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Article THE MASON'S DAUGHTER. * ← Page 3 of 10 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mason's Daughter. *
conjecture ; but let those who harbour such thoughts remember , that this convenient code has but the sanction of this world , and fortunately , of only part of that . Let those inclined to trifle with their veracity on these points remember with a shudder , that a falsehood is a crime , whatever may be the matter to which it refers ; and whatever men may say , it will be so reckoned and punished at the day of judgment .
Too many were the females of the middle class of who had , fatally to their peace , listened to the false vows of the military gallants ; among these Lotharios , Captain Manvers was pre-eminent , for his wealth as well as his personal accomplishments were both superior to those of his companions . Theleisure hours of many of the young officers were spent in following up the game which they bad selected for prey ; and their amusement at messafter the senior officerswho were all
, , married men , had retired , was recounting the business of the day , and discussing the merits of their several Dulcineas either in posse or in esse . On these subjects Manvers had the good taste , if the exercise of common decency only can so be called , to be silent ; but the predilection of the fair for the handsome captain was well known , and his reputation for gallantry was not the less credited because he himself did not join ire extolling it . When all the several matters concerning their respective
selves had been duly discussed , the conversation usually turned on the lovely Miss , who was by all allowed to be the perfection of beauty , but whose coldness to all their addresses was the theme of universal reprobation . She was stigmatised by these gallant sons of Mars as perfeetlv devoid of taste in not feeling proud of the adoration profusely
offered b y men of such fashion as themselves ; and she was at last put down as an impregnable fortress , which it was but lost time to besiege . It was thus that the mess conversations usually terminated ; but the result was one night very different . Manvers had , for some nights , seemed to lose his usual spirits , and his companions had rallied him on some unsuccessful amour , for attachment was a word not in thenvocabulary , as it seemed to carry with it a signification of something more lasting than the meaning conveyed by theirfavourite phraser
, " liaison . " On the evening in question the usual subject had been touched on , and the coldness of Miss condemned in no measured terms . An officer who had recently rejoined the corps , after a leave of absence , but whose residence was within a few miles of , with the inhabitants of which he was perfectly well acquainted , observed , that the young lady had not always maintained a similar coldness towards others , and was proceeding in his illustration of the opinion which he had
expressed , by mentioning the name of the person or persons alluded to , when the whole assembly were astounded by the voice of the hitherto apathetic Manvers , who commanded the speaker to cease his oration . The eyes of the whole of the members of the mess were now turned upon Manvers , who made every possible effort to control the writhing of the muscles of his forehead and face ; " Johnson , " said he , addressing the officer" I beg this subject be no more spoken ofand 1 trust it
, may , may be dropped without further comment . " Johnson , who had felt nettled by the tone which had been used , replied , " Your tone and manner , Captain Manvers , are both most unusual , and are of a natureto which I am unaccustomed ; I will yield to neither . If you can show me any reason why I should be silent , I shall be glad to hear it ; and reserving my right to resume the subject , 1 await your replv . '"
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mason's Daughter. *
conjecture ; but let those who harbour such thoughts remember , that this convenient code has but the sanction of this world , and fortunately , of only part of that . Let those inclined to trifle with their veracity on these points remember with a shudder , that a falsehood is a crime , whatever may be the matter to which it refers ; and whatever men may say , it will be so reckoned and punished at the day of judgment .
Too many were the females of the middle class of who had , fatally to their peace , listened to the false vows of the military gallants ; among these Lotharios , Captain Manvers was pre-eminent , for his wealth as well as his personal accomplishments were both superior to those of his companions . Theleisure hours of many of the young officers were spent in following up the game which they bad selected for prey ; and their amusement at messafter the senior officerswho were all
, , married men , had retired , was recounting the business of the day , and discussing the merits of their several Dulcineas either in posse or in esse . On these subjects Manvers had the good taste , if the exercise of common decency only can so be called , to be silent ; but the predilection of the fair for the handsome captain was well known , and his reputation for gallantry was not the less credited because he himself did not join ire extolling it . When all the several matters concerning their respective
selves had been duly discussed , the conversation usually turned on the lovely Miss , who was by all allowed to be the perfection of beauty , but whose coldness to all their addresses was the theme of universal reprobation . She was stigmatised by these gallant sons of Mars as perfeetlv devoid of taste in not feeling proud of the adoration profusely
offered b y men of such fashion as themselves ; and she was at last put down as an impregnable fortress , which it was but lost time to besiege . It was thus that the mess conversations usually terminated ; but the result was one night very different . Manvers had , for some nights , seemed to lose his usual spirits , and his companions had rallied him on some unsuccessful amour , for attachment was a word not in thenvocabulary , as it seemed to carry with it a signification of something more lasting than the meaning conveyed by theirfavourite phraser
, " liaison . " On the evening in question the usual subject had been touched on , and the coldness of Miss condemned in no measured terms . An officer who had recently rejoined the corps , after a leave of absence , but whose residence was within a few miles of , with the inhabitants of which he was perfectly well acquainted , observed , that the young lady had not always maintained a similar coldness towards others , and was proceeding in his illustration of the opinion which he had
expressed , by mentioning the name of the person or persons alluded to , when the whole assembly were astounded by the voice of the hitherto apathetic Manvers , who commanded the speaker to cease his oration . The eyes of the whole of the members of the mess were now turned upon Manvers , who made every possible effort to control the writhing of the muscles of his forehead and face ; " Johnson , " said he , addressing the officer" I beg this subject be no more spoken ofand 1 trust it
, may , may be dropped without further comment . " Johnson , who had felt nettled by the tone which had been used , replied , " Your tone and manner , Captain Manvers , are both most unusual , and are of a natureto which I am unaccustomed ; I will yield to neither . If you can show me any reason why I should be silent , I shall be glad to hear it ; and reserving my right to resume the subject , 1 await your replv . '"