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THE MIGHTY IMPOSTOR; OR, PLEASANT, POPULAR, AND PERNICIOUS.

BY A. L. O. E.

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MUST leave Nocross-I dare stay here no longer; I have come to tell you so," said the maiden, speaking rapidly, and in a tone of suppressed agitation.

Stella wore a little bunch of white cornelian ornaments—the cross, heart, and anchor, which symbolize the three Christian graces-suspended from her gold chain; and I noticed how nervously her fingers toyed with these trinkets during the conversation which ensued.

"Leave Nocross !-that were to leave Eden," murmured Smoothaway, in deep, low accents, which, like soft music, penetrated into the soul.

I could scarcely believe that the same being was before me as him whom I had seen entering that apartment with such a repulsive look of malice stamped on his features. Nor did Smoothaway's manner towards Stella in the least resemble that with which he had addressed Madame à la Mode. With the latter he had assumed some of the authority of a father-confessor; with Stella he was the poet, the enthusiast, the ardent sympathizer with the trials of the young and the fair. I cannot convey by my pen half the depth of feeling with which Smoothaway uttered that brief sentence-"Leave Nocross-that were to leave

Eden."

"And wherefore quit it?" exclaimed Smoothaway earnestly. "Your scruples will yield at length to my skill; and even if they yield not" (for the maiden had shaken her head hopelessly at a promise which she had proved to be vain), "is not the uneasiness which they give counterbalanced a thousand times by the exquisite delight which you feel in the presence of him whose noble heart is now all your own?"

Two crystal drops that had slowly gathered now overflowed the eyes of the maiden. She bent down her graceful head, and murmured so softly that I could hardly catch the sound-“I have already stayed here too long for my peace."

"And for the peace of your Ernest Getren," said he of the winning voice. "You might sacrifice your own happiness to your filial obedience, your sense of stern duty; but have you the courage also to sacrifice his? Are not your hearts already indissolubly united, so that no power on earth can divide them ?"

"My heart will never, never change-nor can his," faltered Stella; "but our hands can never be joined. My father would not consent to our union; he would be very wrathful if he knew how often we meet under the roof of my too indulgent friend. Family antipathies, religious differences, make my parent regard Ernest with "Paradise indeed!" murmured the maiden. peculiar aversion. I am certain that my father Her eyes were bent on the floor, but I could see would sooner see me a corpse in my coffin than that moisture was gathering under the long dark the bride of his enemy's son. Perhaps it is some lashes. "And yet I must go," she continued. suspicion of our intercourse that has made my "The air of Nocross is dangerous to me; I know father now suddenly summon me back to home. it-I feel it. If I linger in this place of enchantment I must go; I dare not openly disobey my last many more days, I shall lose all power to quit it." | surviving parent."

"There is no necessity that you should obey him at once," observed Smoothaway. "Why should you at the first summons dash from your lips the brimming cup of delight? Your homeif such it can be called-is to you as a dreary prison. If it seemed so to you before your visit to Nocross, it will be a thousandfold more intolerable now."

Stella uttered a deep-drawn sigh.

"Stay here for the present, at least," said the doctor. "I can suggest a number of such little pretexts for your so doing as will satisfy the mind of your father, and make him willing that you should remain with the friend who has so much more sympathy for your feelings than the hardhearted tyrant who calls you his child."

"The name of tyrant must never be applied to a father," said Stella, for the first time since her entrance raising her eyes from the floor. I knew that conscience spoke from her lips.

cried Smooth

"I repeat the word 'tyrant,' away passionately, as if rather encouraged than abashed by the maiden's reproof. "Is it not his own senseless prejudice,-I use a term far too mild-is it not his own wicked spirit of hatred and revenge that alone would make him oppose a marriage which would place his daughter in a heaven upon earth? Judge for yourself, since your father is too blind to make use of the eyes of his reason. Who is the suitor whom this parent would reject upon the most slight and frivolous grounds?" Smoothaway drew a picture, glowing as with all the tints of the rainbow, of a man combining every charm of person with every quality of head and heart which could win and keep a woman's affections. With the eloquence of enthusiasm, Smoothaway dilated on the brilliant talents of Ernest,-his prospect of fame, his depth of affection, his manly piety, his gentleness and courage combined. The portrait was evidently drawn from the image enshrined in Stella's own heart; and she listened with glistening eyes and cheeks flushed to the tint of the rose. “And you would cast away from you the proffered love of such a being-you would trample on the heart which he lays at your feet! And for what?" asked the tempter, in conclusion.

