Smith was lost in a glorious day-dream of happiness. He was thinking of Florimel. 218 FLOBIMEL JONKS. morning. Sally Cook, in the meantime, resolutely refused to leave the side of the sick man. He was her preserver, she said, bhe would never leave him. When Mr. Jones, at the breakfast-table, carelessly told them that it was no other than Smith whom his roof was sheltering, the astonishment of the two ladies may be imagined. "Smith, my Smith, dear Jack?" almost screamed Mrs. Clarke, starting to her feet. " No other, my dear, I assure you," re- marked her father, composedly. " You need not be at all alarmed; he is getting along famously. No serious injury; hr was only stunned a little. If you lad'- ^.,: quietly finish your breakfast, I slia ^_ great pleasure in taking you to see him." " Oh ! bother breakfast, we must see him FI.0RIMEL JONES. 210 "All right, my dears, and so you shall." ■' Preston Jones swallowed a mouthful of coffee, and escorted his daughters to the bedside of Smith. Smith's back was towards them wb^n they entered. His head was bandaged. It looked very shocking, that horrible bandage; the ladies almost fainted. At the side of the bed sat Sally. She had not slept a wink all night. There she had sat watching and attending him in mute anguish. Now Smith was not in a bad way, by any means. He l>ad all his senses about him, and, having learned that he was in the house of Jones" felt almost happy at the prospect of spending a week or two there, for would he not by these means in all probability see the adored of Iiis sniil fli« Kn)n» 1 -f 1 • • ^)u 220 FtOBIMEl JO.VES. •' Hallo. o,dfe„orrH;", "'°^-'^-- 'ooked straight at tt » '^"'°'''^- »« Mr. Jones ;!;*,:;■ ^f ^"^ '^''^ "^^ ^ ««'^ saw ^lorL , r r ''"• '^^'^^^^^ ^« "es3. symnX ''''■"''°" °^ *««der. . ajropatliy, anxiety and Invn u realize her nn. ^o could fler presence only, aii „, vague, mistv, undoaned '''' "''^ q jt- wo, „rr r-- ftOHijiEt jc:;es. ith had thrown ZT\ "'""'"^ '' 'oved.thatL ::,,';;^^„''- ''« -s lost to her Co : ^°"'' ^"^^^ ^- Clarke's gesLLT''^"'^^^'^ e'-ouidshedrr7oor;^;r^'^"^- ^^'- If* it IS summer. It IS the first week nf fi i "o-yand moonsh n t; r'"""' '^^ tappy Smith took his bride '^'^^ Top.ail. ^*- ^'"' '* ^t"^" about i ^-carae uneasy af the prolonged cessation of voices and sounds, and entered the room. Gilner was lying half upon the bed, half upon the floor. Thu attendant thouglt it odd. She spoke to him. There was no answer. She spoke again. Still no answer. Now thoroughly alarmed, she approached ind touched him. She started back with a horrified shriek. GUner was dead, with the body of the life- less girl locked in his arms ! Just twelve months before, upon the door- FLOBIMEL J0SE8. Step, had Sally uttered fetterless words which Iicr lover had imagined binding as steel ; now their union was of a surer sort, the union of death. Those Northern Lights again ! Once more they x>\r-j around them, leaping and exulting over the dead bodies, as if to show that they wero alike fleeting and evanescent. 