The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-10-03
here is. 1t becomes poetic, however, in

there is. 1t becomes poetic, however, in
poetic natures"
''My nature is absolute prose, so ] can
not pretend to understand" said Aubrey;
but although he said so, it was not quite
so sincerely spoken as was his wont. He
had vein OF romance in his character,
beneath the coldness of his exterior and
the prosaic nature of his occupations.
When he had been quite boy he had
made a secret marriage from pure love.
1t had lasted brief space, and had ended
i'll. The woman for whom he had sacri-
feed much had been false to him in
gross and brutal intrigue. He had not
made his wound public, and she had died
not long after his discovery of her infidel-
ity. No one had been aware of this un-
fortunate drama in his life, but it had
made him at once Indifferent to
women, and sympathetic with all
sorrows OF the affections. He never
laughed at those who suffered. His own
wound had healed, indeed, long ago, but
now and then a nerve still thrilled under
the remembrance of its pain. Love had
little place now in his busy and laborious
life, but his estimate of it was higher than
his cousins, the doors of whose life stood
wide open to il all seasons through. Ii
there was anything in human nature
which made him irritable, it was to hear
men speak OF the passions of life as Guild
erOy spoke of them. "If they are play
things they are not passions, he was wont
to say, mo more than the fireworks on the
Arc de PEtoile are the flames OF the com
mune."
For errors which were the birth of pas
sion he had infinite sympathy, but with
the mere caprices of the senses and the
fancy he had little Datience
"He should marry" said Lady Sunbury
to him OF her brother, repeating her favor
ite lament.
Aubrey laughed.
81 should certainly pity his wife," he
replied.
hWhy?" said Lady Sunbury, irritated.
'She would have very agreeable posi-
ton"
"Oh, no doubt" assented Aubrey. 'If
she were satisfied with position. Perhaps
she would not be-"
women are not romantic nowadays"
said his cousin, in the tone with which
she would have said that women did not
wear patches.
81 suppose that there are as many-or
as few-dmes delite now as then" replied
Aubrey. There never can have been
yer many. Why should you want him to
marry?" he continued; "you know you
would hate a saint ii he married her"
al am sure / should be delighted" said
Lady Sunbury, and was fully persuaded
that she spoke the truth.
Aubrey smiled.
He spent that day at Ladysrood, and
then took his departure for his own place
-Balfrons, in the North. Balfrons was
mighty border castle which had withstood
raids and sieges from the days of Hot
spur, and it gave its name to the mar
quisate which he would inherit on the
death of his father, already a very old
man of feeble health, who was but seldom
seen by the world.
81 wonder what he would do with his
| life if he allowed himself to do what he
wishes ?" said Guilderoy, when his cousin
had go2e.
"Heswould never leave Baltrons, and
! would collect early Latin manuscripts Of
| Virgil" replied Lady Sunbury.
almost as dreary a paradise as his
present purgatory"
THAT is a matter of taste. You prefer
to collect number of erotic memories
which soon grow as fusty to you as if they
were used tea leaves"
"They are at least as amusing as old
| Italian manuscripts"
Not as harmless, +" said Lady Sunbury.
Continued neTt reek)