Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-09-15

exalted by this passionate demonstration,
that should certainly have gone over with
her, and felt perfectly content to die in her
arms, at least until began to realize what
very disagreeable bath we had chosen to
drown in.
81 drew her away; 1 walked up and down
with that superb creature painting and palpi-
tating almost upon my heart; l poured into
her ear l know not what eXtravagant vows;
and before the slow-handed sailors had fasten-
ed their cable to the buoy in the channel, we
had knotted a more subtle and difficult moose,
not to be so easily undonei
Now see what strange, variable fools we
are! Months of tender intercourse had failed
to bring about anything like a positive en-
gagement between Margaret and myself, and
here behold me irrevocably pledged to Flora
after brief ten days acquaintance
''Six mortal hours were exhausted in max
ing the steamer fast-in sending off her Mai
esty's mails, of which the cockney speaks with
tone of reverence altogether disgusting to
MS free-minded Yankees-and in entertaining
the custom house inspectors, who paid a long
and tedious visit to the saloon and our lug
gage. Then we were suffered to land and en-
ter the noisy, solid streets of Liverpool. amid
the donkeys and beggars and quaint scenes,
which strike the American so oddly upon a
first visit. All this delay the WEAKNESS and
Impotence, the contrast between the mornin o
and the hard, grim reality of midday brought
me down from my elevation. felt alarmed
to think of what had passed. l seemed to
have been doing some wild, unadvised act in
fit of intOxication. Margaret came up be-
fore me, sad, silent, reproachful; and as
gazed upon Flora's bedimed face, wondered
how had been so charmed.
ave took the first train for London, where
we arrived at midnight. Two weeks in that
vast Babel-then hoi for Parisi Twelve hours
by rail and steamer carried us out of John
Bulls dominions into the brilliant metropolis
of his French neighbor. Joseph accompanied
US. and wrote letters home filed with gossip
which | knew, or hoped would make Marga-
ret writhe. had not found il as easy to for
get her as had supposed it would be. Flora's
power over me was sovereign; but when was
weary of the dazzle and whirl of the life she
led me-when i looked into the depths of my
heart, and saw what the film of passion and
pleasure concealed-in those serious moments
which would come, and my soul put stern
questions to me-then, sir-then-Margaret
had her revenge.
"a month, crowded and glittering with
novelty and incident, preceded our departure
for Switzerland. l accompanied Flora's par
ty; Joseph remained behind. We left Paris
about the middle of June and returned in
September l have no words to speak of that
era in my life. / saw, enjoyed, learned. suf-
fered so much. Flora was always glad, mag
nifcent, irresistible. But as | knew her long
er, my moments of misgiving became more
frequent and profound, If l had aspired to
nothing higher than life of sensuous de-
lights, she would have been all l could wish.
But
1--WE were to spend the winter in Italy.
Meanwhile. we had another month in Paris.
Here had found Joseph again, who troubled
me good deal with certain rumOrs he had
received concerning Margaret. According
to these, she had been in feeble health ever
since we left, and her increasing delicacy was
beginning to alarm her friends. But added
another of Joseph's correspondents, don't let
Westwood fatter himself that he is the cause
for she is cured of him; and there is talk of
an engagement between her and handsome
young clergyman, who is both eloquent and
fascinating.
This bit of gossip made me very bitter
and angry. Forget me so soonY | said, and
receive the attentions of another man? You
see how consistent was, to condemn her for
the very fault had myself been so eager to
to commit
"Well, the round of rides, excursions, sOiT-
ees, visits to the operas and theatres, walks on
the Boulevards, and in the galleries of the
Louvre ended at last The evening before
we were to set out for the South of France, |
was at my lodgings unpacking and repacking
the luSSdSc WHICH L udu lcIJ Ill JOSE pu care
during my absence among the Alps; | was
melancholy, dissatisfied with the designations
which had exhausted my time and energies,
and thinking of Margaret. / had not pre-
served a single memento of her; and now |
wished had one-if only withered leaf, or
line of her writing. In this mood, chanc-
ed to cast my eye upon a stray glove in the
bottom of my trunk. l snatched at it eager
ly, and, in the impulse of the mOment-bc-
fore | reflected that | was wronging Flora
pressed it to my lips. Yes, | found the place
where it had been mended, the spot Margaret's
fingers had touched, and gave it a kiss for
every stitch. Then. incensed at myself |
flung it from me, and hurried from the room.
L walked towards the Place de la Concorde,
where the brilliant lamps burned like a con-
stellation. | strolled through the Elysian
Fields, aud watched the lights of the carriage
swarming like fire flies up the long avenue;
stopped by the concert gardens. and listened
to the glOrified girls singing under rosy and
golden pavilions the last songs of the season;
wandered about the fountains, by the gardens
of the Tuilleries, where the trees stood so
shady and still, and the statues CLEANED so
pale-along the quays of the Seine, where the
waves rolled so dark below-trying to settle
my thoughts, to master myself, to put Margar-
ct from me.