A Comedy of Terrors

X.

THE HAUNTED MIND.

CARROL rushed forward toward the figure, under the influence of a terrible fascination. The Horror, which had oppressed him once before on that memorable night, now seemed to renew its power over him. He obeyed mechanically a blind impulse, the creature of that Horror, and sprung toward the figure that thus showed itself, without any well-defined thought or motive whatever. He had scarcely taken two or three steps, however, when his foot struck against an iron rod, that ran across the vessel about two inches above the deck. He stumbled, and fell heavily downward, and the force with which he struck was so great that he lay motionless for about half a minute.

At length he gathered himself up, slowly and painfully, and scrambled to his feet. The fascination of that figure’s basilisk glance was still strong enough to influence his movements ; and he glanced fearfully toward the place where it had stood.

It was no longer visible.

He looked all around with a shudder, expecting to see it in some new position ; but nothing of the sort met his view. Then he drew a long breath, and without stopping to pick up his flask he hurried below. His appearance was singular enough to have excited attention in any other place than the saloon of an ocean steamer. His face was fearfully pale, his jaw was hanging down, his eyes fixed and glaring, and he walked with staggering steps. But at sea such beings as these are constantly visible at all times, and poor humanity takes on even worse forms than this as the ocean asserts its mastery over man. So the wild appearance of Carrol excited but little attention, except on the part of Grimes, who happened to be in the saloon as Carrol entered. He was still troubled in his mind by the thoughts that had arisen from Carrol’s story ; and now that he entered in such a way, he could not help imagining that some new event had occurred in connection with his friend’s troubles. So he at once rose, and, following Carrol, came up to him just as he was entering his state-room.

“ What’s up?” asked Grimes, as he stood in the doorway.

Carrol said nothing, but flung himself on a seat, and buried his head in his hands.

“ Shall I light the lamp ?”

Carrol made no reply.

Upon this Grimes acted on the principle that silence gives consent, and, entering the state-room, he lighted the lamp, and then closing the door he sat down and looked earnestly at his friend.

“ Come, my boy,” said Grimes at last, in a voice full of kindly sympathy, “ you’re overdoin’ it a little. Don’t go on in this style. Somethin’ new has happened. What is it ? ”

Carrol gave a heavy sigh, but said nothing.

“ It’s somethin’ more’n sea-sickness anyway,” said Grimes, in a tone of deep conviction. “ If it had been any other chap, I’d say it was seasickness, but I know you ’re not given that way. Come now. Out with it. If there’s anythin’ new turned up, it won’t do any good to keep it to yourself. So out with it.”

Upon this Carrol made a nearer approach to speaking, for he gave a groan.

“What did you remark?” asked Grimes.

Carrol raised his head and drew a long breath.

“ Grimes,” said he.

“ Well, my son.”

“ I ’ve seen him.”

“ What’s that ? You’ve what ? ”

“ I ’ve seen him,” repeated Carrol, in a hollow, sepulchral voice.

“You’ve seen him!—seen him! Seen who ? Who’s him ? ”

“ There’s only One,” said Carrol, solemnly, “that I could mean, — only One, — the One that haunts me always, the One who fell beneath my hand.”

“ What ! that infernal frog-eatin’ Frenchman ? ” said Grimes, contemptuously. “ O, come now, that’s all infernal rubbish.”

“I ’ve seen him,” moaned Carrol, going on in a way that sounded like the monotonous croon of an Irish lady at a wake, — “I ’ve seen him,”

“Well then,” said Grimes, “all that I can say is, that I ’ll be darned if I can understand why the sight of a miserable frog-eatin’ Frenchman should produce such an effect upon any one who calls himself a man. Come now, Carrol, shake yourself. Be a man.”

“ I saw him,” said Carrol, once more taking up the burden of his song, — “ I saw him. There was no mistake. It was by the smoke-stack.”

“ By the smoke-stack ? ”

“ Yes, just now, by the smoke-stack. I saw him. It was he. There was no mistake. I could not be mistaken in that death-pale face, — the face of a corpse, — in the terrible glare of those glassy eyes — ”

“ It’s evident,” said Grimes, after a brief observation of the state of his friend, — “it’s evident that something has become visible to you, and it’s also evident that you’ve been considerably agitated.”

Carrol said nothing, but sat with his eyes fixed upon the floor, and his brows contracted into a frown.

