Sometimes, of old, Gordon used to
irritate him; but this danger appeared completely to have passed away.
Bernard prolonged his visit; it gave him pleasure to be able to testify
in this manner to his good will. Gordon was the kindest of hosts, and
if in conversation, when his wife was present, he gave precedence to
her superior powers, he had at other times a good deal of pleasant
bachelor-talk with his guest. He seemed very happy; he had plenty of
occupation and plenty of practical intentions. The season went on, and
Bernard enjoyed his life. He enjoyed the keen and brilliant American
winter, and he found it very pleasant to be treated as a distinguished
stranger in his own land--a situation to which his long and repeated
absences had relegated him. The hospitality of New York was profuse;
the charm of its daughters extreme; the radiance of its skies superb.
Bernard was the restless and professionless mortal that we know,
wandering in life from one vague experiment to another, constantly
gratified and never satisfied, to whom no imperious finality had as yet
presented itself; and, nevertheless, for a time he contrived to limit
his horizon to the passing hour, and to make a good many hours pass in
the drawing-room of a demonstrative flirt.
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