Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-06-22
valuable books that I should like to

valuable books that I should like to
see.'
1T is dreadful to scholar to lose a
book on which he has set his heart, !"
said Sir Edward. addressing himself to
Perdita. ''My friend Blackmore was
telling me the other day of his having
once just missed the chance of De BrY's
English Virgininas-which is extraordi-
narily rarely the merest fluke."
''What did you say the name was,
sir?' said Jacques, bending forward.
INTERCHANGEABLE. John Blackmore. :"
He stopped surprised, for Jacques ut
tered loud. explosive chuckle, and
then Immediately resumed his former
gravity.
''How was it?" asked Perdita, little
ashamed OF the behavior of her friend.
''He was bargaining for the book at
one of those booksellers shops, and the
first day he had to do with the master,
who seemed a pliable sort of man
enough, so he offered him low price;
but he would not swallow that; so he
went away, and returning the next day.
he found only the shopman, an awkward
kind of lad, but who knew twice as
his master And this creature-this
CaIiban, as he called him-kept him
dangling day after day, and on the very
day on which he had made up his mind
to pay the whole price demanded, he
coolly informed him that the shop was
closed, and that they were going to re-
tire from business"
Another loud chuckle from Jacques,
but he said nothing.
SIT seems to please you that poor Mr..
Blackmore should have been disap-
pointed, Mr.. lDanby said Sir Edward,
coldly
ooh, not at all; no, no, SIR" faltered
Jacques.
when Blackmore told me about it. -
went on Sir Edward, turning to Dita,
and smiling, ''the tears were in his eyes.
He said that he had never got over the
Disappointment though it happened
many years ago; and he finished the
story with not very polite intersection
in respect to his enemy"
''Poor man." said Dita laughing mer-
rily. Encouraged by her example Jaques
gave way to an irrepressible fit of laugh
ter. He struggled, he choked, he tried
to stife it in huge pocket-handker-
chief, it became nervous, and he was
obliged to get up, and, hastily saying
good-bY, leave the room. ..sr
What an extraordinary creature!"
said Sir Edward; "what could he find in
my story to put him into such an agoniz-
ing condition."
Il fancy that he must have known
something about it all BEFORE" said Per-
dita; ''but Jaques is always upset by a
Joke and is one of those unluckly people
who cannot control laughter it it gets
beyond certain point"
II confess that I did not perceive the
joke. I never saw much a person."
'Ah, you do not know how good he is!''
cried Dita. ''He is a rough diamond in
deed.''
Unfortunately" said Sir Edward,
coldly. zone of the innate faults of my
character is an excess of dislike to what
is unrefned am too fastidious, for
merit gives me no pleasure without
polish
''You speak of this as fault in tone
that betrays that you are proud of IL, }"
said Perdita Indignantly.
II beg your pardon" said he.
"You have nothing for which to beg
my pardon. Ar She fancied sud-
denly that he was asking her pardon,
because he meant to include her own re-
lations in the sweeping speech he had
made The color rushed into her face,
her nostrils dilated, her eyes flashed
she looked quite beautiful.
Il understand what you mean," she
said. slowly. II am obliged to you for
undecelving me in the belief that there
might have been friendship between us
it is at an end; but though it may be
wrong to say so, Sir Edward, l have the
courage to say that, in some cases at
least, the parvenu may be the truer gen.
tleman."
After this she ought to have left the
room, there was no doubt about it; but
as the fates would have it, her leg was
broken. and his shoulder out of joint and
badly set; neither could move, and at
least an hour must elapse before any in
corruption could come. Each took up
book, but each saw that the other was
not reading, and both were very angry
indeed. She had called him, or at least
had as good as told him, that he was not
so true gentleman as old Andrew
Lovel; ard he had spoken words that as
she under stood them, she could not easily
forgive. The clock struck 12-then its
single stroke announced half-past.
They are long time coming in" said
Sir Edward, stiffly.
No answer. Sir Edward went back to
his book
TO BE CONTINUED.