“ My idee,” said Grimes, after another thoughtful pause, — “my idee is this, you ve been drinkin’ altogether too much. It’s more ’n flesh and blood can stand. Now I ’ve noticed since we’ve met you’ve been on one prolonged tipple ; never could five minutes pass without a pull at your flask ; and a man that’s got to that has simply reached a point where he is liable to be visited by all the devils in Pandemonium. If you’ve been goin’ on at this rate since you left your home, all I can say is, that you 're in a darned bad way, and you ’re now just about inside the borders of the territory of Delirium Tremens.”

“ O, that’s all very well,” said Carrol, rousing himself by a strong effort, — “ it’s all very well, and I don’t doubt that there’s something in what you say. I do take a little too much, I confess. I ’ve never been a drinking man, and this last week I ’ve done a good deal in that way I know ; but at the same time the event of this night had nothing at all to do with that. And what I saw had nothing whatever to do with fancy or excitement. I was perfectly cool. I was dull and depressed, and I saw him,— I saw the Frenchman that I killed, — I saw him — not ten feet from me. It was no fancy ; it was reality.”

Grimes looked hard at Carrol, and his brows knit together in a frown of perplexity.

“You’ll have to tell me some more about it,” said he, at last, “ for I ’ll be darned if I can make it out.”

Carrol mechanically felt for his flask. But he could not find it, for the simple reason that he had left it behind him in his flight. On discovering this he leaned back in a resigned way, and, drawing a long breath, he began to tell his story. He narrated the story very circumstantially indeed, omitting no incident, until he reached the point where the dread figure had appeared before him. Here he began to work into his story details that belonged rather to fancy than to fact, and threw around the figure that he described all the terrible accessories that had been created by his own feverish imagination. To all this Grimes listened with profound silence.

And as Grimes listened a great change came over him.

Mention has already been made of that singular anxiety and that ill-concealed remorse which had appeared in his face as he listened to Carrol’s first story. The feelings that were thus expressed had agitated him ever since, making him preoccupied, troubled, and ill at ease. He had been brooding over this at the very time when Carrol had rushed into the cabin. But now, as he listened to this new story, the effect that it produced upon him was of such a nature that it led to a complete overturn of his feelings; and the change was plainly visible in his face and manner. The dark shadow of anxious care passed away from his brow. Over his face there came its natural expression, that air of broad content, of bland and philosophic calm, of infinite self-complacency and heartfelt peace, which formed the well-known characteristics of California Grimes. But there was even more than this ; there came over his face a positive joyousness,—a certain hilarious glee, which seemed to show that Carrol’s story conveyed to his mind a far deeper meaning than any which was perceptible to the narrator. There were indeed moments in which that hilarious glee seemed about to burst forth in a way which would be perceptible to other senses than that of sight ; but Carrol did not notice it at all ; he did not see the shakings of soul that communicated themselves to the vast body of his friend, nor did he mark the smile that at times deepened into a grin, and threatened to make itself known in a peal of stentorian laughter. For Carrol’s eyes as he spoke were solemnly fixed upon the floor, nor was he conscious of anything else but the remembrances of that terrific visitation which he was describing to Grimes.

At length he ended his story, and then there was a long pause.

It was at last terminated by Grimes.

“ Wal,” said he, “you’ve made up a pooty tough story, but, looking at it in a calm and rational manner, I can come to only one of two conclusions. The fust conclusion is that you had been drinkin’ too much. This is confirmed by your own confession, for you were just going to take a further drop when the flask took a drop of its own accord. Think now, mightn’t you have been a victim to some infernal hallucination or other, brought on by delirium tremens ? ”

Carrol shook his head impatiently.

“You don’t allow it? Very well then. What is the other of my conclusions ? The other one is this. It was not a fancy; it was not a deception. You actilly saw him. And mind you, when I say that you saw him, I mean that you actilly saw him, that is, the Frenchman — Du Potiron — himself — and no other. And when I say himself, I mean himself in the flesh. Yes, you saw him. And what does that mean ? Why, it means that he is aboard of this very boat, and hence we have one more surprise to add to the other surprises of this eventful day.”

At this Carrol raised his eyes with a reproachful look, and disconsolately shook his head.

“ I tell you,” cried Grimes, energetically, “ he ain’t dead.”

Carrol sighed heavily.

