Genre Romance. Page - 11

arden-path, wondering what it was that she had still to say to him. She led him into a small room at the back of the house, looking out upon the lawn. Then she stood in front of him.

"Will you kiss me once, please," she said simply, and she stood with her arms hanging at her side, whilst he kissed her on the lips.

"Thank you," she said. "Now will you go?"

He left her standing in the little room and led the horses back to the inn. That afternoon he took the train to London.

CHAPTER III

IN BOMBAY

It was not until a day late in January eight years afterwards that Thresk saw the face of Stella Derrick again; and then it was only in a portrait. He came upon it too in a most unlikely place. About five o'clock upon that afternoon he drove out of the town of Bombay up to one of the great houses on Malabar Hill and asked for Mrs. Carruthers. He was shown into a drawing-room which looked over Back Bay to the great buildings of the c

ch a--oh such a angel of a gentleman as Mr. Harvey'--and the other, that she 'can't tell how it is, but it don't seem a bit like a work-a-day, or a Sunday neither--it's all so unsettled and unregular.'

THE FORMAL COUPLE

The formal couple are the most prim, cold, immovable, and unsatisfactory people on the face of the earth. Their faces, voices, dress, house, furniture, walk, and manner, are all the essence of formality, unrelieved by one redeeming touch of frankness, heartiness, or nature.

Everything with the formal couple resolves itself into a matter of form. They don't call upon you on your account, but their own; not to see how you are, but to show how they are: it is not a ceremony to do honour to you, but to themselves,--not due to your position, but to theirs. If one of a friend's children die, the formal couple are as sure and punctual in sending to the house as the undertaker; if a friend's family be increased, the monthly nurse is not more attentive than they. The form

ld, therefore, have you order it so, that he may think I am but just gone out, if he should happen by any Accident to call when I am not here; for I would not, for the World, have him imagine I do not constantly lodge here. The Landlady assur'd her she would do every Thing as she desired, and gave her to understand she wanted not the Gift of Secrecy.

EVERY Thing being ordered at this Home for the Security of her Reputation, she repaired to the other, where she easily excused to an unsuspecting Aunt, with whom she boarded, her having been abroad all Night, saying, she went with a Gentleman and his Lady in a Barge, to a little Country Seat of theirs up the River, all of them designing to return the same Evening; but that one of the Bargemen happ'ning to be taken ill on the sudden, and no other Waterman to be got that Night, they were oblig'd to tarry till Morning. Thus did this Lady's Wit and Vivacity assist her in all, but where it was most needful. - She had Discernment to forsee, and avoid all those I

an with the accuracy of a sculptor's eye. "There is onepoint, however, or, rather, two points, in respect to which our friendDonatello's abundant curls will not permit us to say whether the likenessis carried into minute detail."

And the sculptor directed the attention of the party to the ears of thebeautiful statue which they were contemplating.

But we must do more than merely refer to this exquisite work of art; itmust be described, however inadequate may be the effort to express itsmagic peculiarity in words.

The Faun is the marble image of a young man, leaning his right arm on thetrunk or stump of a tree; one hand hangs carelessly by his side; in theother he holds the fragment of a pipe, or some such sylvan instrument ofmusic. His only garment--a lion's skin, with the claws upon hisshoulder--falls halfway down his back, leaving the limbs and entire frontof the figure nude. The form, thus displayed, is marvellously graceful,but has a fuller and more rounded outline, more flesh, and

o dispose of the miserable horse that hasbrought me hither, and am preparing to continue the journey on foot."

Although he seemed to recite this story tranquilly enough, Iobserved the tears start to his eyes as he concluded. Thisadventure struck me as being not less singular than it wasaffecting. "I do not press you," said I to him, to make me theconfidant of your secrets; but if I can be of use to you in anyway, I gladly tender you my services." "Alas!" replied he,"I see not the slightest ray of hope. I must reconcile myselfto my destiny in all its rigour. I shall go to America: there,at least, I may be free to live with her I love. I have writtento a friend, who will send me money to Havre-de-Grace. My onlydifficulty is to get so far, and to supply that poor creature,"added he, as he cast a look of sorrow at his mistress, "withsome few comforts upon the way." "Well!" said I to him, "Ishall relieve you from that difficulty. Here is some money, ofwhich I entreat your acceptance: I a