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Bida.Ooep;,.. , w ^',*;""'"'"" "» "-^ .. «. Bl..kn,.re(R.D., Novel.. ,.„ iuek„ore , 8">l.r'.0rea, Lone Land. „„ Akim-roo. „ td. or..To7.'i.*-— •;;-!-'•• " --!i/;"":L*»"'f">' Tiber. ,i; DAvil.ie*.';rp'a°n"'n;"''\°"'"-"- »•• erkn,ann ChaW«'. ThLT' "' ^'- ''^^ J-- '•l.hOartney. v^C^f ."'""."■»"•■ V« Fav.u Children aheT ^' ^^ " « Fojta Arabi.tan. ,„ rorbee (J. Q 1 am,. ., ~— John'i Wife. „. ■ Marian. 5/. Silken Cord, j^ Vermont Val.. „ -—Minnie'. Miieloo.' o:;ro'Ai;;.'r?b'.,^V^"''"- -•"... ..« HrBVfn'k---- «-. «;■«■. Toiler, of the Se" "fr^""- " '' Kinfton'.Ben Burton „ ^ -«.«..rao.n,Rob«o^^^„.^,,^^ il! Hi i< «i. u Sampson Low and Co. Book, for StSool Prixt. ,«i p,e^i,_ „^„^_ Phelp. (M,..) fh. s,l.„, P.rtn.,. „ 'ictur. C.n.ry Bntiih Art. ,«, PIctur. Q,ll,ry Sacnd Art. ,„ R..d.L..vc. from . Sketch Book. .„. ,s«H...d aunley • Ho.f I Found Livlnfilone. „. «,/ — "'or^d"'' T"" "" "*""" '■"'*"">'■ ^ " — - Old Town Polk.. n,,h „,„ ,^ ,^ ^^ • »•'"■•«•'•• Wool,,,. „. ; u»nl^ ,, « ^ PeirlofOrr. I.tand. u « 6,/ .,,,,.7 MyWifiandl. 6, ■ • ■•■ T.yler (C. B ) S.:r.d Record.. „ (./ ThompMn. Old Kn,l,.h Home.. ,/„ ,s„i^ Verne. Book.. (s„Vcn.c) fls;;::rctr°'''''~"-'^'"-^'iUTirofa^^^^^^^ "'pK«^^i;C'Si„ Ji'„%A"^.,««r?n.. Mluslral^l with by ^ b..„„r„„y u.„d ,„ ".o4^:«i"Pc.x!;;r^c.''s„!s'>^ ""^'.^I'lSli "•''•• '•"•«'•• "«> Po.,humou, Work.. Brett (E.) Note, on Y.eht.. Fcp. &. uroke (Admiral Sit B. V P R.r« v r< i> . _. of. ,1. • *• •^•» "•'»•> K.C.B.) Biofrapby Brother. R,„t„„. J^r, Krckm.nn.Ch.tri.n. Brown (Colin R.e). Edi.h Dew.r. 3 vols. Cr.Svo. ,/.,„.« Browninr '■« v tt \ tu .T^ ^ T.'nd.<*i^o:i^''^,ll''«k^o;^„y .„d a. Q,„„ B„,„ Lecture, uid Scee^Lea l-_ o — - Ten-Minu,« T.U on .,'"''• ^""^ ^'''"•- «'■ Burton (Captain R P 1 -r ' ""*' ' '°- 'I""' "'ri 6i. •-. cifrfcuof the'c'o J*°,7''P' '» Oorilla Land and !!M":"'' '°'' The Vicariou. Sa^H c: 'pI"':; * „ — .^-™on. on Li.i„, s,,,.,., J-«- 7J.« Nature and the Supernatural. Po«8,^ , ,Uu.trated Oante. of Adven'tuf.?'- Adventure, of Capt^n M.gon. s>r California. i''VJ^°J;!,J^' "nP'of^.ion., Vagabond. Fcap. Ceramic Art. .iir Jacquemart. Mi ■•li ■1' •I . M ..(' 'i i'. If a) I* Sampson Law and Co.'t Chuctd Croii (Tht) and olher Relipoui Pooni. u. M. Chefs-d'oeuvre of Art end Matter-pieces of Eng • -,Mnr. Brll..h MuMum Rc^,„,l,u,J ,„ Fliuloijrauhy I,, StirMHN Vn.mnai Imp.rul ful,„. Ihm,-e,,ht i'ho.ojr.^hi, JUL J.lt. ,/ ,,,. w Child's Play, wiih |6 coloured drawinRi by E. V. tt An eotiitly I.CW edil.on. primed on ihjtk pjoer. «iih iini- ;«, Od. China. J« Illuttrationa of. Choice Editions of Choice Books, i, W. each Illu . lruwic«. R.A > iJi ^, ,s B.»„ s-rr.r^':!;'.,*so.'w.\v" j;: ^■''"-'•' "■ ^ "■•""•«"• ^^ «■ Blowf- .'a Kvmcr'i Boy Cm Pkuurti of Mope. Col Ancient Mariner. ,, ^,_ Shikeipearc't Sxinic* "J sinncu ' Go**.- r>c an th. whole of the beiu.^ol Wiodcul.. Each vohmi, rTcompIt - ,„li«lf and will U »ld »pa, ..ely. Small po,t 8,0 . primej „„ tl :S„eu cream white paper and choictly bound, cloth extra, ji. ul. eacli Christ in Song, llymnj of Immanuel, «Iected from all Am, r^l ?