d and tussled, no doubt worthily enough,
and as became them; not however to impose the strife upon the elect
ladies of earth. What gentleman ever did talk to a young lady upon the
dreary topic seriously? Least of all should Nevil Beauchamp have done
it. That object of her high imagination belonged to the exquisite sphere
of the feminine vision of the pure poetic, and she was vexed by the
discord he threw between her long-cherished dream and her unanticipated
realization of him, if indeed it was he presenting himself to her in his
own character, and not trifling, or not passing through a phase of young
man's madness.

Possibly he might be the victim of the latter and more pardonable state,
and so thinking she gave him her hand.

'Good-bye, Nevil. I may tell papa to expect you tomorrow?'

'Do, and tell him to prepare for a field-day.'

She smiled. 'A sham fight that will not win you a vote! I hope you will
find your guests this evening agreeable companions.'

Beauchamp half-shrugged involuntarily. He obliterated the piece of
treason toward them by saying that he hoped so; as though the meeting
them, instead of slipping on to Mount Laurels with her, were an
enjoyable prospect.

He was dropped by the Esperanza's boat near Otley ferry, to walk along
the beach to Bevisham, and he kept eye on the elegant vessel as she
glided swan-like to her moorings off Mount Laurels park through dusky
merchant craft, colliers, and trawlers, loosely shaking her towering
snow-white sails, unchallenged in her scornful supremacy; an image of a
refinement of beauty, and of a beautiful servicelessness.

As the yacht, so the mistress: things of wealth, owing their graces to
wealth, devoting them to wealth--splendid achievements of art both! and
dedicated to the gratification of the superior senses.

Say that they were precious examples of an accomplished civilization;
and perhaps they did offer a visible ideal of grace for the rough world
to aim at. They might in the abstract address a bit of a monition to
the uncultivated, and encourage the soul to strive toward perfection, in
beauty: and there is no contesting the value of beauty when the soul
is taken into account. But were they not in too great a profusion in
proportion to their utility? That was the question for Nevil Beauchamp.
The democratic spirit inhabiting him, temporarily or permanently, asked
whether they were not increasing to numbers which were oppressive?
And further, whethe