Stella was distressingly agitated: she could hardly articulate in reply,-"Duty; submission

to the command, Children, obey your parents in

the Lord."

"Duty! obedience! Slavish, obsolete terms," exclaimed the deceiver. "We do not live in a land where generation follows generation like sheep in the same beaten track-where the heavenborn poet must ply the shuttle if his father chances to have exercised the craft of a weaver. We do not live in times when parents are privileged to be despots, and gamble with the hearts and hands of their daughters, as tyrants did with the lives of their slaves. Love is the only ruler before whose throne we bow in willing homage." And the orator dashed out into such a wild, eloquent rhapsody on the power and blessedness of what he called "immortal love," as might have made the reputation of a sensational writer.

-

In such rhapsodies his listener's mind had found unwholesome delight, the maiden was but too willing a hearer. And yet an expression of pain which ever and anon flitted across her fair face, showed that conscience still made itself felt, that scruples were distressing her still.

"Could I be justified in deceiving my father?" murmured the girl, unconsciously pressing hard between her slender fingers the little cornelian cross which she wore.

"Justified? Perfectly justified, by all the laws of love-by the example of Juliet, and other devoted heroines whose stories are the glorious themes of poets."

The delicate ornament snapped in the hand of Stella: a fragment dropped on the velvet carpet, but its fall made no sound, and seemed to attract no attention. Smoothaway went on quoting from dramatist, novelist, and poet, and the listening maiden sat perfectly still. There was no motion in any part of her frame, save when a dark lock which rested on her white brow slightly trembled under the fanning of the vampire's extended wings.

I had never more earnestly longed for the gift of eloquent speech. There was something in that young fair creature, only half spoiled as yet by the poisonous atmosphere which she had breathed, which awoke my strongest interest. Here was one evidently possessing a sensitive conscience, a fear of displeasing her Maker, drawn aside from the path of duty by the force of her

affections, and the sophistry of the Mephistopheles | said the man of the world, as he sat heavily down

who would persuade her that to break the Fifth Commandment from the impulse of a love stronger than love to a parent, is an act of pardonable weakness, if not actually a deed to be admired and lauded. I would fain have reminded Stella, in the very face of her tempter, that nothing can justify deceit above all, deceit practised towards a parent; that no union can be blessed by Heaven that is formed in wilful disobedience to the "first commandment with promise." But I was compelled to remain motionless and speechless while sweet opiates were administered to conscience, and a weak, loving girl was lured to remain in a place which reason and a sense of duty alike bade her quit, but where she was only too willing to linger.

--

"Here is the turning-point of that fair creature's life," I mused, with deep sadness, as the painful interview ended. If Stella deceive her parent now and I fear that she will deceive him -the next step will be open disobedience both to her earthly and to her heavenly Father. And then farewell to peace of mind! The daughter's transgression of which the wife scarcely dare even to repent-will bring its punishment upon earth. Oh, through the mercy of Him who can heal the sick soul, may that punishment, if she incur it, be suffered only upon earth!

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Are you not wise? you know you are, yet hear
One truth, amid your various schemes, mislaid
Or overlooked, or thrown aside if seen-
'Our schemes to plan by this world, or the next,
Is the sole diff'rence between wise and fool."
YOUNG.

My earliest acquaintance in Nocross, the man
with stout person and shrewd manner, Lowinclay
himself, was the next visitor whom I saw in the
room of the great Impostor. But it seemed to
me at first as if Lowinclay came in a different
character from that of a patient, and was a good
deal more inclined to find fault than to ask advice
from the quack.

"So you have been preaching again, doctor,"

on the easy-chair, leaning forward with both hands pressed on the knob of his stout umbrella. "I tell you again it won't do. You can't with that smooth tongue of yours polish off doctrines which are the very pillars upon which Christianity rests. You can't persuade me, at least, that human nature is seraphic, and that if you rub off a thin coating of dust, of which-according to you-we are not made, we blaze out as angels-or gods! No, no," he added, laughing, "such philosophy, or theology, or whatever you may call it, won't go down with a man like me, though it may with the ladies. I know human nature a great deal too well.”

