the end of life, without a murmur, if that is what is necessary.) As to the people who wanted to marry me, I did not care for any of them, and seemed to have much less coquetry than of old.  They simply did not interest me, (of course, in a few years, I had outgrown the love that I had supposed to be so immortal.) It was very pleasant to be always attended to, and to have more constant homage than any other young woman whom I saw.  But as to liking particularly any of the men themselves, it never occurred to me to think of it.

I was placed by my fortunate circumstances rather above the intrigue, and detraction, and heart-burning, that attends the social struggle for life in ordinary cases.  If I were envied, I did not know it, and I had small reason to envy anybody else, being quite the queen.

I enjoyed above measure, the bright and pleasant things that I had at my command:  the sunny rooms of my pretty house:  the driving, the sailing, the dancing:  all that charms a healthy young taste, and is innocent.  I took journeys, with the ecstasy of youth and of good health.  I never shall forget the pleasure of certain days and skies, and the enjoyment that I had in nature.  In society, I had a little more weariness, as I grew older, and found a certain want of interest, as was inevitable.  Society isn’t all made up of clever people, and even clever people get to be tiresome in the course of time.  But at twenty-four I was by no means blase, only more addicted to books and journeys, and less enthusiastic about parties and croquet, though these I could enjoy a little yet.

I had a pretty house (and re-furnished it very often, which always gave me pleasure).  I had no care, for Richard had arranged that I should have a very excellent sort of person for duenna, who had a good deal of tact, and didn’t bore me, and was shrewd enough to make things very smooth.  I liked her very much, though I think now she was something of a hypocrite.  But she had enough principle to make things very respectable, and I never took her for a friend.  We had very pretty little dinners, and little evenings when anybody wanted them, though the house wasn’t very large.  My duenna (by name Throckmorton) liked journeys as well as I did, and never objected to going anywhere.  Altogether we were very comfortable.

The people whom I had known in that first year of my social existence, had drifted away from me a good deal in this new life.  Sophie I could not help meeting sometimes, for she was still a gay woman, but I naturally belonged to a younger set, and did not go very long into general society.  We still disliked each other with the cordiality of our first acquaintance, but I was very sorry for it, and had a great many repentances about it after every meeting.  Kilian I met a good deal, but we rather avoided each other, at short range, though exceedingly good friends to the general observation.

Mary Leighton I seldom saw; no doubt she was consumed with envy when she heard of me, for they were poor, and not able to keep up with gay life as would have pleased her.  She still maintained her intimacy with Kilian, for he had not the resolution to break off a flirtation of which, I was sure, he must be very tired.