of conveyance to the
desirable country before mentioned. Many of the fair _illuminatae_ who
were quite willing to go off with a kindred spirit, were withheld by
the necessities of infinite pairs of French kid gloves, and gallons
of cologne-water, and indispensable clouds of mechlin and point lace,
which were necessary to keep around them the poetry of existence.

Although it was well understood among them that the religion of the
emotions is the only true religion, and that nothing is holy that you
do not feel exactly like doing, and every thing is holy that you do;
still these fair confessors lacked the pluck of primitive Christians,
and could not think of taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods,
even for the sake of a kindred spirit. Hence the necessity of living
in deplored marriage-bonds with husbands who could pay rent and taxes,
and stand responsible for unlimited bills at Stewart's and Tiffany's.
Hence the philosophy which allowed the possession of the body to one
man, and of the soul to another, which one may see treated of at large
in any writings of the day.

As yet Lillie had been kept intact from all this sort of thing by the
hard, brilliant enamel of selfishness. That little shrewd, gritty
common sense, which enabled her to see directly through other people's
illusions, has, if we mistake not, by this time revealed itself to our
readers as an element in her mind: but now there is to come a decided
thrust at the heart of her womanhood; and we shall see whether the
paralysis is complete, or whether the woman is alive.

If Lillie had loved Harry Endicott poor, had loved him so much that
at one time she had seriously balanced the possibility of going to
housekeeping in a little unfashionable house, and having only one
girl, and hand in hand with him walking the paths of economy,
self-denial, and prudence,--the reader will see that Harry Endicott
rich, Harry Endicott enthroned in fashionable success, Harry Endicott
plus fast horses, splendid equipages, a fine city house, and a country
house on the Hudson, was something still more dangerous to her
imagination.

But more than this was the stimulus of Harry Endicott out of her
power, and beyond the sphere of her charms. She had a feverish desire
to see him, but he never called. Forthwith she had a confidential
conversation with her bosom friend, who entered into the situation
with enthusiasm, and invited him to her receptions. But he didn't
come.

The f