第9部分(第1/7 頁)

all　goes　well；　this；　I　suppose；　is　one　of　the　best　things　that　can　happen　to　a　young　fellow。　It　steadies　him　and　gives　him　an　object　in　life：　someone　for　whom　to　work。　If　all　goes　ill；　it　is　one　of　the　worst；　for　then　the　reverse　is　apt　to　e　about。　It　unsteadies　him；　makes　him　reckless；　and　perhaps　throws　him　in　the　way　of　undesirable　adventures。　In　my　case；　in　the　end　all　went　wrong；　or　seemed　to　do　so　at　the　time。

I　was　taken　by　a　friend　to　a　ball　at　Richmond；　who　gave　it　I　have　long　forgotten。　There　I　saw　a　very　beautiful　young　lady　a　few　years　older　than　myself　to　whom　I　was　instantly　and　overwhelmingly　attracted。　I　say　beautiful　advisedly；　for　to　my　mind　she　was　one　of　the　three　really　lovely　women　whom　I　have　seen　in　my　life。　The　second　was　the　late　Duchess　of　Leinster；　and　the　third　was　a　village　girl　at　Bradenham　who　was　reported　to　be　the　daughter　of　a　gentleman。　She；　poor　thing；　died　quite　young。

At　length　the　ball　came　to　an　end　and　I　escorted　this　lady　back　to　her　carriage　—　she　was　driving　back　to　London　alone　—　with　the　intelligent　object　of　ascertaining　where　she　lived。　In　this；　by　the　way；　I　failed；　either　I　did　not　catch　the　address　or　it　was　too　vague　and　general。　Ultimately；　however；　I　overcame　that　difficulty　by　a　well…directed　inquiry　at　a　butcher’s　shop　in　what　I　knew　to　be　the　neighbourhood。　It　occurred　to　me　that　even　goddesses　must　eat。

The　reason　that　I　mention　this　matter　is　that　quite　a　curious　coincidence　is　connected　with　it。　The　house　where　the　ball　took　place　had　a　garden　in　front；　down　which　garden　ran　a　carpeted　path。　At　the　end　of　the　path　a　great　arch　had　been　erected　for　the　occasion；　and　through　this　arch　I　followed　the　young　lady。　Some　thirty…five　years　later　I　was　present　at　her　death…bed　—　for　happily　I　w