You are early wise on some points; profit by my experience, and be so on all." "That is to say, in despising all men and all things!" said Lucy, also smiling.
"Well, never mind my creed,--you may be wise after your own; but trust one, dearest Lucy, who loves you purely and disinterestedly, and who has weighed with scales balanced to a hair all the advantages to be gleaned from an earth in which I verily think the harvest was gathered before we were put into it,--trust me, Lucy, and never think love, that maiden's dream, so valuable as rank and power: pause well before you yield to the former; accept the latter the moment they are offered you.

Love puts you at the feet of another, and that other a tyrant; rank puts others at your feet, and all those thus subjected are your slaves!" Lucy moved her chair so that the new position concealed her face, and did not answer; and Brandon, in an altered tone, continued,-- "Would you think, Lucy, that I once was fool enough to imagine that love was a blessing, and to be eagerly sought for?
I gave up my hopes, my chances of wealth, of distinction,--all that had burned from the years of boyhood into my very heart.

I chose poverty, obscurity, humiliation; but I chose also love.

What was my reward?
Lucy Brandon, I was deceived,--deceived!" Brandon paused; and Lucy took his hand affectionately, but did not break the silence.

Brandon resumed:-- "Yes, I was deceived! But I in my turn had a revenge, and a fitting revenge; for it was not the revenge of hatred, but" (and the speaker laughed sardonically) "of contempt.