Bressant
spoke with an almost fierce sincerity and earnestness of conviction,
that quite overbore the shield of playful incredulity which woman
instinctively raises on such occasions; they seemed to have crossed, at
one step, the pale of conventionalities; and, sweet and alluring as the
outer wilderness may be, it is wilderness still, and full of sudden
precipices. Besides, the very energy and impetuosity which the young man
showed, suggested the apprehension that the power of his newly-awakened
emotions was greater than his ability to control and manage them.
But beauty, as he understood it, was something of deeper and wider
significance than that generally accepted. It was all, in mankind and
nature, that appeals to and gratifies the senses and sensuous emotions.
Cornelia had been the door through which he had passed into a
consciousness of its existence; the fragrant pass leading to the mighty
valley. Unfortunately neither he nor she was in a position to comprehend
this fact: she was no metaphysical casuist, and never imagined but that
he would find the end, as well as the beginning of his newly-opened
world in her; and he, dizzied by the tumult and novelty of the vision,
was naturally disposed to attribute most value and importance to the
only element in it of which he had as yet taken any real and definite
cognizance.
Pages:
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143