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Then why, in the name of
well-bred indolence, should he muse with such persistent gloom, on his
general unworthiness at this particular moment? Was it because this
Norwegian maiden's grand blue eyes had met his with such beautiful trust
and candor?
He had known many women, queens of society, titled beauties, brilliant
actresses, sirens of the world with all their witcheries in full play,
and he had never lost his self-possession or his heart; with the
loveliest of them he had always felt himself master of the situation,
knowing that, in their opinion he was always "a catch," "an eligible,"
and, therefore, well worth winning. Now, for the first time, he became
aware of his utter insignificance,--this tall, fair goddess knew none of
the social slang--and her fair, pure face, the mirror of a fair, pure
soul, showed that the "eligibility" of a man from a pecuniary point of
view was a consideration that would never present itself to her mind.
What she would look at would be the man himself,--not his pocket.


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