The Martins Of Cro' Martin, Vol. II (of II)

however, sufficiently intelligible to claim sympathy even by indicating,-we mean the difficulty a narrator has in th

ed to be but the veriest trifles were the mainsprings of an entire existence, and the incidents which we deemed irrelevant were the hidden links that connected a whole chain of events? How easy, then, to err in the selection! This difficulty presents itself strongly to us at

ously been neglected. The Duchesse de Luygnes was the great leader of fashion at Paris; and the marked attentions by which she distinguished her Ladyship at once established her position. Of course her unquestionable

ently distinguished her. The change had worked favorably in her temper also; and Martin perceived, with astonishment, that she neither made injurious comparisons between the present and the past, nor deemed the age they lived in one of insufferable vulgarity. It would scarcely have been possible for Lady Dorothea not to connect her altered position with the friendship between Kate Henderson and her former pupil; she knew it, and she felt it. All her self-esteem could not get over this consciousness; but it was a humiliation rese

y. There was nothing in her air or bearing that denoted the dependant; there was rather a dash of haughty superiority, which did not scruple to avow itself and bid defiance to any bold enough t

tions. Tacitly, at least, the whole management and direction of these "Evenings" was committed to Kate. Martin strictly abstained from a society in every way distasteful to him. The Captain had come to care for nothing but play, so that the Club was his only haunt; and it was the rarest of all events to see him pass even a few minutes in the drawing-room. He had, besides, that degree of shrinking dislike to Kate Henderson which a weak man very often experiences towards a clever and accomplished girl. When he fi

d this as a piece of consummate cunning; he had no other measure for her capacity than would have been suited to his own. She was a deep one, evidently bent on drawing him on, and entangling him in some stupid declaration, and so he grew cautious. But, somehow, his

d surely explain. Time went on, and yet he grew none the wiser; Kate continued the same impassive creature as at first. She never sought,-never avoided him. She met him without constraint,-without pleasure, too. They never bec

zen times a day did he fancy that he had "hit the blot," but somehow he always detected his mistake erelong; and thus did he live on in

tempts to "get up" an indignation against her. By numberless devices-too slight, too evanescent to be called regular coquetry-she understood how to conciliate him, even in his roughest moods, while she had only to make the very least possible display of her attractions to fascinate him in

intance, and canvassing the claims of those who should succeed them. The rigid criticism as to eligibility showed how great an honor was the card for her Ladyship's

k a favor,-don't look frightened; it's not for a woman, my Lady,-bu

elling me that 'our m

e success of these things depends on having a host of men,-al

the book before her. "If our ladies are chosen for their real quali

, will not dama

s quite sufficient that he is a

"We have already given deep umbrage in many quarters-very high qu

Martin, peevishly. "The man is an acquaintance

my Lady, with all the

of each other-in fact-I know him as intimately as I do-any officer in my

of your own corps?

fancy I should need to employ much solicitation in his

erits," said Kate, with a look which sorely puzz

y. "His name ought to be dec

nent inquiries, and when he leaves this, to-morrow or next day, you 'll never see him

l you take it yourself, Captain M

rl," said he, dropping his

ng detected the words. "Why, where on earth could

you to know that I am under considerable obligations-heavy obligations-to this s

to receive him at one of our Evenings! You know how curious people are, what questions they will ask:-'Who is th

sfy them." At the same moment he took up from the table the card which Kat

peril, Miss Henderson," said La

ather," said the

glance which brought a deep flush over the hussar's c

with your own presence on this occasion,

in. I promised Me

ow when they meet me, and neither expect me to remember who they are or to

Martin as he was about to make a hasty reply. And, crumpling up

ist, Miss Henderson," said Lady Doro

s imparted a kind of interest to him, not to say that there would se

have to see an hospital; you may be interested by the sight, but you may catch a malady for your pains." And with this observati