„**• .B' P""^" SiH,„, DD Crown Jvo toaed -m, ^ufull, pnnted at the Chi.wKl Pr.» With I„.,«d \S^ ^ Onuaeau ud haadaomely bound. New Edition, y. Chriaubel. Sa Bsysrd Series. Christmas Presents. Stt Illustrated Books. Chronicles of the Castle of Amelroy. 410. With Phclo graphic lUustrmtiona. t/. u. Chronicles of Sir Harry Earlsleigh. Bart. A .Novel, i vob,, .-town 8vo. jir. * Clara Vaughan. Sa Blackmore. Clark (R. W.) The Work of God in Great Britain under with l..-.g,aphital !>. .. > KunsW. Clai. V Second edi. tlon, t'ver 300 pagei. u ' . f, cover. Coffin I O. C.) Orr New »v,y Round the rid. 8vo. 121. Conquered at Last ; from Keconlsof Dhu Halla-id itslnmatei A Novel 3 vol*. Crown; clot... \it W. * ^'1 of PublUations. Crown .v'o,cWh"*„^J:,'''«'""'««l«. > Novel. 3,0^ The Banns of Marriar* . t Courtship and a Cam/. ' "'''■ "'"'■" «™- '>'• .«-. of ,8«, under GarZ.','*" ' ?, ^"'^ "' "" "''"CSe Volun. Crad«k Nowell. i-« BUck^o;, * "»'- " - "• cri'kTr.t.rw^:hiurKr'%^--"-'»-- ,„ 6,/ '*"""'<" «<'"> or Km. 3 vol,, crown 8va Cummina (Maria S) Hauriiirf u ' ' "'" "'"■ •■" curnr;E■l^xi"^-'^"•'"' ^^*'' ^'""^«'" S^^^*''Ai„'!y.f^uJ,T-,V«rs b f .,. „„, .^^ Revi.ioni r.nla 6,. "'• Edition, with Note. uA ,^ - '"-7?™l:':...r.f i?c.''°N?w"a,:j"A C»"' '•I-nds. Nume • '""^ r.f^,.^-'-ndCoral,.,.n<,.. n„„. Daughter (A) of Heth, by Wm Biacic Th „ ,. tdiiion. -vol. crown !vo6r *•'"'""■""' "d Cheaper ''Mo"h'.^t"'^,ircT!'l,f ill'?"'''" "/ "" Tiber, from it, "uny ve^ fine ^^.o^i^^'^^, Ma'p^c^lh" .';iJt'"'T/ "° "^ A Fine Old Eneliah r..„ ? ,?"°°'' ^''""'»- ■»<■ wffc-;"tV>''"-'" "f >"?J cl?g "„^''"a'«' '^-™P'"i^-"• • F«'m.i.» in .Ue-for tK^TlL-j n^:l,;^r '';""" """"•' «" '"«« P.P". .ui. ■I . If : I- ..- tutgmmmgm Sam/>toH Low and Co.'s °*of^i'' t'l^'w*,*?'..^"'"')- ^n On'y Sister. Vol. V. Dodje (Mrs. M.) .v„ Hans Brinker. Dore's Spain. .s« Spain. ^°lf^ ^s-l^?Hio.,^,'°°""«' '■' Appliances, Practice, ,,nd Duer'i Marine Insurance, ivolj 3/ 3.t CHOES of the Heart. J-,r Moody. English Catalogue of Books (The). PuMishrf N.^w'B»f??"<>"S "n-l "'« Book, „.,„d by ihcm a W«ri Md L,..,.,v Club ^i As^al,o„. JO,, hj? Uund ^ ~^«".^!;t'".!3."' "^^' '*^ '*«5- 3'-«^- -h; ,866, "^"fl^u^J'l*"?' ^^^^VJJ°' S'lfi-'provement in EnglUl LtteMure; byth«.uthorof"TheCml«uE." «,. — M«tro:ii and their Profession; With some Con- •M ► <-n)«rn8vo,, d,ih, txira, 7,. i/. * English Paimera of the Georgian Era. Hogarth to turner. H„y„|,h„..| N,„acv lll.'ra,...,! .i,|, ,8 , "nun" W K-apb,, aflc, >h. „,„., ..I.U,.,.d Work.. r),.„,y „o*.. Kl c„r.: X ''"£;ri^r8T'3..^j."" "'■'" •"" '^"""'^'"^ The Brothers Rantsau : A Story o( the Voscfs. •m^; T,rbVr.'"'j,, '■'■ '•■" '^'"-- ■ -'■• p'of.