The Argosy — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

Princess Eleanor. 121 increased my anxiety. Had I asked for something so utterly impos- sible as to call forth this cruel resistance ? “There are things, Eleanor,” he. at last began, “which a man can with difficulty explain to a young girl. Still it must be done. Man is proud, Eleanor. Be a woman never so devoted, her devotion never entirely overcomes the pride of him who from his cradle thinks himself a lord of creation. Impach has shown us that he js all we can wish for in man ; therefore alone do I speak of him thus. Do you think that he would really be happy with you? Not that look of triumph, Eleanor! Let me, a man, judge another man by myself. If he has. loved you all this time, as you assure me he has, then were you, in his eyes, an unapproachable, forbidden object ; for I have never seen him betray, by the least sign, what he felt. You suddenly give yourself to him—you, to whom he was wont to look up as to a higher being. Believe me,. Eleanor, he will accept the gift with reluctance. He has not obtained you by insurmountable efforts; his arm has not.won you ; you gave yourself to him, and to receive a gift is averse from man’s nature. Every kind word, every caress, he must consider an un- deserved boon ; and this continual gratitude is no safe foundation for a life’s happiness.” ‘‘ Emmest, it is hard that 7 should be obliged to explain to you how Walter loves me. Of this, however, I can assure you: Walter can accept anything from me, without owing me thanks. His sufferings have placed every obligation on my side.” “Yours is the enthusiastic devotion of the woman who deems she has found ‘the world’s one man.’ Eleanor, I have sought for it all my life, and never met more than the fragile love which, like a lighted straw, every blast can extinguish. Must I meet it now in you, where it drives me to despair?” “Qh, you men, who always praise their ee You have sought for true devotion, have you, and never met it? Ungrateful man! Ernest, if you had only chosen to see! You owe it to this hour alone if I break my word, and tell you that no man was ever more de- votedly loved than you are ——” Amy, forgive me! You should have seen the light in his eyes, when he came near me, laying his hand on my shoulder, intently gazing at me. ‘Twas he, not J, pronounced your name. When I nodded, he sank back in a chair and hid his face. Had I known how fie loved you, nothing would have kept me from speaking long ago. Amy, dear, what a good heart mine must be. I forgot the miserable state of my own affairs, and was happy in your and Ernest’s happi- Hess. When I did remember how things stood, however, I thought I must make use of my time while he was in this soft mood. “Tf the world contained a second Ernest, brother, I should ger. tainly have preferred him to Walter, for I certainly do not' mean-to comichegoks.com