“ O, you need n’t sigh and groan in that style,” said Grimes. “ I tell you again, he ain’t dead ; and you maybe have seen him. And I dar say the miserable frog-eatin’ cuss was as much frightened at the sight of you as you were at the sight of him.”

“ O, as to that,” said Carrol, moodily, “ that’s impossible. I tell you I heard him fall. He fell — at — the — first — shot.”

As he said this a shudder passed over him.

“How do you know ? ” asked Grimes.

“ Know ? Why, I heard the terrible sound of his fall.”

“ Sound ? sound ? ” said Grimes. “Why, that’s nothin’. No one can tell anythin’ from a sound. A sound may mean anythin’. No; you didn’t see him, and so you don’t know anythin’ about it. You ’re givin’ way altogether too much to your imagination. It’s my opinion that either you were a victim to your own fancy, or else that this Frenchman is aboard this here steamer. Come, now, what do you say ? Let’s go for’ard, and take a look through the second cabin. Let’s hunt up the miserable devil, and ask him all about it. Come, what do you say ? ”

At this proposal a shudder passed through Carrol.

“ I won’t,” said he, abruptly, “I ’ll stay here. I can’t go and I won’t. It’s too much. Let me wait till I get over this. I can’t stand it. You ’re too hard on a fellow. You don’t understand.”

Grimes leaned back in his chair and made no reply.

For several days the effect of this “ visitation ” was very strong on Carrol. Grimes went forward and inspected all the passengers carefully, but saw nothing of Du Potiron, nor could he learn anything that might lead him to suppose that he was on board. Gradually, therefore, he fell back from this belief to the other, and concluded that it was an hallucination, superinduced by a diseased brain, consequent upon excessive indulgence in liquor. He still continued, however, to spend nearly all his time forward, out of a feeling of delicacy. He feared that his presence might be embarrassing to Mrs. Lovell, and therefore determined to keep out of her way.

After a few days Carrol ventured upon deck. He had as good a reason as Grimes for avoiding the after part of the vessel; for he did not care about encountering Maud. If he thus avoided her, it was certainly out of no regard for her feelings, but simply out of the strength of his own aversion. He was still a prey to those dark and vindictive feelings which had thus far animated him; which were intensified by every new trouble, and which led him to consider her as the unprincipled author of all his woes. The time that he passed on deck he chose to spend with Grimes forward, in those parts where ladies seldom or never venture ; and he concluded that these ladies would have their own reasons for not Coming there.

As to the ladies they kept on the usual tenor of their way. Maud had resolved that she would not change her plans of action for the sake of avoiding Carrol; and so she went up on deck whenever she chose, generally establishing herself near the stern. Mrs. Lovell never made any objections ; nor did she ever express any fear about meeting with Grimes. The ladies were very respectable sailors, and, as the weather was fine, they were able to avail themselves to an unusually large extent of the freedom and breeziness of the upper deck.

Grimes and Carrol were very early risers, and it was their habit to go up before sunrise and wait until breakfasttime. At this hour they had the freedom of the ship, and could go to the stern if they chose.

One morning it happened that Mrs. Lovell expressed a great desire to see the sun rise ; and she and Maud made an arrangement to enjoy that rare spectacle on the followdng day. As the day broke they were ready, and left their room and ascended to the upper deck. It was a glorious morning. They stood for a moment as they first emerged, and inhaled the fresh, invigorating sea air, and looked with rapture at the deep blue sky, and the wide expanse of water, and the lurid heavens in the east all glowing with the splendor of the sun’s first rays. After enjoying this sufficiently they turned and walked toward the stern.

When they had traversed about half the distance, they noticed two men standing there, the sight of whom gave a separate and distinct sensation to each of them. At that very moment the two men had turned, and appeared about to walk back toward them. The moment they turned, however, they saw the ladies. They stopped for about five seconds, in evident embarrassment. The ladies were perhaps equally embarrassed, but they walked on mechanically. Then one of the gentlemen turned abruptly, and, descending some steps at the stern, he went down to the main deck. After a moment’s hesitation his companion followed him. They walked along on the larboard side of the vessel, and as they went the ladies could see the tops of their hats, and almost involuntarily they turned and watched the two fugitives. As they did so they saw a figure standing near the smoke-stack, with a heavy cloak flung around him and a felt hat on his head. His face was turned toward them, but he was watching the two men. As these latter approached him and reached a place amidships where steps led to the upper deck, he suddenly turned, and, walking forward with swift steps, he disappeared.

