“Not necessarily.  A known weakness thoroughly conquered sometimes becomes an element of additional strength in human character.  As the exercise of muscle builds up physical vigour, so the persistent exertion of will develops mental and moral power.  Men who have a paramount aim in life should never hesitate in strangling all irrelevant and inferior appellants for sympathy.  A comparatively briefless attorney should trample out as he would an invading worm the temptation to dream rose-coloured visions, wherein bows, arrows, and bleeding hearts are thick and plentiful as gooseberries.  Love in a cottage with honeysuckle on the porch, and no provisions in the larder, belongs to the age of fables, is as dead as feudal tenure.”

“That you are quite incapable of such impolitic weakness, I am well aware; for under the heel of your iron will your heart would not even struggle.  But unfortunately I am an impulsive, foolish, human Roscoe, not a systematically organized, well-regulated, and unerring Palma.”  His cousin bowed complacently.

“Be kind enough to hand me the cigars.  This is defective; will not smoke.”

He leisurely lighted one, and resumed:  “While on the cars to-day I read an article which contained a passage to this effect, and I offer it for your future reflection:  ’That man, I think, has had a liberal education, who has been so trained in his youth, that his body is the ready servant of his will, and does with ease and pleasure all the work that as a mechanism it is capable of; whose intellect is a clear, cold, logic engine, with all its parts of equal strength and in smooth working order; ready like a steam-engine to be turned to their kind of work.’  Elliott, young gentlemen should put their hearts in their pockets, until they fully decide before what shrine it would be most remunerative to offer them.  The last time we dined at Judge Van Zandt’s, certainly not more than three months ago, you were all devotion to his second daughter, Clara of the ruby lips and cedre hair.”

“Clara Van Zandt, no thank you!  I would not give Regina’s pure face and sweet violet eyes for all the other feminine flesh in New York!”

Had his attention been fixed just then upon Mr. Palma, he might have detected the sudden flash in his black eyes, and the nervous clenching of his right hand that rested on the arm of the chair; but the younger man was absorbed by his own emotions, and very soon his cousin rose.

“In future we will not discuss this folly.  At present, please recollect that my ward’s face has not yet been offered in the matrimonial market; consequently your bid is premature.  Those papers I spoke of must be prepared as early as possible in the morning, and submitted to me for revision.  Be careful in copying the record.  Have a cigar?  I shall not be back before dark.”