Smoothaway did not appear to be in the slightest degree offended by the remark.

"My addresses have not been very correctly reported or understood," he observed; "perhaps they were a little above the comprehension of most of my hearers."

"Ah! yes; women and fools like to have their fancy tickled by novel notions, and their vanity flattered by a supposed introduction into ethereal regions, into which plain common-sense cannot soar. Simpletons are well-pleased to regard themselves as incipient angels. You do not then really look upon mankind as-at the lowest-a flock of innocent lambs that have got-almost without fault of their own-just a speck of dirt here and there on their fleeces ?"

Smoothaway laughed; he always accommodated himself to the humour of the patient before him.

"I rather regard mankind," he replied, "as wolves (with the exception of some harmless simpletons who have not been gifted with teeth), wolves hunting for gain, and-for convenience' sake-hunting in packs. Every one pushing forward for his own interest; every one struggling to get first-panting, striving, straining-with the quarry, wealth, full in view. If one of the pack go down-what matter? there is one mouth less to be fed ;-the rest of the wolves rush past their old comrade, or over him-he'd have done the like to any of themselves."

"No one can say that you take too favourable a view of mankind," laughed Lowinclay. "Rogues or simpletons, trampling or trampled,—such are the broad divisions into which you would group

society. Then you are doubtless of Walpole's opinion, that every man has his price?"

“That is a favourite axiom of mine," said the great Impostor; "I have never known it to prove incorrect."

The axiom might be accounted a painful and humiliating one, but it evidently had neither the effect of distressing nor of humbling the man of the world. On the contrary, Lowinclay leaned back on the cushions of his chair, and surveyed the vibrating punkah with an air of self-satisfaction. He then resumed his former position, and proceeded to explain the purport of his visit. "Really, doctor, I scarcely know whether I need trouble you about a scruple which is beginning to make itself felt-a little. But, as I have found you so clever in conjuring such things away, I thought it worth while to look in."

"I am always at the service of Mr. Lowinclay," said the doctor blandly.

"You know that I am a man of business—" "A shrewd man-a most successful maninterrupted the quack.

"Not, perhaps, an overscrupulous man," continued Lowinclay, who, like other patients in this place, spoke out freely the inmost secrets of his heart. "But I'm a regular attendant at church, and a stanch upholder of orthodox religion.”

"That is the chief point," said Smoothaway. "Have clear views, sound views on religious matters, with a decent conformity to whatever goodbreeding demands,—and you are a respectable member of society."

"One goes to church in gloves, but one can't work in gloves," said Lowinclay; "and, above all, do-dirty work, to use a coarse but expressive term. Now, Smoothaway, my friend, I've found out-I'm pretty sharp at finding out such thingssomething that may prove to me a mine of treasure-double my capital in a wondrously short space of time. But the vein lies low,-very low, -you understand me?"-Smoothaway nodded his head-" and I can't go digging in gloves."

"Keep the gloves for Sundays," said Smoothaway; "business and getting gain for the rest of the week. The gloves are not the skin," he added gaily, "they are no part of yourself; they can be pulled off and on at convenience."

"But this pulling off and on galls me a little, I own-scruples will come," said the man of business. "I may keep the world's good opinion, but I cannot just succeed in keeping my own. There are moments when it comes across me that there's not much difference between me and the petty swindler who was sent to jail at the last assizes, but that he cheated on a small scale, and I-I set my soul at a higher price than he did!”

"So conscience has spoken even to this man's dull ear!" I thought to myself.

"I think that I can relieve you of your scruples, --your little scruples," said Smoothaway, or, as I afterwards found the original name of the great Impostor to be-Self-deception. He opened a box, a gilded box which lay on his table; it was filled with a variety of coloured globules, which in the course of these strange interviews which I

"If you have heaps of money besides," ob- witnessed I found were termed excuses. Selfserved the rich man, with a smile.

"And know how to spend it," added his counsellor in the same free jovial tone.

