have been
better furnished, his hours more nobly employed; would he not have
scorned to throw away so much money on sweetmeats; would not honest
Pride have kept him from the meanness of giving up everything for
Amusement?"

"Yes, I believe so," answered Nelly, and she was only speaking the
truth; she might have added, however, that no efforts are really noble,
no acts really worthy of praise, that are owing, not to a regard for
Duty, but to the influence of selfish Pride.

"I could not forbear calling here," continued the deceiver, who felt
that his artful words were beginning to make an impression, "to
congratulate you, as I do with all my heart, upon your late conduct, so
noble and wise."

"When--where?" asked the wondering Nelly.

"I speak of your triumph over Miss Folly--over that weak, silly,
frivolous creature who has, unhappily, so much power over the minds of
ignorant girls. Wise were you, Nelly, most wise, not to exchange your
beautiful Content for false pearls or prating Parade. You have a soul
above froth and frippery, you despise both flattery and Folly, no one
will catch you blowing bubbles of Fancy to furnish a most empty
dwelling!"

Nelly began to understand how it was that Dick had found Pride such a
pleasant companion.

"Yes," continued the deceiver, leaning through the open window, on the
sill of which he rested his arms, "you scorn that poor wretched Parade,
that screams 'Ain't I fine?' to each passer-by, as if seeking to attract
vulgar notice. Independent of others, you can stand by yourself; you
have won Content, you prize it, you deserve it; but has it never struck
your mind, Nelly, how difficult it may prove for you to _keep_ it?"

"No," replied Nelly, caressing her bird; "I shall never give my
favourite away."

"But your favourite may take wing and depart. Do you expect Content to
remain in this small cottage, with all the free air to soar in?"

Nelly looked uneasy and anxious, and pressed her bird closer to her
heart.

"It is the nature of birds to mount aloft. Trust me, Nelly, Content will
not linger long here while he has unrestrained use of his wings."

"I could not bear to lose him!" cried Nelly.

"To save you that pain," said Pride, watching closely her face as he
spoke, "see what I have brought for you here!" and he raised and placed
on the sill of the window the gilded cage of Ambition.

"Oh, what a splendid, magnificent cage!" cried poor simple Nelly,
suspecting no evi