aught that could injure his own prospects by tending to unite son and
father, Randal was not slow in reaching his young kinsman's lodgings. It
might be supposed that having, in all probability, just secured so great
a fortune as would accompany Violante's hand, Randal might be indifferent
to the success of his scheme on the Hazeldean exchequer. Such a
supposition would grievously wrong this profound young man. For, in the
first place, Violante was not yet won, nor her father yet restored to the
estates which would defray her dower; and, in the next place, Randal,
like Iago, loved villany for the genius it called forth in him. The sole
luxury the abstemious aspirer allowed to himself was that which is found
in intellectual restlessness. Untempted by wine, dead to love, unamused
by pleasure, indifferent to the arts, despising literature save as means
to some end of power, Randal Leslie was the incarnation of thought
hatched out of the corruption of will. At twilight we see thin airy
spectral insects, all wing and nippers, hovering, as if they could never
pause, over some sullen mephitic pool. Just so, methinks, hover over
Acheron such gnat-like, noiseless soarers into gloomy air out of Stygian
deeps, as are the thoughts of spirits like Randal Leslie's. Wings have
they, but only the better to pounce down,--draw their nutriment from
unguarded material cuticles; and just when, maddened, you strike, and
exulting exclaim, "Caught, by Jove!" wh-irr flies the diaphanous, ghostly
larva, and your blow falls on your own twice-offended cheek.

The young men who were acquainted with Randal said he had not a vice!
The fact being that his whole composition was one epic vice, so
elaborately constructed that it had not an episode which a critic could
call irrelevant. Grand young man!

"But, my dear fellow," said Randal, as soon as he had learned from Frank
all that had passed on board the vessel between him and Beatrice, "I