Roxy Hastings — page 128: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

' ROXY HASTINGS. 119 time or opportunity to spend really made but a very small hole even in his interest, and sometimes in moments of Sunday ennui, when he could not stifle reflection on ‘Change by plunging anew into the vortex of speculation, which, week-long, boiled and bubbled around him, some times he would ask himself the question, “Cul bono?” Burr had never intended to lead a single life, and he now coolly resolved that he would take a respite from business and look up a wife. Mark Holden was his friend—that is, they had a pro- found respect for each other as successful men, and busi- ness had frequently thrown them together. Burr had been an occasional visitor at Holden’s, on in- vitation, for several years. He had admired Lucy, as young-old men often admire these budding beauties, and he had sometimes asked himself whether she would not be a good investment for part of his spare funds. A stylish house up town, a carriage, a box at the opera, and a liberal allowance of pin-money—these things would buy her, of course. He never doubted that. He had be- come accustomed, insensibly, to look upon everything 1n a pecuniary aspect, and thus he looked on Lucy. But he wanted love, and he thought he could buy that, too. That he was not lovable—that his soul was sordid and selfish—that he was narrow-minded, prejudiced, bad- tempered—he knew nothing of all this. He wanted love— real, generous, self-sacrificing devotion, and he was ready to pay for it. What could be more reasonable ? He looked in the glass, and saw a thin, speckled, slightly. wrinkled face ; hair and beard flecked with white; a pursed- up mouth, and eyes which alone of all his features had re- tained their youthful fire and beauty. “Not much changed,” he said, and he thought of the time, some fifteen years back, when he was yet considered young, and some fair girl was said to have been pining for him. “Wifteen years are not much,” he said. “Ill speak to Mark.” Hie did. And ina very Burr-like way. “Tve been taking an inventory, Holden,” he said, “and Tam worth four hundred »nd twenty thousand dollars.” “Ah! I congratulate you.” “Tm going to buy Pinckney’s house in Fifth avenue, not far from you—” | | ~ “T know where it is.” “ And do you know how it is furnished ?” EComicboo <s) col