marriage, by worn out passions; and many a fierce
spirit had been tamed by adversity, till the mirth
had grown to be half moody, and the saturnalia
gross rather in intention than in fact.

Yet ever amidst these distracting pleasures his
heart reverted, first, to the woody wilds of Ottawa,
and afterwards, to the sylvan shades of Stillyside,
which latter he still took delight to visit and adorn;
cherishing its mistress, and watching over and nur-
turing her child, the fruit of her fondness and of his
falsehood; -- but commonly known and publicly ac-
knowledged, only as her foster daughter, and, in his
own prouder circle, as his ward. For himself, he
never occupied other than a handsome suburban re-
sidence, situated between the city and the foot of
Mount Royal, and whose doors Mona Macdonald sel-
dom entered; and when she did so, it was to be
scowled upon by its menial mistress, a French Cana-
dian, named Babet Blais, who viewed the melancholy
visitor with angry and jealous eyes. Into this house
many comely Abigails had come and gone; but
Babet Blais remained in spite of him, having, as she
deemed, acquired a wife's settlement and privileges,
by virtue of the presence of a dwarfish, swarthy
creature, half oaf, half imp, their mutual offspring.
This strange being, as if in mockery, for he was ugly
from the womb, was named Narcisse, and flitted
about the house rather than made it his home; rarely
entering it, except in his father's absence, and then
chiefly to obtain largess from his mother, who loved
and indulged him the more because others disliked
or despised him. Reckless, stupid, savage; ignoble
and stubborn; with thick, black, stubby hair, and

[[10]]

p009 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p010w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p011

v?