Injury might come to him,--a pernicious clipping of the wings, which might destroy all power of future flight; injury, and not improbably destruction, if he should persevere.

But one may say that no single hour of happiness could accrue to him from his intimacy with Mrs Lupex.

He felt for her no love.

He was afraid of her, and, in many respects, disliked her.
But to him, in his moth-like weakness, ignorance, and blindness, it seemed to be a great thing that he should be allowed to fly near the candle.

Oh! my friends, if you will but think of it, how many of you have been moths, and are now going about ungracefully with wings more or less burnt off, and with bodies sadly scorched! But before Mr Cradell could make up his mind whether or no he would take advantage of the present opportunity for another dip into the flame of the candle,--in regard to which proceeding, however, he could not but feel that the presence of Miss Spruce was objectionable,--the door of the room was opened, and Amelia Roper joined the party.
"Oh, indeed; Mrs Lupex," she said.