‘You mistake me,’ said Cadurcis, mournfully shaking his head.

’Hitherto I have not been so very wrong in my judgment respecting Lord Cadurcis, that I am inclined very easily to give up my opinion,’ replied the Bishop.

‘I have often thought of the conversation to which you allude,’ replied Lord Cadurcis; ’nevertheless, there is one opinion I never changed, one sentiment that still reigns paramount in my heart.’

‘You think so,’ said his companion; but, perhaps, were it more than a sentiment, it would cease to flourish.’

‘No,’ said Lord Cadurcis firmly; ’the only circumstance in the world of which I venture to feel certain is my love for Venetia.’

‘It raged certainly during your last visit to Cherbury,’ said the Bishop, ’after an interval of five years; it has been revived slightly to-day, after an interval of three more, by the sight of a mutual acquaintance, who has reminded you of her.  But what have been your feelings in the meantime?  Confess the truth, and admit you have very rarely spared a thought to the person to whom you fancy yourself at this moment so passionately devoted.’

‘You do not do me justice,’ said Lord Cadurcis; ’you are prejudiced against me.’

’Nay! prejudice is not my humour, my good lord.  I decide only from what I myself observe; I give my opinion to you at this moment as freely as I did when you last conversed with me at the abbey, and when I a little displeased you by speaking what you will acknowledge has since turned out to be the truth.’

‘You mean, then, to say,’ said his lordship, with some excitement, ‘that you do not believe that I love Venetia?’

‘I think you do, at this moment,’ replied Masham; ‘and I think,’ he continued, smiling, ’that you may probably continue very much in love with her, even during the rest of the week.’

‘You mock me!’

‘Nay!  I am sincerely serious.’

‘What, then, do you mean?’

’I mean that your imagination, my lord, dwelling for the moment with great power upon the idea of Venetia, becomes inflamed, and your whole mind is filled with her image.’

‘A metaphysical description of being in love,’ said Lord Cadurcis, rather dryly.

‘Nay!’ said Masham, ‘I think the heart has something to do with that.’

‘But the imagination acts upon the heart,’ rejoined his companion.

’But it is in the nature of its influence not to endure.  At this moment, I repeat, your lordship may perhaps love Miss Herbert; you may go home and muse over her memory, and even deplore in passionate verses your misery in being separated from her; but, in the course of a few days, she will be again forgotten.’

‘But were she mine?’ urged Lord Cadurcis, eagerly.

’Why, you would probably part from her in a year, as her father parted from Lady Annabel.’

’Impossible! for my imagination could not conceive anything more exquisite than she is.’