“ Did you see that man ? ” said Maud, in a low, hurried tone.

“Yes,” said Mrs. Lovell.

“ It’s Du Potiron ! ” said Maud, in some agitation. “ How perfectly unaccountable ! ”

“ I’m sure I don’t think it’s unaccountable at all,” said Mrs. Lovell. “ I don’t think anything’s unaccountable now. Did n’t you notice Mr. Grimes ? Did n’t you notice his extraordinary behavior. After such conduct on his part, I decline to be astonished at anything.”

“But only think,” said Maud, “of Monsieur Du Potiron being here, and the others also! Why, it seems as though what we thought to be such a great secret was known to all the world.”

“ I should n’t at all wonder,” said Mrs. Lovell, “ if all our friends and acquaintances were one by one to appear and disappear before us in the course of this voyage. I have given up wondering. The thing that has exhausted all my capacity for wonder, and shown me the utter hollowness and vanity of that emotion, is the shocking behavior of Mr. Grimes. Do you know, Maudie dear, he has fallen terribly in my estimation. Such rudeness, you know ! Why, it fairly takes one’s breath away to think of it! Positively, he ran away from us. And yet he professes to be my great friend. Why, do you know, Maudie dear, I really begin to be ashamed of him ! ”

“ I should think that you ought to have been ashamed of him all along,” said Maud.

“ I ought to have been nothing of the kind,” said Mrs. Lovell, “ and it is very, very unjust in you to use such language, Maudie. For after all, when one thinks of it, his conduct is very natural and very delicate. His weak point is his utter delicacy. He is afraid that he will be intrusive if he speaks to me. That is the reason why he avoids me. Don’t you see how carefully he keeps himself out of sight ? The poor fellow has tracked me secretly, and is determined to follow me to the end of the world, but is afraid of showing himself. It is his utter devotion, combined with his entire self-abnegation. Now do you know, Maudie dear, I see something uncommonly pathetic in such a situation as that.”

At this Maud subsided into silence, and the ladies walked slowly toward the stern.

XI.

AT SEA.

AFTER they had been out about a week they encountered a gale which was violent enough to keep most of the passengers below. On the second day it began to subside, and Mrs. Lovell determined to go on deck. Maud, however, was not in a position to make the attempt, and so Mrs. Lovell was compelled to go alone. In spite of the fear which she had expressed of the dangers that threatened her apart from Maud, she showed no hesitation on this occasion, but after declaring that any further confinement below would be her death, she ventured forth and gained the deck.

The storm was subsiding, the sky was clearer, and the wind blew less violently ; but the sea was exceedingly rough, even more so, in fact, than it had been at the height of the gale. The steamer pitched and rolled excessively, and the miserable passengers who had felt the horrors of sea-sickness had no prospect of immediate relief as yet. Mrs. Lovell, however, was among the fortunate few who can defy those horrors ; and if she had remained below thus far, it was more on account of the rain than the motion of the vessel.

On reaching the deck Mrs. Lovell stood for a few moments holding on to the railing, and looking around her for some place to which she might go. Having at length chosen a spot, she ventured forth, and letting go her hold of the railing, to which she had thus far clung, she endeavored to walk toward the point which she wished to reach. It needed but a few steps, however, to show her that this journey, though very short, was very difficult and very hazardous. The vessel was pitching and tossing as it moved over the heavy seas ; and to walk over its decks required far more skill and experience than she possessed. She walked a few paces ; then she stood still ; then she crouched as a huge wave raised the vessel high in the air ; then as it fell she staggered forward a few steps, and stood there looking around. She looked around helplessly for some place of refuge ; and as she stood there her face assumed such an expression of refined woe, of elegant distress, and of ladylike despair, as might have touched the heart of any beholder who was not an absolute stock or stone. One beholder’s heart was touched at any rate, and he was anything but a stock or stone.

As Mrs. Lovell stood in her picturesque attitude, in all the charm of her helplessness, there was suddenly revealed a stalwart form, which rushed to her assistance. It was no other than Grimes, who had taken advantage of the stormy weather to air his manly figure at the stern of the vessel, which thus far he had so carefully avoided. The sudden and unexpected appearance of Mrs. Lovell had transfixed him with astonishment; but the sight of Mrs. Lovell in distress had called forth all the more chivalrous instincts of his nature. Her helplessness, and the mute appeal of that beautiful face, had at once roused his warmest feelings, and accordingly he sprang forth from behind the mizzenmast, where he had been standing, and rushed to her relief.