«.,r.fi::: Evans (C.) Over the Hills and Far Away. Hy f Evans A Strange Friendahi,-. Crown 8vo., cloth 5^. J-"' 0/ Publications. ^''c",.L^dl!l',!a,^';:°7,°',"'« American Ambulance ^- w"' °"'"5' "«" «"« Beast. S.e Beauty and the ''t^./:^"^riiS;o.j^^:L^rt--^' Few (A) H.n,. on Proving Wills. Enlarged Edition, sewed. ' woi"^. MZ'^^WJ'^^y Men and of some Flemish'" h'".'""" ^^P'"'"""- *•■ Ocean to Oc -^ '^'X?!',,,,f„"t,'^«-^„,«c.ures. W,,,, Notes con'-c.mi.,, "^'V^^^:^.,^:''"'^ «-" -d the Br..i„ians. E„. ^"f^^i:^- ^L.'^i^^if^"' s- "■« Land Of .. t,::a:;^;:; ''°?!.?."'';>!r,''.'',: ?/!" "'^^ Tales. „y jo„« „,,,,,. l. ''i'T ''''■ "='"' >" >HC jMat- i<». •'"'"■""■'''»»" "nwooJ by G. F.Aog^iii 'I' I.' I i6 Sampson Low and Co.'s H.ir, Vineyard. Sm>ll post 8vo., clo:h. 41. '~S::.l^^"";.,'^ifj;.„l 'r^ °'''"' '" South Au.,r.Ii.. ~^2t^':^.r,.^^^\°' Son,, on.-. Hon,.. Fcp. Silk.n Cord, and Iron Petteri. 4,. Vermont V.I.. Snull poit 410.. with Frontispiw.. $/. — — Minni.', Mi.tion. SmaU po.t 8»o.. with Fronti.. Friiw.ll (J. H.) St, a.ntlt Life S.ri.i. One of Two. 3 voli. i/. 1 1,. w, ''"sill^'^.S'luLJ'" Oing.rbre,d M.id.n; »nd other Morut. Wiih lUunmioa. Squire doth. jj. « ARVAOH (Lord) Th. Pilfrim of Se.ndin.vi. 0.ml. Lift (Queen Edition), j rol.. in 1. SmaU 4I0. tor. M List of rKblicaliuHS. '7 THE GENTLE LIFE SERIPC d .T Abojj. in the World. E.«ys by the Author of -n,. Ge,U. ijJl.--j,';?„:j",.j°.'^ « « "T p«. .i.i»„ fa^., .^ y^^ *'*L"ci°J^tli,,iJJ>-7-»'"io" of the -De I„i,a. inul. Second Edilion. ^°'" "''■ W"* VigMtt, Por- ^"^X^. "Lf-J'.^l'k.e^^Arc.di.. Wri,t.„ b, Si, Th. G.ntle Life. Second Series. Seventh Edition. *J Jii It' 1^ 1 1 t» SamfisoH Low and Co.'s . To all (both men and wontml .k<. u 0.h^JPjopIe.. Window.. By J. „„, p,„„.,, s«o„. ♦iewi of huJSn'L"irre'°i ^•« L'*"' of .h. Word. Th^ Eaitio.-. '"p^'T/i""- Wtl.IlIu,.,,ion.byKo„cwk. Snull ,.0. Oo.p.1. (Four), with Bid.-. IIl„..r.,io„,. A^Bid.. "dpTe^V^X^'K.fh"':?:!'' 7- R^'ip-' for Preparing •■d 34 llIu.m„o„. ^. ^" '"■• ""•"'»« "pw-d. of v» Ke«"pi ~H;:.».Thl?rc'„,l'*„',^l7pf^"onfec,io„.ry.ByJ,,„ Li'l 0/ Publicatiotu. «9 Oower (Lord Ronald) H.nH k ■*"''"' ""m L.br.r;"' ..^$p-Ho.rdPor.r.i...— '— J "°; " "' ''P'^- Si"h EdiUon. Crown ■r NO'" in England .nd lul,. Crown «nj?l c"i°J °S!°'*"°",i, '''"»"»' Narrative of Ad. """.^/f.'H!"'°w!?hT'''?,°'f"' "O P'""': With , H..UU (W.U.„, The Round T.b... „u,,;„ Seri„, H*.ly(M.)L.ke»iUe. 3 vols. ./..u.e,/. A Summer-. Romance. Crown 8vo., doth. ,a,.W. —- The Home The.tre. Small r«,t 8vo. j,. &/. crcw»°™*.cr«V.!:*,WorId.^A Novel. Three Volumes "V"!",,^""*- B/^-'AuthorofGUbenRugge... 3 Vol.. "•u'^'^'f^L^i?*!:":- flii'z"' ,">""••• With "•&L'ii.'J^f-?P^<''«'^ "d Quo...ion.; ,i,fc H.«in.on (T. W.) A.l.n.ic E...y,. So,.., p„„ «,„. ^. ~;^«TfS.''l""' "■""■> of '"« "n'Xd S,a.e,. .s..„ ■"-" -^n**- rouble Vol M. & iT^i^ W»vin£,, „rf Five la™, F -^/>/ ''' «l"«~nwl. Four Volu^ lUuatrated Books, suitihl. f„, /'u • Wedduu. IW s Th. f n ^''~,''""' B'rthtUy, or I'i L t* Sampson Low and Co.'s .■JiMai. l™S.nM. VoU. I ir lit , i«. mcK lUmtnitecl Books. conHnu«i- And.n.n • F.lry T.le,. ,„. — — Art.itt.nd Ar.bi. ^t. U- '~^^ n«ri Mountains. laj. — — Norm.ndy Pictureiout. ,«,. : — Ir'""'"« '" sp.in7 ,6,. "■ — — The Pyreneei. ,t,. Butler's Greet Lone '.and. « (Srf Wild North Lend ,,'w ■ — — Akim foo. 71- f,/, Chele-d Mu»re ol Art. ,/. „^. &/ * '" ^ DAvilliert Spain. Ill,„,ra.,.d l,y D, ,!, ./„ Dream Book, by K, V 11. ,„ j^ ""'"" J' J' -— Bo? o?Pr..:"^;" 't^^ ■<-. ^ Htm Brinker. ;j h,/ ll;»''»?