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20 BLACK SHEEP.notion of allowing public opinion to take precedenceof mypleasure."She laughed again, a saucy laugh yvhich he didnot like, gave him another glanceand anotherflicker of her eyelash, and said:" Why, how extremelyr preposterous you arc!You know well, ifIcared what people could,would, might, or should say,Iwould not allowyou to visit me every day, andIwould not driveyou out alone like this."The perfect unconcern and freedom of theremark took Routh by surprise, and disconcertedhim as completely as its undeniable truth. Hekept silence; and Mrs. Ireton P. Bembridge,amused at the blank expression of his countenance,burst into a hearty fit of laughter thistime." Itell youIdon't care about public opinion.All the men admire me, no matter whatIdo; andall the womenhate me, ancl yvouldhate me all thesame, for my beauty— whichIentirely appreciate,you know — ifImade my life as dull and decorous,as miserable, squalid, and canting, asImake itpleasant, and joyous, ancl ' not the thing.' Neither

RECOGNITION.21men nor women dare to insult me; and if theydid,Ishould know how to meet the emergency,Iassureyou,thoughIamnotat allclever.Iamonlycourageous— ' plucky,' your English ladies call it,Ithink,inthe last newstyle ofstable ancl barrackroomtalk.Iam that;Idon't think thatIcouldbe afraid of anything or any one."" Not of a man who reallyloved you with allthe force and passion of his heart ?" said Routh,in a hoarse whisper, and bending a fierce darklook uponher." Certainly- not," she rephed, lightly ;but thecolour rose in her cheek, and her breath came a"httle quicker. Idon't believe in people lovingwith passion and force, and all that sort of thing.It is pretty- to talk about on balconies, ancl itlooks well on paper,in a scrawly hand, runningcrookedly up into the corner, and yvith plenty ofdashes, and no date — " And here she laughedagain, and touched up the grays. Routhstill keptsilence, and still his dark look was bent uponher."No, no," she went on, as the rapid trot ofthe ponies began again to sound pleasantly on the

20 BLACK SHEEP.notion of allowing public opinion to take precedenceof mypleasure."She laughed again, a saucy laugh yvhich he didnot like, gave him another glanceand anotherflicker of her eyelash, and said:" Why, how extremelyr preposterous you arc!You know well, ifIcared what people could,would, might, or should say,Iwould not allowyou to visit me every day, andIwould not driveyou out alone like this."<strong>The</strong> perfect unconcern and freedom of theremark took Routh by surprise, and disconcertedhim as completely as its undeniable truth. Hekept silence; and Mrs. Ireton P. Bembridge,amused at the blank expression of his countenance,burst into a hearty fit of laughter thistime." Itell youIdon't care about public opinion.All the men admire me, no matter whatIdo; andall the womenhate me, ancl yvouldhate me all thesame, for my beauty— whichIentirely appreciate,you know — ifImade my life as dull and decorous,as miserable, squalid, and canting, asImake itpleasant, and joyous, ancl ' not the thing.' Neither

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