Grimes was not the man to do things by halves. As he had come to rescue her, he determined to effect that rescue thoroughly. He did not, therefore, offer his arm, or his hand, or anything of that sort, but quietly yet firmly passed his left arm around her waist, and with his right hand seized both of hers, and in this way he carried her rather than led her to what he considered the most convenient seat. But the most convenient seat in his estimation happened to be the one that was most distant from the particular spot where he had rescued her; and so it happened that he had to carry her thus in his encircling arm all the way from this place to the stern of the vessel. Arriving here, he retained her for a moment in his grasp, and seemed as though he was meditating a further journey, but Mrs. Lovell struggled away and subsided into a seat.

“ O thanks, Mr. Grimes ! ” she said. “ How very fortunate it was that you were here to help me ! I ’m sure I have n’t any idea what would ever have become of me, if you had n’t come to my relief. I was just beginning to give up. Positively I was in actual despair — ”

At this an awkward silence followed. Grimes took a seat by her side, looking perfectly radiant, but he did not appear to have anything in particular to say.

“ I ’m sure,” continued Mrs. Lovell, “ I don’t see how you ever managed to walk so very straight, and especially with — with — that is,” hesitated Mrs. Lovell, “ under such very peculiar circumstances. I ’m sure I could not have made any progress at all. And so, you know, I think you must have been a great sailor, Mr. Grimes.”

“ O no, ’m,” said Grimes, “ nothin’ much ; only I certainly have got on my sea legs, though I don’t brag on my seamanship.”

“ O, but you know,” said Mrs. Lovell, in a vivacious manner, “ you really must be ; and then, poor me, I’m so horribly awkward when it is at all rough, Mr. Grimes.”

“ Wal,” said Grimes, in a tone which was meant to be consolatory and sympathetic, and all that, “ it’s a lucky thing for you that you ain’t sea-sick. Why, there’s people aboard now that’d give any amount o’ money to be able to sit down as you do without feeling qualmish.”

“ I ’m sure I don’t know,” said Mrs. Lovell, in a sweet voice, “ what would ever have become of me if it had n’t been for you, Mr. Grimes.”

“ O, don’t mention it, ’m, I beg,” said Grimes, earnestly. “Just as if I did n’t like to do it. Why, I — I — I enjoyed it, — I fairly gloated over it. I — ”

“ But, O Mr. Grimes,” said Mrs. Lovell, interrupting him and looking afar out over the boisterous sea, “ is n’t it really delightful ? I enjoy this so very much. Don’t you think those waves are really quite magnificent? And that sky! why, it’s really worth coming miles to see. Those colors are perfectly astonishing. Do you notice what a very vivid red there is over there among those clouds,— very vivid, —just a trifle vulgar, you know ; but then really fine, — an air of barbaric grandeur,— it is really wonderful. Don’t you think so, Mr. Grimes? ”

Grimes looked earnestly toward the scene which Mrs. Lovell admired so greatly, and saw a gorgeous display of brilliant sunshine contrasting with gloomy storm-clouds, forming one of those grand spectacles that often present themselves upon the ocean, where light and shade are all at war, where a flood of burning fire pours down upon the sea, and the wild waves toss and rage and chafe amid wide seas of purple foam. This was on one side of the horizon, but everywhere else there were dark waves and gloomy clouds. Grimes looked upon this with a feeling of admiration which was natural under the circumstances, and tried hard for a time to express that admiration. But whether his admiration was not up to the mark, or whether it was that language failed him, certain it is that no words were forthcoming; for Grimes contented himself at length with making the following very simple yet rather inadequate remark: —

“ Yes, ’m.”

