His life was too busy to leave any time for
the gratification of mere curiosity; I, alas! have only had too much
leisure."
Next Monday, Signor Sperano read to us the story which I will call
"THE POOR CLARE."
[At this point comes "The Poor Clare"--already released by Project
Gutenberg]
Now, of all our party who had first listened to my Lady Ludlow, Mr.
Preston was the only one who had not told us something, either of
information, tradition, history, or legend. We naturally turned to
him; but we did not like asking him directly for his contribution,
for he was a grave, reserved, and silent man.
He understood us, however, and, rousing himself as it were, he said -
"I know you wish me to tell you, in my turn, of something which I
have learnt during my life. I could tell you something of my own
life, and of a life dearer still to my memory; but I have shunk from
narrating anything so purely personal. Yet, shrink as I will, no
other but those sad recollections will present themselves to my mind.
I call them sad when I think of the end of it all. However, I am not
going to moralize.
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