an his mind; he
had grown more corpulent, and his features wore a look of sensual
indulgence, mingled with the air of authority of one whose will, even in
trifles, has never been disputed. But in the indolent voluptuary of
forty-five little remained of the good-humored, careless man of
twenty-seven. Selfishness is an ill-weed, that grows apace; Sir John
Daventry, handsome, gifted with _l'air distingue_ and thoroughly _repandu_
in society, was a singularly heartless and selfish sensualist. Such
changes eighteen years had wrought, when Clara was surprised by a visit
from her father. It was more than two years since he had been at the Hall,
and the news he brought was little welcome to her. He was about to marry a
third time--his destined bride was Lady Alice Mortimer, the daughter of a
poor though noble house, and of whose beauty, though now past the first
bloom of youth, report had reached even Clara's ears. From Mardyn, too,
she had heard of Lady Alice, and had fancied that he was one of her many
suitors. Her congratulations on the event were coldly uttered; in truth,
Clara had long been accustomed to regard herself as the heiress, and
eventually, the mistress of that princely estate where she had passed her
childhood; this was the one imaginative dream in a cold, worldly mind. She
did not desire riches to gratify her vanity, or to indulge in pleasures.
Clara Daventry's temperament was too passionless to covet it for these
purposes; but she had accustomed herself to look on these possessions as
her right, and to picture the day when, through their far extent, its
tenants should own her rule. Besides, Mardyn had awoke, if not a feeling
of affection, in Clara Daventry's breast, at least a wish to possess him--a
wish in which all the sensuous part of her nature (and in that cold
character there was a good deal that was sensuous) joined. She had
perception to know her own want of attractions, and to see that her only
hope of winning this gay and brilliant man of fashion was the value her
wealth might be of in repairing a fortune his present mode of living was
likely to scatter--a hope which, should her father marry, and have a male
heir, would fall to the ground. In due time the papers announced the
marriage of Sir John Daventry to the Lady Alice Mortimer. They were to
spend their honeymoon at Daventry. The evening before the marriage,
Charles Mardyn arrived at the Hall; it was some time since he had last
been there; it was a