“ Yes, it really is,” continued Mrs. Lovell, “ and it’s so nice for me ; for do you know, Mr. Grimes, I ’m never afraid at sea, only about the boiler? If it should burst, you know ; and in that case,” continued Mrs. Lovell, with an air of mild dejection, “ I really don’t know what I should do. Boilers are really such awful things, and I really do wish they would n’t have them ; don’t you, Mr. Grimes ? ”

“ Well, I don’t know, ’m,” said Grimes, slowly and hesitatingly, as he saw Mrs. Lovell’s eyes fixed inquiringly on his, feeling also very desirous to agree with her, yet not being altogether able to do so, — “I don’t know, ’m. You see we could n’t very well do without them. They ’re a necessary thing — ” “ Now, how really nice it is,” said Mrs. Lovell, in a tone of profound gratification, — “ how really nice it is to know all about such things ! I really envy you, and I wish you’d begin now and tell me all about it. I’ve always longed so to understand all about boilers and things, Mr. Grimes. Now what are boilers ? ”

“ Boilers ? boilers ? ” said Grimes, — “ boilers ? why, ’m, they ’re —they ’re boilers, you know — ”

“ Yes, but what makes them explode so, all the time, and kill people ?”

Thus challenged, Grimes gathered up all the resources of his powerful brain, and entered upon a full, complete, and exhaustive description of the steamengine ; taking especial care to point out the important relation borne by the boiler to the rest of the machine, and also to show how it was that under certain circumstances the said boiler would explode. He gave himself up completely to his subject. He grew earnest, animated, eloquent. He explained the difference between the locomotive engine and the steamboat engine, between the fire-engine and the stationary engine. He then went off into generalities, and concluded with a series of harrowing accidents.

To all this Mrs. Lovell listened in silence and in patience. She never uttered a word, but sat with her large dark eyes fixed on his, and an earnest expression of devout attention upon her face.

At length Grimes came to a conclusion.

“ O, thanks, very much ! ” said Mrs. Lovell. “ It’s really so very kind of you, and I’m so very stupid, you know ; but is n’t it very odd that you and I should meet in this way ? I ’m sure I was never so astonished in all my life.”

At this most sudden and unexpected turn of the conversation, which in an instant was switched off from the line of science to that of delicate private affairs, Grimes looked fairly stunned with embarrassment.

“I — I — I,” said he, stammering, — “ I ’m sure I can’t account for it at all.”

“ How very funny ! Only fancy ! ” sighed Mrs. Lovell.

After this there was a silence, and Grimes began to murmur something about its being an accident, and about his astonishment being the same as hers. To all this Mrs. Lovell listened without any particular attention, and at length asked him abruptly, “ You ’re going to Paris, I suppose?”

“Yes,’m,” said Grimes, solemnly; and then he added in an explanatory way, “You see, ’m, Paris is a fine place, and the French are a fine people.”

“ How very funny ! ” said Mrs. Lovell again, not, of course, meaning that the character which Mr. Grimes attributed to the French was funny, but rather referring to the fact that Paris was his destination.

At this point, however, Mrs. Lovell made a motion to return to the cabin. The conversation of Mr. Grimes about the steam-engine, or rather his lecture on that subject, had taken up a good hour, and she did not feel inclined to remain longer. As she rose to go, Grimes made a movement to convey her back in the same manner in which he had brought her to this place ; but this time Mrs. Lovell was more on her guard and dexterously eluded him. She declared that the vessel did not roll at all now, though the motion was quite as violent as it had been before, and that she was able to walk without any difficulty. So she clung to the railing ; and though Grimes walked by her side all the way, she managed to struggle to the cabin without his assistance.

On reaching the state-room she burst forth at once.

“ O Maudie dear, who do you think I saw ? and I ’ve been with him ever since.”

Maud had been lying in her berth in that quiescent and semi-torpid state which is generally affected by the average passenger in rough weather; but the remark of her sister roused her. She started up, leaning on her elbow, and looking at her with intense earnestness.

“ Not — Mr. — Mr. Carrol,” she said, slowly and hesitatingly.

“Mr. Carrol? No, of course not; I mean Mr. Grimes.”

“ Mr. Grimes ? O, is that all ? ” said Maud; and with this she sank back to her former position.

“Is that all?” repeated Mrs. Lovell. “ Well, do you know, Maudie, I call that a great deal,” she continued, with some warmth; “ especially when you bear in mind that he was waiting for me,—really lying in ambush, — and the moment I appeared he seized me in his arms.”

“ What! ” cried Maud, in amazement, roused at once and completely out of her indifference and her torpor, and starting up as before upon her elbow,— “ what ! seized you ! ”

“ Well, you know, Maudie, there was some excuse for it, for it was so rough that I could n’t walk very well, and so he carried me to the stern.”

