A lady of one-and-twenty, and a gentleman
of sixty-six, alone in a great castle, have not unfrequently a third
guest at their table, who comes without a card, and whom they cannot shut
out, though they keep their doors closed ever so. His name is Ennui, and
many a long hour and weary night must such folks pass in the
unbidden society of this Old Man of the Sea; this daily guest at the
board; this watchful attendant at the fireside; this assiduous companion
who will walk out with you; this sleepless restless bedfellow.
At first, M. d'Ivry, that well-conserved nobleman who never would allow
that he was not young, exhibited no sign of doubt regarding his own youth
except an extreme jealousy and avoidance of all other young fellows. Very
likely Madame la Duchesse may have thought men in general dyed their
hair, wore stays, and had the rheumatism. Coming out of the convent of
the Sacre Coeur, how was the innocent young lady to know better? You see,
in these mariages de convenance, though a coronet may be convenient to a
beautiful young creature, and a beautiful young creature may be
convenient to an old gentleman, there are articles which the
marriage-monger cannot make to convene at all: tempers over which M.
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