This was more remarkable when the men were left alone; and Lester, in surprise and anger, darted significant and admonitory looks towards his nephew, which at length seemed to rouse him into a more hospitable bearing.

As the cool of the evening now came on, Lester proposed to Aram to enjoy it without, previous to returning to the parlour, to which the ladies had retired.
Walter excused himself from joining them.

The host and the guest accordingly strolled forth alone.
"Your solitude," said Lester, smiling, "is far deeper and less broken than mine: do you never find it irksome ?" "Can Humanity be at all times contented ?" said Aram.

"No stream, howsoever secret or subterranean, glides on in eternal tranquillity." "You allow, then, that you feel some occasional desire for a more active and animated life ?" "Nay," answered Aram; "that is scarcely a fair corollary from my remark.
I may, at times, feel the weariness of existence--the tedium vitae; but I know well that the cause is not to be remedied by a change from tranquillity to agitation.

The objects of the great world are to be pursued only by the excitement of the passions.