Finding that she received the court, which many were
disposed to pay her, with grace and affability, but at heart with
imperial indifference, he ceased to disturb himself; for, as she
rightly thought, he was incapable of understanding her. A coquette he
could have interpreted; but a romantic character like hers, born for a
grand passion, or no love at all, he could not. Nor did he see that
V---- was likely to be more to her than any of her admirers.
_Laurie._ I am afraid I should have shamed his obtuseness. V----
has nothing to recommend him that I know of, except his beauty, and
that is the beauty of a _petit-maitre_--effeminate, without
character, and very unlikely, I should judge, to attract such a woman
as you give me the idea of.
_Aglauron._ You speak like a man, Laurie; but have you never
heard tales of youthful minstrels and pages being preferred by
princesses, in the land of chivalry, to stalwart knights, who were
riding all over the land, doing their devoirs maugre scars and
starvation? And why? One want of a woman's heart is to admire and be
protected; but another is to be understood in all her delicate
feelings, and have an object who shall know how to receive all the
marks of her inventive and bounteous affection.
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