No one could have believed that he, the idol of society, the petted darling of the women, and the successful rival of the men, could have been refused by the young girl to whom he had offered his hand.
"Yes," murmured he with a sigh, "for she is just the companion for life that I longed for.

Where could I find so intelligent an intellect and so pure a mind, united with such radiant beauty, so different from the women of society, who live but for dress and gossip.

Has Sabine anything in common with those giddy girls who look upon life as a perpetual value, and who take a husband as they do a partner, because they cannot dance without one?
How her face lighted up as she spoke of him, and how thoroughly she puts faith in him! The end of it all is that I shall die a bachelor.

In my old age I will take to the pleasures of the table, for an excellent authority declares that a man can enjoy his four meals a day with comfort.

Well, that is something to look forward to certainly, and it will not impair my digestion if my heirs and expectants come and squabble round my armchair.