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THE FALLING OF THE SWORD.165most complete oblivion presented itself.Routhnever bestowed abackward glance upon the lifeof self-sacrifice and devotion to him, of fidelityyvhich, hoyvever depraved in its manifestations,was still fidelity, fond and true as the best manwho everlived an honest ancl virtuous fife in theface of heaven and earth might be proud to inspire,yvhich had been that of the woman whomhe had deliberately betrayed, and was now prepareddeliberately to abandon. He would havesneered at such a suggestion as a contemptibleweakness. Harriet had been undeniably usefultohim.He did not attempt to deny the fact tohimself;but circumstances had arisen yvhich preventedhis making use of her in the future, andconsequently, as this instrument wasunfortunatelyliving, intelligent, peculiarly acute, and animatedby one of the strongest of human passions, hadbecome dangerous. Harriet had been agreeabletohim — too it has been said that he had lovedherafter his fashion; but this had been all overmonths ago; and the deadest of all mortal things,to a man of Stewart Routh's stamp, is a deadlove;it has not even the dreary faculty of ghost-

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