Ah, if Mrs. Brown,
whose children are gone to bed at the hotel, knew but the history of that
calm dignified-looking gentleman who sits under her, and over whose
patient back she frantically advances and withdraws her two-franc piece,
whilst his own columns of louis d'or are offering battle to fortune--how
she would shrink away from the shoulder which she pushes! That man so
calm and well bred, with a string of orders on his breast, so well
dressed, with such white hands, has stabbed trusting hearts; severed
family ties; written lying vows; signed false oaths; torn up pitilessly
tender appeals for redress, and tossed away into the fire supplications
blistered with tears; packed cards and cogged dice; or used pistol or
sword as calmly and dexterously as he now ranges his battalions of gold
pieces.
Ridley shrank away from such lawless people with the delicacy belonging
to his timid and retiring nature, but it must be owned that Mr. Clive was
by no means so squeamish. He did not know, in the first place, the
mystery of their iniquities; and his sunny kindly spirit, undimmed by any
of the cares which clouded it subsequently, was disposed to shine upon
all people alike.
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