ke pointed his quick,
epigrammatic speech; but all was clear, light, and transparent, as the
sunny air at noonday. Nor was his conversation altogether light and
mirthful. There were at times bursts of high enthusiasm, at which he
would himself laugh heartily a moment afterward--there were touches of
passing romance and poetry blending in an under-current with his
fluent mirth; and, above all, there was an evident strain of right
feeling, of appreciation of all that was great and generous and good,
predominant above romance and wit, perceptible in every word he
uttered.

And Agnes listened, and laughed, and flung back skillfully and
cleverly the ball of conversation, as he tossed it to her. She was
pleased, it was evident, and amused. But she was pleased only as with
a clever actor, a brilliant performer on some new instrument now heard
for the first time. The gay, wild humor of the young man hit her
fancy; his mad wit struck a kindred chord in her mind; but the latent
poetry and romance passed unheeded, and the noblest point of all, the
good and gracious feelings, made no impression on the polished but
hard surface of the bright maiden's heart.

Meantime, how fared the peer with the calmer and gentler sister? Less
brilliant than George Delawarr, he had traveled much, had seen more of
men and things, had a more cultivated mind, was more of a scholar, and
no less of a gentleman, scarce less perhaps of a soldier; for he had
served a campaign or two in his early youth in the Low Countries.

He was a noble and honorable man, clever, and eloquent, and well
esteemed--a little, perhaps, spoiled by that good esteem, a little too
confident of himself, too conscious of his own good mien and good
parts, and a little hardened, if very much polished, by continual
contact with the world.

He was, however, an easy and agreeable talker, accustomed to the
society of ladies, in which he was held to shine, and fond of shining.
He exerted himself also that night, partly because he was really
struck with Blanche's grace and beauty, partly because Delawarr's
liveliness and wit excited him to a sort of playful rivalry.

Still, he was not successful; for though Blanche listened graciously,
and smiled in the right places, and spoke in answer pleasantly and
well, when she did speak, and evidently wished to appear and to be
amused; her mind was at times absent and distracted, and it could not
long escape the observation of so thorough a man