{v:;:e.'K;n;^--;^^^^ j»o.a_ewey a North German Polar Eipeditlon. ■ /. til. w.-V V " """" werman Po ar Etned Milton'B Paradise Loat ilLl.J!-' ,3' 'V- orf. My Lady. Cabinet ..', ""•"'"• '!•■«)• 3/- 131. «* ^"•","" "■■tor, of Lace. ,„. Pike t Sub. Tronic, I R.mblei. ,|,. b!I r ^"J" '""" • Sketch Book. ,„ f'^,'?'°.",' Slr.it. of Malaca ,„ Verne ijule.) Hook. ,, v„K > "it„h-K-. Werne, Carl Nile Sk^lchr. . c A'Phtbet Wllaon'. R.mblea'in N^r.h'ern'ltlT.'; "' " ''' "-• Ir the Ule of Wight. Two volume, cro,™ 8va. cloth. 21s, List of Publicationt. »3 ACK HAZARD, a .Story of Adventure by I. T. T.ow.„DC«. NumenM. illu.trauoiu, uall poet V « J.ckson (H.) Argui F.irb.ime; or, , Wronc cKo...-.c~Ts;„«;'oV:L,"cLl'„",;o^Jcrc3"v1i'^'°'"»-'"^ Jaequemirt (J.) Hiitory of the Ceramic Art: DeKtiDlive By" J,".":r;."" i.°i.;' •'"•"'J5- "' ■" 'j™- "■' of .ii nIu™ lacMu.„" ,Vs li'i T. it"" *"«'"">, ^1 H Cs.en.tc. and J. •''V? 1! H • "V"^''* ^'""" Of 'he Araba. W>,.. . ChaMer for Children By .he Rrv MpN.V H>a«i< lu..,. ri n "^ ,ea„A™.„ca.M....„„.r,..Syna' C™.7.,^„':'^o'ih°e.'?r;.*:r ^P""»« Adventure, in the racinc. Wi.h IlluMra.ioni. \^lurtl King (Clarence) Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada crown Ivo Tliird and t header Ediiion, clo.h eatrs. U. The T,m„ uy. :-"|f .. j,„|,e hi. devnplion. by the vi.id im- predion. .I„y lea.e. we feci iii.lincd to .jive .heiii .cry h.sh prTisi ■ Koldewey (Capt.) The Second North German Polar fl'.".?,^:'""" !" "■• ^'V ,'»9'°' "'•!'« Ship, ■•(leriiiaiii," ^ 'criiwiiia " and K-lilcd and ciMi- 'Hjii-a." under tomiiijiid of Capuin Kt.l.lc den«d hy H. W. ".rr.i,. E^,. .„,| Iraii-U.ed' by ^lo;," Wi^x'^n Nunierou.^W„„Jcu.^ Ma,», and Chromo.U.hographl MA. (Oxoii.l .._ Royal 8vu, cloth extra 'it A .1 I. ^» Sampson Law and C».'s lANE (L«ur. C. M.) aenilem«n Vertchoyle. I 3 ¥OU. l/. 111. IW. ' ^•X j°.'- h ° I *1 ""<°ric«l and Statistical Colo..i» .^i? ."k "'•*«',»<»'<'>, W.1.1, from ih. founding „r >l,e t^ni-t-.v I • ' "' M'"'"" "f "ht JxoIlIi a.uri.h. SvJmv Jounh td.iKM. lo , ,„u.. iro.1. 8»o. clolh e.iru 1/ „ '""'»■ Lan, (Dr. J. D.) The Cominj Event, in. lit. Leavitft (ProftJtor J, M.) New World Trigediei. ^*iiSl*^! >>°n '° ^""f • "''"»«■ "y VIOLLET LF Due, l!Z ,!!r ""'"I •»"»'""» »vo.clolh.B,lt.J,.^ bo..-,(IKJi. -— Annala of a Fortress. Numerous Illustralions anj ,. ^'" "•''itationa of Man in all Ages. Ily K. Vioi let- — — Lectures on Architecture. Ily Vidi 1 1|.| ► Die .irty^ ir; 'ir! i""^" ■■> """""" "^-"'^ ^s""---, '- » ~;7^i.w" ''""'"•io''- I'y VioLLti-iK I)n, .ml a Notice v"r„i'^;"ru*.\',:';r:«,a,v.r'-j""- •"-->'-"" - j'-'^^f ^".!i°pj!™^"'^k°"'"!i.''"„'^'^^ "l*" "•= Limit, of Painting br Ellin FkoTMiNuHAH. crown «vu clulh txua. ji. •"•■""on **'^,."r*S** <^'' °- "^ ' Recollections of Sir Qeoree »■ l-B.tr.nie. Wilhllcliui,pcreprail,„„oni 8,Q ilMht.ira 141. *L? .'