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tinged with a vague gloomy remorse that made him a sadder, but scarcely
a wiser or better man. Perhaps it was a monomania; let us hope so. On
that occasion he heard me out quite patiently; then the blue glasses
raised themselves to the level of my eyes, and I felt convinced their
owner was staring spectrally behind them. Considering that he measured
about thirtyfour inches round the chest, his voice was extraordinarily
deep and solemn: it sounded preternaturally so as he said very slowly,
There is one face that does not often leave me alone here, and will
follow me, I think, when I go to my appointed place: I see it now, as I
shall see it throughout all agesalways _by firelight_.
I felt very wroth, for surely to suggest a new and unpleasant train of
ideas is an infamous abuse of a _teteatete_. I told my friend so; and,
as he declined to retract or apologize, or in any wise explain himself,
departed with the conviction that, though a clever man and an original
thinker, he was by no means an exhilarating or instructive companion. I
should have borne him a grudge to this day, but as I was walking home,
decidedly disconsolate (there's no such bore as having a pet fancy
spoiled, it is like having your favorite hunter sent home with two
broken knees), it suddenly occurred to me that if the penitent was in
the habit of looking at the fire through those blue barnacles, it was
not likely there would be much rosecolor in his visions. In great
triumph I retraced my steps, and knocked the culprit up to put in this
demurrer. I flatter myself it floored him. He did attempt some lame
excuse about taking his spectacles off at such times, but I refused to
listen to a word, and marched out of the place with drums beating and
colors flying, first exasperating him by the assurance of my complete
forgiveness. Since then, if sitting alone, _ligna super foco large
reponens_, I involuntarily recur to that illfavored conception, it
suffices to contrast with it the grotesque appearance of its originator,
and the pale phantom evanisheth.
I have no excuse to offer for this long and egotistical anecdote, except
the pendant which Maloney used to attach to his ultra_marine_
storiesThe point of it is, thatit's strictly true.
Another and a much more reputable Council of Three sat that night in
Miss Tresilyan's apartments. Mr. Fullarton represented the male element
there, and was in great force. The late accession to his flock had
decidedly raised his spirits: he knew how materially it would strengthen
his hands; but, independently of all politic consideration, Cecil's
grace and beauty exercised a powerful influence over him. Do not
misconstrue this. I believe a thought had never crossed his mind
relating to any living woman that his own wife might not have known and

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