Year: 1867




and, moreover, 4 ii 'picion was drlwUno
IN my mind that he had only got down to
talk to me because he could find no other
diversion.


''No; why should I go and see tbeni?"


''They asked you to-


eyes; but that's mere form, as have
often found. | have had dozens of hope
to see you in England and when I have
called, they have either been particularly
engaged, or have bowed me out with q
cold good morning" No, [ never pns
much faith in these invitations"


"But you cannot think that, after such
an obligation"


My dear sir, I jumped overheard I'd
save a man, and he cheated me of 92O.
| cured another man of brain-fever. and
he cut me dead because I heard his raw:
inss. He would have called me out, too,
If he could have found second. No, I
don't expect much from obligations


"But these people did what they could
to repay you. | heard that til ey got YOU
some valuable introductions when YOU
went to India"


Valuable introductions? What, letters
to tribe of old fo5ies who never gave
me dinner without insulting me, and
refused to hel p me on the only occasion,
when their help would have been useful?"


81 cannot but think, however, that
you are unreasonably prejudiced I do
not think human nature is generally So
bad as you seem to believe. | am several
years Older than you are -"


"Excuse my interrupting you" the
young man interposed, with visible i'm
patience, "but | have heard that sort of
thing so often before. I suppose shall
say 1t in my turn when I am your age:
but meanwhile let me help the opinion L
have formed from my own observations"


After this, Of course, it was useless
talking to him, and we walked in silence
down the lane. Suddenly. at turn, we
came on the physician walking back from
the house he had gone to visit, accompan-
led still by tie young lady's father
They both looked for moment on the
young man without sign of recognition
But this lasted only moment with the
physician; the next he held out his hand
In greeting, and said: "Ah welcome
back our young flute player and exorciser
of evil SPIRITS


The father saw by this address that the
stranger was the man to whom he owed
so much, and he stepped forward with the
utmost cordiality. In spite of the warmth
OF his greeting, the young man received
it somewhat coldly; but it was impossible
While they talked together, 1 seized the
opportunity of asking the physician about
the lady. "She is quite WELL" he re-
pick, Except the tinge of melancholy
her father mentioned, which seems to me
not dangerous. Bnt [ dare say the sight
of her preserver will take it away"


When we reached the house | thought
the father would prepare his daughter.
but he ushered US all at once into the lit
tie morning room where she was sitting
L had not seen her since her complete re-
covery, and the change to me was very
great l bad known her first as gloomy,
mindless figure, like one of the gravestone
eftlgie holding an extinguishing lamp
| saw her now as cheerful English girl
She was sitting by the table working d
piece OF embroidery, from which hel eye
glanced almost continually on book that
lay open beside her. She seemed at that
moment entirely free from the melancholy
OF which Der father had complained
She was singing under her breath an air
which [ had no difficulty in recognizing
as the one that had met me down the lane
The book she was reading was descrip-
ton of life in India.


Why do linger now on these details?
Perhaps because the shock came on ME so
suddenly then. It was just while I was
noticing them that she raised her head, and
sazed round on the group She did not
recognize me, and her look passed on.
But the moment it fell on the young stu.
dent she half rose from her seat, half
shrank back from his eye; then she ut
tered one scream and sank back on her
chair. We all ran up to lift her, and we
found that the worst fears we could have
formed were rea fixed The iron mask
had fallen again on her face and on her
mind and this time it was forever.


A Paris EXnOsitiOn letter saws. U'The