252 The Tulor-Fiend atid his Three Pupils. [Sept. 



her gewgaws have no charms for me. Good night !" — and each betook 

 him to a different route, although one road led to their several habitations. 



Every morning brought the scholars to Rapax. The fathers — though 

 they complained of a growing lack of obedience in their children — could 

 find no fault with the progress of their education. Indeed, they were 

 charmed with their scholarship — they had grown so subtle and so dis- 

 putative .' Rapax was a rare master ! 



One morning, as Scowl was about to visit the pedagogue, a girl; — a 

 young and beautiful girl — stood in the pupil's path. — "Jane!" he ex- 

 claimed, in a tone of mingled wonder and remorse. He glared fiercely 

 at the girl^ and her lineaments, searched by his eyes, awakened thoughts 

 and images maddening and confounding. He threv/ himfelf upon a 

 bank, and groaned heavily. " Jane !" he repeated. The girl was at 

 his side. His manner became more composed and solemn. He shook 

 his head, as the eyes of Jane seemed eagerly to penetrate his mystery 

 — he shook his head;, and Avith a sickly smile exclaimed^ " You seek 

 in vain." 



" Alas ! have you not happiness ?" mournfully inquired the girl. 



" What is that" — answered Scowl — " that same enigma, happi- 

 ness ? — that common jilt — that sound of all lips — that mockery of all 

 hearts? Fools lisp its name, and grey-bearded men crimp their wrinkled 

 visages, and clasp their yellow hands, and look at the sky when this 

 happiness is named. What is it ? I would learn — thou art a fair teacher. 

 Have you known \i} — what was it like? — how was it called?" 



" Once I thought it bore the lineaments of your affection ; I thought 

 its name was your — your love !" 



" My love ! Psha ! I have neither face nor form for woman's 

 sublimer fancies. On my brow there are no curls to catch fair ladies' 

 hearts ; my lips are not honied, but steeped in gall ; I am puny — mis- 

 shapen — not at all the creature for a fair one's love." 



" Thou knowest my heart — thou knowest it wholly thine !" 



" I might have loved you once — but now Away, girl ! Seek some 



pliant, thoughtless fool, who marries from fashion, because his neigh- 

 bour weds, or his own blood burns. Shew not to me Love's Avreath of 

 flowers — my breath would taint the buds — my eye Avither them !" 



" Oh ! what a change is this !" exclaimed the heart-broken gii-1. — 

 " I ask not for myself — do as you will. But your jjarents — why are 

 you thus changed towards them ?" 



" Parents ! I have none — they divorced me from them — they drove 

 me from their hearth, and placed me with another. He has taught me 

 to scorn them — or at least to value them but as the common mass 

 around me. — Yet there is one I love — thanks to my good master ! — 

 whom I love — dearly, fiercely love ; to whom I would sacrifice f;ither, 

 mother, thee — all ties that keep me to the world — all thoughts of man 

 and man's affection — " 



" And who — what is it hath this fearful love ?" 



" Self!" That is my god ! I make all else bow down and worship 

 it ! Fiu-ewell — we part for ever. When you see me turn yonder hedge, 

 think me fallen into an unf\ithomable gulf. — Farewell !" 



" Stay !" exclaimed the girl ; and then, in speechless agony, she held 

 forth her clasped hands, looking imploringly at Scowl, who retreated a 

 pace or two, and, with calm brutaUty, surveyed her posture of phrenzy 

 and despair. 



