angry, Philip;" and the girl stood before him to await his answer, one
hand pressed against her bosom to still the beating of her heart,
whilst with the other she screened her blushing brow.

And Philip too stood face to face with her sweet self, with
conscience, and with opportunity. "Now," whispered conscience, "is the
time, before very much harm is done; now is the acceptable time to
tell her all about it, and, whilst forbidding her love, to enlist her
sympathy and friendship. It will be wrong to encourage her affection;
when you ardently love another woman, you cannot palter any more."
"Now," whispered opportunity, shouldering conscience aside, "is the
time to secure her, her love, and her possessions, and to reward Hilda
for her pride. Do not sacrifice yourself to an infatuation; do not
tell her about Hilda--it would only breed jealousies; you can settle
with her afterwards. Take the goods the gods provide you."

All this and more passed through his mind; and he had made his choice
long before the rich blood that mantled in the lady's cheek had sunk
back to the true breast from whence it came.

Oh, instant of time born to colour all eternity to thine own hue, for
this man thou hast come and gone! Oh, fleeting moment, bearing
desolation or healing on thy wings, how the angels, in whose charge
lie the souls of men, must tremble and turn pale, as they mark thy
flight through the circumstances of a man's existence, and thence
taking thy secrets with thee away to add thy fateful store to the
records of his past!

He took her hand, the hand that was pressed upon her bosom.