“Carried you ! ” exclaimed Maud, in a tone of horror.

“ O, I assure you, it was quite natural ; and, what’s more, I ’m sure it was very kind of him ; for really, one could no more walk than one could fly. For my part, I really felt quite grateful to him, and I told him so.”

“ O Georgie ! how very, very silly you are about that person ! ”

“ He is n’t a person at all,” said Mrs. Lovell; “and I ’m not silly, — I ’m simply capable of common gratitude.”

“ O dear ! ” sighed Maud. “ And so it’s all beginning again, and we ’ll have it all over and over, and— ”

“ It isn’t doing anything of the kind,” said Mrs. Lovell. “ Mr. Grimes is a very different sort of a man from what you suppose him to be. He’s perfectly abominable, and I wish people would n’t be so high-minded and consistent.”

“ Abominable — high-minded —consistent ? What do you mean, Georgie ? ” said Maud, in deep perplexity.

“Why, I mean Mr. Grimes.”

“Mr. Grimes? Of course. But what do you mean by talking in this confused way ? ”

“ Why, I mean that his treatment of me was abominable, and that he is so changed that he seems quite like a different person.”

“ In what way is he changed ? ”

“ O, you know, he does n't take any notice of me at all now ! I ’m nothing. I’m no more to him than — than — than the captain of the ship.”

“Why, I ’m sure,” said Maud, “ that’s the last thing you ought to charge against him. Seizing you in his arms seems to be taking sufficient notice of you, and something more, in my humble opinion.”

“ O, but that was nothing more than common civility, you know ! ”

“ Common civility ! ” exclaimed Maud.

“Yes,” said Mrs. Lovell, “I don’t mean that. I allude to his general manner when we were sitting down, when, if he had a spark of friendship left, he had every chance of showing it. Now, what do you think he talked about, — after tracking me all over North America, and following me over the Atlantic Ocean, what do you think he chose to talk to me about ? ”

“ I ’m sure I can’t tell,” said Maud ; “ I have no patience with that man.”

“ Why,” said Mrs. Lovell, indignantly, “ he talked to me about nothing but tiresome steam-engines. And O, how he did go on ! I’m sure he might as well have talked Chinese. I did n’t understand one word. Steam-engines ! Think of that, Maudie. And after all that has passed between us ! ”

“ Well, I ’m sure, Georgie, I ’m very, very glad to hear it.”

“ Well, for my part,” said Mrs. Lovell, in a tone of vexation, “ I have no patience with people that go on the theory that everybody is like the Medes and Persians, and never change their minds.”

“ Change their minds ! ” exclaimed Maud, in strong agitation ; “ O Georgie ! what frightful thing do you mean by that ? Do you intend by that to hint that you are changing your mind, and are willing to take back your refusal of that man ? O Georgie ! don’t, don't, O, don’t be altogether insane!”

“ Don’t be alarmed, Maudie,” said Mrs. Lovell. “ It ’s all over. Mr. Grimes has become very, very commonplace. There used to be quite a zest in him. That is all over now. He is totally uninteresting. He has taken to lecturing on steam-engines. But then,” continued she, in a doleful tone, “ the worst of it is, I know it’s all unnatural, and he does n’t take any real interest in boilers and things. He only talks about such things, on account of that wretched constraint he exercises on himself, you know. And all the time there isn’t any need for any constraint at all, you know.”

“ O my poor, silly Georgie, how in the world would you wish him to be ?”

“ Why, I should like him to be ordinarily friendly, of course ; but as he is now, he is nothing. It’s Grimes, but living Grimes no more. We start, for life is wanting there. He’s like a piano that won’t play. He certainly can’t expect me to take the initiative. I wish he would n’t be so stupid; and do you know, Maudie dear, I really begin to think that his conduct is really almost immoral.”

“ I hate to have you talk about him so,” said Maud, impatiently. “ He is nothing but a coarse, vulgar, commonplace man.”

“ But I like vulgar men,” said Mrs. Lovell. “ Refined people are so dreadfully commonplace and tiresome, —just a little dash of coarseness, you know, to give a zest to character. I don’t mean very vulgar, of course, but only a little. I ’m sure, everybody is refined, and I ’m sure it’s very hard if one can’t occasionally take refuge in alittle slight vulgarity.”

At this Maud groaned, but said not a word in reply.

James DeMille.