cuments Margaret spoke of were a myth, and
that her declaration of the engagement was in reality the only weapon
she could use in Claudius's defence. But that did not change matters. No
woman would "give herself away," as he expressed it, so recklessly,
unless she were perfectly certain. Therefore Mr. Barker went into the
supper-room, and took a little champagne to steady his nerves; after
which he did his best to amuse himself, talking with unusual vivacity to
any young lady of his acquaintance whom he could allure from her partner
for a few minutes. For he had kept himself free of engagements that
evening on Margaret's account, and now regretted it bitterly. But Mr.
Barker was a great match, as has been said before, and he seldom had
any difficulty in amusing himself when he felt so inclined. He had not
witnessed Margaret's departure, for, not wishing to be seen coming out
of the boudoir alone, a sure sign of defeat, and being perfectly
familiar with the house, he had found his way by another door, and
through circuitous passages to the pantry, and thence to the
supper-room; so that by the time he had refreshed himself Margaret and
Mr. Bellingham had gone.

Do people of Mr. Barker's stamp feel? Probably not. It requires a strong
organisation, either animal or intellectual, to suffer much from any
shock to the affections. Englishmen, on those occasions when their
passion gets the better of their caution, somewhat a rare occurrence
nowadays, are capable of loving very strongly, and of suffering severely
if thwarted, for they are among the most powerful races in the animal
kingdom. Their whole history shows this, moulded as it has generally
been by exceptional men, for the most part Irish and Scotch, in whom the
highest animal and intellectual characteristics were united. Germans, in
whom the intellectual faculties, and especially the imagination,
predominate, are for the most part very love-sick for at least half
their lives. But Americans seem to be differently organised; meaning, of
course, the small class, who would like to be designated as the
"aristocracy" of the country. The faculties are all awake, acute, and
ready for use; but there is a lack of depth, which will rouse the
perpetual wonder of future generations. While the mass of the people
exhibits the strong characteristics of the Saxon, the Celtic, and the
South German races, physical endurance and occasionally intellectual
pre-eminence,--for, saving some pec