^- ^•' "'"°'y °f Merchant Shipping and Aacitnt Commerce. ().«, ,5.. Ill,wr^ii„«,<. M.,,,,, ...^ i j, .,,. 1. ■' An.xiier •.und.irj »urL* '/"A.- r/w«. Little Preacher. 3arao. i». Locker (A.) The Village Surgeon. A Fragment of Anio- b«.,raphy. Hy A«l«u« IxKKl... Aulhor „f "S^n, ii„„,„a" Uo.n Sva.. cloth. New tjilion. j.. W. Mvenleen. .^/ oj PublUalitHS. Low's Oarman Scriei. -i' *:"^ ^"^^ £S^^ it^lX'SLK-;? I. Th« Illustrated German Pni-»»r it^i... .1. , , ••;''>l >'.".? "n;.,.„.,,",Vi«";,.,','''"f,''"""*''"'"^«'«« >.„a'.I;o"s'o "'"'" *"0''«»'*- "y I'r. Lt, „, .•ma"r;t?"r ««•*"- '"o-'y^-'-l clo.h.g.U«ig«. * T'^j."'*'"" °' "" M'nie. By Dr. Hollak.^ 4. Undine, .nd the Two Capt.in. H, F,^. *i .,. 5. ;?;"y "■"£'■■ Cowry .n?Vhe E.dL-."'*'!?. "'>«""«-• '■''"ter^J^""^"-'"'"'" ByXB.SA,«T,H., N™.. «. Roberl-s Holid.ye. I'.of,.,, 1, |||,„,r..„:d. iL th\' J."?,^„i'i';j'.",»i*„'i ■>-'"«<•• "■"'-'>■ '"-'-«^ II. The Minister's Wooing, ij. Aunt Jo'> Scrap iiae. Low's Copyright and Cheap Editions of American Authors co„,|.tts,„K I'o^ubr VVotk.. rc|„„.,t^ by" .J^e menl with their Authors :— ' ariauge- I. H'unted He.rt.. Ily the Auiho, of " The Lampl,VI„„ - 4. View. Afoot, .ly irAv«„7»yLo, »o».C.b.n." 5. Kathrtn., Her Life and Mine lt„ I r- u J Men. Women, a.idQho.!.. Hy M,v> Pm.7^ t S'^jr.^dr it'.TLirA.Jtrpr.i-'- i-"- ' I f I i I I 1' ^ "» ■/ «6 •Sum//,.''* Zfftf and Co.t ■ I. Faith Oartn«y li. ttowt'a Old town Polki, at u ■ .i«|. „ l> Uwell. Study Window;. "^ "■ .'J Jink .o'^'^'kI? *,°*"'"' *»CH»li.uDl.oimWAa.aa^ :i w;''o!?,t.'*'B7'„:'";J:?,^„«"'"- Stow..""*""* ~ ■M^'::fn.:;r„'';7,.H^j ^^^-^ ""~" ^'-"^ Auth..., - J!iJ''£r,.,.=^^: ^- ° *""«■'• »>-'". Vol,-., ... u aj. Parm Ballada. by Will. Caflnot „. Crown 8.0. Bound uniformly in clolh »lra ■ ^'.VdS:;' t^E^drr »'«3;- "• ''"^"- *■"■ """"«i-. » H.Tr/ol;-L":^i:-t-„„"- Bi\,'f - " r'" .i^ici:i';;.^'-.rj''""""°^ "-•° "-"%V';^ Ill.mr«lion« 71 t>^ --""ixn. two .Mjpa ,„d •cvcral '• ^N^Sruo,"" " m"'^ °" '"""•• B' «Mo. w. F. t^:?;:'.';; Low's Standard Novell. Crown 8vo. &. each cloth „i™ Pff* ';•"'"•■ By WiLu.M B>..c. "•"CB, Cloth ctn. A D.ughi.r o( Heth. 1 hinetmh Editioa Bv W R, .„ u,. .. KIliTieny a No..I By W Bi^cK Clara Vaufhan. By R D Blackmo... WofS". s * ' ? 0,,r„A„ E,|ih, Illu.tr.uori Tv"'..'''"'"^' • C."t,id,eJ.i™ Story. Ty C. lUuUratioiu. C. FlIAiBI- »•""- a. C, On., Ev.. 7;„,r~ " AC QAHAN ,r A 1 C— "V!*!; ,"" "■t""' ^^Khr.'.*^ w'^,P*'»'""f « the 0,u, u ^" ' "- " -'I'-^and'Lv^iru';.""*' " ''• M«g,ego, (John,) .- R^t »„ .. '^wji "pen.! Edi..^"'!*.*;, ^°;^ '^ «>>« i -r! «"" Roy c.„o.. ,iui Rub Roy." Mahony (M. F I A .-K • . Walpoli in L<;;. b .TT'* "' ""^ *■ ernor -loraea Marlthan, „ *"1' ■'"""«•»• S„a„ piV'?J--'Juc..on by ' H, Ma.'. ,a»",-' _ -• """ Map aad Of B^tti^'t^.^^™''* •" Baffin'. Bay and ,K r^i 1. «8 Sampson Low and Co.'s Markha irkham (C. R.) The Threshold of '.he Unknown Recion. Crown e,o. wiih Ko„r Ml.. l-.,„,il, Kdilion. Wi.', .