408 THE LOVER OF BEAUTY; 



" Bravo !'* exclaimed the Colonel, entering' at that moment and over- 

 hearing him — •• bravo ! my dear Harry ! I congratulate you ! this then 

 is the last dying speech and confession of a lover of beauty ! Well ! 

 well ! success to reform say I, and the sooner the question is settled the 

 better. Miss Werner is in the library — go — plead your cause fearlessly, 

 you rogue, and I doubt not your influence." • • » 



Henry advanced towards the library with an eager yet uncertain step ; 

 he was about to take a measure the most important that can be taken in 

 life by either man or woman, and his heart beat violently as he drew 

 nearer to the goal. It was evening, mild and tender for the early season 

 of the year; the sun had gone down ; light was fading in the west, and 

 a cool grey shadow fell upon every object, faintly and fantastically seen 

 in the pale hue that stole through the long, arched windows of the room. 

 As Henry approached the door, the figure of one far away and seemingly 

 forgotten — of Lady Eleanor, rose fully upon his remembrance : — on that 

 spot he had first beheld her, like a radiant creation of the poet's brain ! — 

 he sighed — pshaw ! no ! he coughed slightly, and the next instant was 

 in the library. Miss Werner was standing at a distant window, a book 

 was in her hand, but her glance was fixed in ardent abstraction upon the 

 aky : a shawl of Cashmere loosely enveloped her person, and the eternal 

 rufF sate high and closely round her throat, yet to Henry she never 

 looked more interesting : the soft and flattering tints of departing day 

 gleamed upon her countenance, and mellowed the strange duskiness of 

 her complexion. Her large and brilliant eye was fixed pensively upon 

 the west, and an air of indefinable charm — the charm of expression — 

 dwelt upon features which Henry had actually long thought wanted but 

 little of being beautiful in form. But that figure, and those feet ? they 

 were the same as ever ! The echo of his advancing foot roused Miss 

 Werner from her reverie ; she turned, smiled greetingly upon the in- 

 truder, while a vivid blush stole over her countenance, and was dis- 

 cernible even in that dubious light. What could have occasioned it ? 

 Had her thoughts been occupied with the image of the one who stood 

 before her, and interrupted their current? Be this as it may, Miss 

 Werner's surprise and agitation were excessive when, after having led 

 her to a chair, the Captain, with manly candor, made an avowal of his 

 sentiments, and sealed it by an offer of his hand and fortune. The 

 rapidity and earnestness of his pleadings, spared her the task of reply, 

 but her manner displayed the deepest emotion, and the burning crimson 

 that mounted to her brow alternately, gave way to an ashy paleness, 

 while her dark, mysterious eyes drooped beneath their full lids, or raised 

 timidly for a moment, fell the instant that they encountered the impas- 

 sioned expression of — her lover's. Was it triumph ? was it pleasure ? 

 was it vanity ? was it secret affection, and the joy of being beloved, that 

 shone in her tear-gemmed orbs ? We dare not say. " To-morrow — to- 

 morrow I will decide ; press me no further at the present," at length 

 replied Miss Werner rallying, and making an eflTort to resume her usual 

 self-possession. *' Why delay ?" importunately returned the Captain, 

 **why?" — "Not another word !" said Miss Werner, laying a hand, 

 exquisite in all but colour, upon the mouth of the speaker, — it was 

 kissed ardently but deferentially, and the next moment the lady passed 

 from the apartment. 



Our fair readers will sigh, and those of the ruder sex blush, perhaps, 

 for the instability of man, and the fearful inconstancy of the human 

 heart, when they learn that in little more than three weeks after the 

 scene which we have just endeavoured to describe, Kate Werner was 

 remembered only to be laughed at j while her eccentricities of dress. 



