he was to stake his reputation as an artist. He worked in secret, we
have said-ay, and with the pains of hunger gnawing him often, his
scanty purse scarcely affording him the means of procuring
sufficient to sustain life. But still he worked on unwearied, in the
hope, if not to gain the hand of Florinda, at least to be thought
more worthy of her.

Little did she he loved know of the actual want he experienced. He
was too proud to acknowledge it even to her; and often did he sit by
her side faint and hungry, while he held a hand, the jewelled
ornaments of which alone would have rendered a peasant independent
for life. He exerted every faculty to obtain the means of dressing
at least with seeming good taste; he endeavored to do this for
appearance sake, and that he might pass well with the world, which
scans with inquisitive eye the outside show, and pays homage
accordingly. He did not fear that it would make any difference with
Florinda, yet he felt some pride, of course, in that quarter. It
required in his present emergency the sacrifice of many a meal to
procure him a coat, or any other necessary article of clothing.

Carlton was not in the practice of meeting Florinda at the palace;
the manifest impropriety of the thing rendered this out of the
question. It was the practice of Florinda to call at certain periods
at the palace of a relation in the environs of the city, and here
Carlton often went to meet her; it was hard by the monastery where
she had been educated, and where they had first met. The two sat
together one twilight hour; it was their chosen time of meeting.

"Carlton," said Florinda.