FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61  
62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   >>   >|  
as Lucifer, and selfish too. Ambition makes the generous nature selfish. He'll ne'er consent his only son should wed The portionless daughter of a pedagogue. No, no. I'll tot these bitter waters out. I'll give the judge an inkling of the matter. I'll write a note--he'll think it comes from Belcour. If I can drive young Bolton from the field, Then Isabelle is mine.--I'll do it. (_As_ PAWLETT _is going out, Enter_ DR. MARGRAVE _and_ REV. PAUL GODFREY.) GODFREY. You say Judge Bolton lives in princely style. Is he a married man? MARGRAVE. He has been married;-- Most happily married, too. His wife was one Of those pure beings, gentle, wise, and firm. That mould our sex to highest hopes and aims. He loved her as the devotee his saint: And from the day he wed he trod life's path As one who came to conquer. GODFREY. I see it now. The motive to excel was all he needed. He had a vigorous mind, a generous heart, An innate love of goodness and of truth. But he was wayward, and he hated tasks. Such men must have an aim beyond themselves, Or oft they prove but dreamers. And with such, Woman's companionship, dependence, love, Are like the air to fire:--the smouldering flame Of genius, once aroused, sweeps doubts away, And brightens hope, till victory is won. MARGRAVE. 'Twas thus with Bolton. To his keeping given The weal of one so dear--then he bore on, Gathering from disappointments fruitful strength, As winter's snows prepare the earth for harvest. And when his angel wife was taken from him, She left him pledges of her love and trust, A son of noble promise, and a daughter To nestle, dove-like, in her father's heart, And keep her place for ever. She is blind! GODFREY. I marvel not that Bolton has excelled, And won a station of the highest trust, If his warm heart enlisted in the work: But the small cares, the constant calculations Required to make, at least to keep, a fortune-- I never should have looked to him for these. MARGRAVE. 'Twas luck that favored him; or Providence, As you would say. A friend of his and ours. De Vere, the young West Indian in our class-- You must remember him--he left to Bolton All his
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61  
62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Bolton

 

GODFREY

 

MARGRAVE

 

married

 

generous

 

highest

 

selfish

 

daughter

 

disappointments

 

fruitful


strength
 

winter

 

Gathering

 
smouldering
 

genius

 

companionship

 

dependence

 

aroused

 
sweeps
 

keeping


victory

 

doubts

 
brightens
 

father

 

looked

 
favored
 

fortune

 

Required

 

Providence

 

Indian


remember
 

friend

 
calculations
 
constant
 

promise

 

nestle

 

pledges

 

harvest

 

enlisted

 

station


marvel
 

excelled

 

prepare

 

needed

 
PAWLETT
 

Isabelle

 

happily

 

princely

 

Belcour

 
consent