„l,i„i„„.,Ul,,i>. ltr>, p>Jii« iIk- hw..iy ,.' our ;.re><'iu ixih.I,i,.,i, .„ (.„ .„ k.r.wii ui',1 all aLCoiint ut l\\K Llulli CAtr;'. luf. («■/, •*»'_JiJ^MMi»5) The Princess of the Moor. Tauclmiut Trans- Marsh (O P.) Origin and Histoiy of tl = English Lan- gii-iKc. 8vo. i6#. " The Earth, as mcdified by human action, beine a New Edition of "taiini.ndN.iure" Koj.,] 6vc . clu.!., ,Sj. ' Lectures on the EngUsb Language. Svo. 15^. Martin's Vineyard. Uy Afncs Ilirri^un. fruwn 8vo. cloth. iot. us. Mason (C. W.) The Rape of the Gamp. 3 »„ls. 31,. 6,/. Masterpieces of tfcs Pitii PaUce, and other Picture Gal- Jh'.'i?l°' f <"«"«. ."'ill »pme Account o( the Arti.t. and their tmntinns Ali... ,i„. l,.u,J.„„Kly l„u„j „. j,^,, ,..-^ ? tdsc». j/. 1^, (h/. ' • " Maury (Commander) Physical Geography of the Sea and wJjk "!'?,1? S**:- """?.? »«'"">["":»">• »nd EnUrKemcnl of hi, forme. Work ^wiih lUiuUju*. Cham .uid Dusninu. New Ediiuin. Cro«. I'rictti M , lvtv. wi!! \k for».inlt.l ,.ii ri^Lii.i ..f MX penny uaiiti>^. 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P'>eln.(Mi„,o..e.Aja,. 3,„,o. w. —- Men, Wo^en, and Gho.... ..no. sd. ..« ; ^1 a, — Hedgedln. Kn,o. Sewed, ,. a^. , ^„^ ^ '"• "^ Silent Partner. 5,. Trotty'a Wedding Tour Sn.,11 What to Wear !. ,° c "^ "'* ^- « Ph.M „ F^'^'PSvo., fancy boaM.. „ P-^.P., L..Oiction.r, Of Biographical Reference. 1. Pho.ography,Hi.,oryand Handbook of,. .r„Ti.a. .• Pic.ur Gallery of Bri.i.h Ar, (The, T "' l»™je and complcie in iiie.f '" '■ ''"'•i "M. i«/. each. E^i 32 Samftm Lew and Co.'s ''"'Inl.^n' ?''''-Tfopic.I Rambles in the Land of the Aph>niptery«. In I vol dfmy 8vo. ,8, PmC^lv IM,,,7,„r,H™ ""iS.^'l^A'H'r. '^" f """''' ^^ »"■• •-"'"T Edition, ~pii',,^h'*^S\.y!!''Z"^ *'"■ <-'<>•'(:•''- F.Hilir.n of " Lives of Poe (E. A.) The Works Of. 4 vols. 2/. 2,. *"""•, fdJ,!,!!,* ,p""" ^"'■. ^ ^"' "^''i'i""- Raised, will, Polar Expedition. Str Koldeway an,I Markham. ''''wmJ."6f Lf^'''*'""'' Women. l!y C. A. Stk..B«uve. ''""' cT„".TiT„;i.'"',^'^' " '■■'■'•'' J-""« F- franco Crown Prejevalsky (N M.). 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T H « '}■ J"'"" • Holid.y,. lllustraltj „ ,. r .°'"',!* '" "" Mill, „. " £;P'«'" K'ld . Money. ,, .'J. =: X^; W?fe°:„'d''.''','','i°",?- ("<»""« vol. J. „. AV/i«.— The Volumes in ihi Q ■ Peniive fom. on fine loned m'^**Ho!h'''°,'"'''''^'"^ '" " "•»" "■ s;- ." -^ accord., j::';!-'^-,^ ".'"•£':.r'ff:,?-c-^„ Ruth and Gabriel. A Novel Ii,/ i ., ^;^''-"- -- ^--^"- J;i^^r^;:^^'^:;:-i.,.._ fcr^j^ny yean Co„»^„.„,. „,.,, .. i'l'i U'„;;,^,,'--.--;,S.„., Schillef*! Lay of the Bell tran.l.i.^ i,_ r j . "" <^t""' ,. ii;u.„,„„^ .,,„ Ke," 6bC »i ..S'' Lord Lytton. (vi,h School Prizea. ,$■« Book. " Schuyler (E.)Turki,tan." '.v. Turkistan Schweinfurth (Dr, G.) The Hea« of Africa • „r -n. K.i«.,. 1 ,o ,ol„me., 8.^ „,«a'd. of' ™T "'"' ''t '^' "•" « •^//er Publicaliom. 35 -r«,.. P''*" ">« "« ««... of bo,, u, .horn i, ;?^p^,^ . „ * »"«v. ' . we \tiaA II every rt very complete trealiM ■ ■, . 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The Oue.n ,,f .u ^. '^""'•'• •■ ' - .:/ ■ -^.'