"I have managed never to lose the world's good opinion," said Lowinclay, more gravely; "gold is apt to dazzle the eyes of beholders, and who cares to inquire too closely from what mud it is digged?"

"No one questions the respectable, sociable, church-going millionaire," remarked the doctor, "so long as he continues to make money fast and spend it freely. If he wear religion as a well-fitting glove, no one will be too curious as to whether the hand beneath be scrupulously clean." |

deception carefully wrapped up in tinted paper three of these globules, each by itself, writing directions on the covers, and talking all the while as he deliberately pursued this employment.

"If you do strain your conscience a little," he said, as he wrapped up the first excuse, "you do but what all the world does. Gold must be had; and as it does not grow like berries on bushes, it is the custom for men to look for it more or less deep underground.”

"If one's object in life be to make money, as it has been mine," said Lowinclay, "it is impossible to be always nice as to how and where one gets it."

"True, too true," was my own mental comment | pilgrim turn aside to the Hill of Lucre* to look

on his words; "we have the highest authority for saying that it is impossible to serve God and mammon."

"Then again," the second excuse was now in the hand of the great Impostor-" you must remember what laudable ends you have in view in increasing your goods,—by whatever means you do so. You are a family man, have sons and daughters to provide for, and are now contemplating a second marriage;" again, to my disgust, I heard from these profane lips a quotation from Scripture.

"Provide for his own!" I mentally exclaimed; "what is this wretched mammon-worshipper providing now for his family? Worldly snares and temptations, and the curse which clings to illgotten wealth. His children will not bless him in another world for what he has done for them in this !"

over the brink of Demas's silver-mine, and not fall down into the pit, or be choked by the damps that rise from its depths?

Ah, woe to those who seek and find their portion in this life! A time is drawing near when Self-deception with his vain excuses will quiet conscience no more, and when the wealth of worlds will not purchase one drop of water to cool the burning tongue of a Dives!

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CHAPTER X.

THE GENIUS.

He saw his poet's crown

Fused to a golden cup;

It might carry water to thirsting lips,
So he thankfully took it up."

The Three Wakings.

THE next individual who, with quick, firm step, entered the apartment, presented as great a contrast to Lowinclay as does the strong-winged, keen-eyed falcon to the mole that burrows underground. My first glance at the young man's countenance made me certain that his temptation was not to stoop to the contemptible frivolity of Madame à la Mode, or the grovelling covetous

"And then consider "-here Self-deception wrapped up and labelled the third globule-" consider, that if your conduct be open to blame in some points, it is worthy of all praise in others. Strike the balance fairly-your shrewd mind will easily do so- -between your virtues and your vices. You are hospitable to a large circle of acquaint-ness of a Dives. The new-comer did not seat ances; your name is on the subscription-lists of various societies; you have a fine temper, a liberal spirit; you have kept yourself free from error in matters of doctrine, and from many vices unhappily prevalent in the world. You do not drink, gamble, nor swear. Does not the scale sink down in your favour? may you not rest your head on your pillow with the comfortable persuasion that you not only seem to be, but on the whole are, a highly respectable man!"

There was a loud buzz overhead as if in reply. A large blue-bottle fly had just been caught in the web of the spider.

Lowinclay slowly rose to depart, after receiving the coloured excuses from the hand of the great Impostor. He drew a long breath as he did so, as if already relieved from the pressure of a burden. But the air of that fatal apartment was becoming to me more and more suffocating, the perfume from the ornamental fountain seemed to breathe of corruption. Is it not written that the love of money is the root of all evil? can the

himself as his predecessors had done, but remained erect, with his back to the mantelpiece, during the whole of his interview with Selfdeception, and I noticed that he often looked the great Impostor full in the face, as none of the other patients had done. There was also an impatience-sometimes rising into indignation— in the young man's manner towards Smoothaway which, from the first moment of Ernest's entrance, roused my hope that in him Self-deception, with all his cunning, might find no easy victim.

"Welcome, Ernest Getren; you have of late become almost a stranger to one who is less your physician than your friend," said Smoothaway, extending his hand as to a companion with whom intercourse had not been confined to the room of reception.

Ernest did not appear to take notice of the extended hand, and sternly replied, "You have been my physician too long; my friend you never

* See "Pilgrim's Progress."

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