Chapter X.

CHAPTER X .

Climb thy thick noon , disastrous day . —In Memoriam . ARTHUR was now once more living in a sphere of undiluted happiness , long deserved . No longer was his work a mere persistent but hopeless perseverance , with neither heart nor soul in it but simply dull , tiring , monotonous , mechanism ; no , he now felt a pleasure , a delight , in working with his whole might , while he knew Olivia was waiting for him with her priceless

love . The dark , depressing cloud had at last been lifted from the horizon of his future , and the day shone forth bright and clear , full of much promise . Well might the air feel more fresh ancl invigorating , the town seem brighter ancl brisker , and all surrounding circumstances wear a more cheerful and sympathetic aspect . Life had now a splendid object , namely , the undisputed and everlasting possession of his soul , Olivia . Work was now joy to him ; the curse of Adam became his blessing ; welcome , welcome work , that brought him ever nearer the long-sought object of his life . Poor Redtaper envied him his happiness , for he was in the depth of despair ;

and Humberton cculd feel for him , for had he not experienced all the same feelings himself ? A warm grip of the hand , and a very kindly " Good morning , " showed Redtaper that at least one person had some sympathy for his case ; it inspired him to hope , ancl he forgave his friend all that his jealous feelings had previously prompted . How completely we hold our happiness in our own hands ; it is merely our fancy that makes ns happy or miserable ; happiness is therefore self-made . The

great secret is to be content with present circumstances , although one may hope for better times . A man ' s misery is of his own making ; if he cannot succeed in his desires , he immediately considers himself the most unfortunate being in the kingdom , whereas he has simply to forget his anticipated happiness , and he can soon cast all care away . In great griefs there is generally a woman behind the scenes somewherewho frequently leads her adorer through

, strange , intricate , and puzzling mazes , sometimes delusive ancl endless ones ; but , to be charitable , oftener with an enchanting prize waiting in the end for the persevering mortal who has at last gained access to the throne of love . It is this most momentous struggle in a man ' s life that fills him with despair or elevates him to the hi ghest happiness .

The race for love is much more absorbing than the race for wealth ; everything else is cast aside , and gives way to its impulses , while the blind lovegod binds his victims in fetters stronger than iron but brittle as jet . How slight an accident has served to sever them , but though the pang is felt long , long afterwards , when the love has been sincere ancl deep . When Cupid , the powerfully mischievous son of the voluptuous goddess of beauty , is decoying

frail mortals with his love messages , he occupies their whole mind ; little else is thought of ; there is no room for other thoughts when the all-absorbingpassion takes possession of them . Thus , when love has been misplaced or proves delusive , as it too frequentl y does , the shock is terrible , and the system is left , as it were , entirel y without support . All hopes have been built upon this one desire and all other objects have been subordinateand when the

, foundation is taken away the building falls like a castle of cards . Painful indeed is the rebuilding , when necessity speaks of a plainer edifice , void of romance , almost aimless and erratic , stone laid upon stone with the cement of despair . Both Humberton and Redtaper hacl experienced those p hases of castlebuilding , bitter enough toobut Humberton ' s fairy had at last touched the

, edifice with her magic wancl , and minarets and spangles grew on every side , resting on a firm foundation , which nothing short of a li ghtning stroke could demolish . That fairy was Olivia ; her simple act of love had changed the face of Nature . The narrow-minded pessimist had become a large-hearted