.^.^Vt^p."' '"« Colonie, ; or, Queensland Thornwell Abb... j vol. ,„ "'^''- '■T4iJ;/,tJ?:, Wond^^^^^^^^^ the Antipode.: Tucheodorf (Or.) Th« N» T... ' .^ >. » »n« New Te.t.mene. A»NewT«.U. '< m'-im ^, .^> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^// 'i< (/. 1.0 I.I IM K& 1^ lU ■ 2.5 2.2 1.8 1 1-25 1.4 |||.6 ^ 6" ► '/Q /^ % ^^^' - V/:^^^ >^ '/ A Riotographic Sciences Corporation •» •«" '" "" «i.i»«i fo--, «d r*. P^Uc m„l *„rf/, *, „r,/./ /. ^„ Lo.-, AuTHO,'. EoiT.o... ^'".^r^ '''•' J*"! J-*"** "' ""• Whit. Elephant : Siehe. Bo^rdi, Ij. 6 "» *•' C H. Wall" M.A. Lrown Ivo, doth celra. 6«. * W«rburton'. (Col. Egei^on) Journey acro.a centre lo KoeEoume WeMem Au.lr.ul W.Ik 1 I J"'""«» '">"■ Ihe Edi..d„lh „ Jnlrod:ci'o^tS''i;' b*^''Ji'"«'"'°"V"''" i'T RoT.lfc«.,r.phk.l Soc«i,^D.™^T;o Jl"h. ,6? "• ''"' ' °^ "" Warner (C. D.) My Summer in ■ Oardtn, dot^M. (Uw'.Copyri.h.Soi.^) -T;^t!tl°f, """""• Bo«i..,.«, cloth,,. (UW. Hummie. .nd Mo.lemi. (/, ,^^„,. ^•£P"*J 't^' T*!' Northern St.r .n' f'ATaMA II wT, '*''*"" peiniameiii Fhoi.* Winter at thi- Italian Lake. Wi.h p . • j-i-to*. Small po«,„,s„i;:"',.., have mc-t wi.h g,«., .^j wdlslc«r,ed ;r" "'""" i"'^" ""••• '^^•" '"'^~"'-'- N-hi„g .u"",u like .uccc«; and „o «x,n.. were thc» beautiful wo,k> of art fproduced only .. ^^ ^ ^y one or two fir^ of hi Jj^ ■nc «n .V. Co„.i„en., i„.ruced to the Bri.i^ p„b.,c Ly M^ Z K T f "• "^ • """^ """ WerioTchro^o-Utit en.,, s. all ,« .ng „„j„ .^^ ^ ^ „, J>- once bnnging the* new productions into diwepuie In order a. „nch a. possible to counteract thi. unmerited du- ,«r^ement of works of real value, so well calculate., to elevate art by ,K,rulanr,„g the works of its greatest nusters. in a form « onee ehea,, a«i yet most faithh-.l i„ eolour and drawing. Mess " SAM, SON Low (,Kcially.a,,H.inte.,. Agents of .he L Co^.' .nenta prndueers, have prepared a very carefullyselected lis. ol the best subjects only, which will be fonvardeo p«, free ,o any ALL THE OLEOCRAPHS CAN BE SUPPLIED EITHER KKAMEO OR UNK^AMED. The Trade aupplicdlon apecial Icrma. LONDON: SAMPSOH LOW, MABSTOJi, SEAHLE, A«D RJVfflGTOK, CPOWN miLDltXiS, ,88, KLEET STRFET. ^E PICTURE GALLERY Returning from M.rk«; Roll.rt^''.' t'*""' ^T "<' ^'"der; .... LONDON- CtOWN Bfl'DINM, 188. tLUT SI,i„. MEN OF MARK Th. R,c„T Hi^ s;.'c * w" ""•"" 'H.KT HoH.Jo.-,8..<;NT'lip 1 he Dnrtrs^ia . >• --""■ J"' «« oticNT. M P i"r ■^'■"""'■'-. MP riPIVK^vro « '" ■""• "F INDIA. i E MlLLAI,. R Jl Si. W ?""• * " *^ Samu.l Pumjoll, M p r!i^~i°''^^"^'>R«s ..,. "riNlONS OF THF l '■■■'iffpBSiSFft.ra--™....:!' "OWN .flLDINCS. Igg, ,t,„ ,„^_ •< M c i~-~f~~- ^UE PUBLISHERS' CIRCULAR .-^ A e«h Momh '^ ' '° Hubl.ca,.„„ „„ n, ,^ ^ ,j,^ ^^ "Tiber, h.»e .he rijh. .o Z"^r."L^r4'"'''""™"- •*^"''- outofpri-l. ""Wrtuefor Book* Wuitcd " ^hich arc »^*" O" '=«^«0^^'~^^^^^~^^RTISEMENTS H"frV'.Ve°'"'*^*'> •■•33^ Per line after . ' ' ' • » a 6 LONDON: SAMPSON LOW. MARSTON. SEARLE, & RIV.NGTON CHUWKKrUH ~ "^s,'^[Z';^7 *" '~"" 9/<