Night and Morning, Volume 3 by Baron Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton
page 87 of 156 (55%)
page 87 of 156 (55%)
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cool, sober, and collected, as if he had lived according to the precepts
of Socrates or Cornaro! But to return to Morton. It was his habit to avoid as much as possible sharing the good cheer of his companion; and now, as he entered the, Champs Elysees, he saw a little family, consisting of a young mechanic, his wife, and two children, who, with that love of harmless recreation which yet characterises the French, had taken advantage of a holiday in the craft, and were enjoying their simple meal under the shadow of the trees. Whether in hunger or in envy, Morton paused and contemplated the happy group. Along the road rolled the equipages and trampled the steeds of those to whom all life is a holiday. There, was Pleasure--under those trees was Happiness. One of the children, a little boy of about six years old, observing the attitude and gaze of the pausing wayfarer, ran to him, and holding up a fragment of a coarse kind of cake, said to him, willingly, "Take it--I have had enough!" The child reminded Morton of his brother--his heart melted within him--he lifted the young Samaritan in his arms, and as he kissed him, wept. The mother observed and rose also. She laid her hand on his own: "Poor boy! why do you weep?--can we relieve you?" Now that bright gleam of human nature, suddenly darting across the sombre recollections and associations of his past life, seemed to Morton as if it came from Heaven, in approval and in blessing of this attempt at reconciliation to his fate. "I thank you," said he, placing the child on the ground, and passing his hand over his eyes,--"I thank you--yes! Let me sit down amongst you." And he sat down, the child by his side, and partook of their fare, and |
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