Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. III, No. XVII, October 1851Various
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. III, No. XVII, October 1851
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
Yes. It thrills through every happy son of Adam at the moment when he
finds his Eve. But Adam himself was, in one respect, better off than any
of his sons; for as there was only one Eve, he could make no mistake;
neither could she, on her side, have either choice or repentance. But
we--our name is Legion, and it is not easy for us to discover who, in
the swarm of the children of Adam, is the right partner for us. If every
one would seriously confess his experience in this respect, it would no
doubt be both instructive and amusing. And as I know no other way in
which I can instruct or amuse the world, I will now sincerely confess
what mistakes I made when I searched for my Eve, whom I first adored in
the person of Rose Ervan.
I want words to describe her. She had fascinated me when I was but a
cadet; she bewitched me before I had left the fourth class. And, of a
truth, there never did exist a young lady more dangerous to a youth of
lively imagination. Her coquetry was so natural, so mixed with goodness
and childish grace, that it was impossible to regard it as any thing
more than the most angelic innocence. At the Military Academy, I saw in
my books her name and nothing besides. If I drew plans of fortifications
and fortresses, Rose stood in the middle of my circles and quadrants,
and the only line that I perceived clearly was the road that led to her
home: the verdurous Greendale.
Greendale was a cheerful place, where there were always guests and
parties. And when the young people wished to have an excursion on the
water, or any other entertainment, I it was who always planned every
thing, and proposed it to the old baroness, the mother, for whom all the
children entertained a very considerable and wholesome respect. On these
occasions she used to say, "My dear sir, if you are with the children, I
will permit it; for I trust to you, and I know that you will take care
of them."
"Yes, to be sure," I replied, though the truth was, I could not take
care of myself; and never took notice of any body, or of any thing,
excepting Rose.
Many a one was fascinated just as I was fascinated; but I persuaded
myself that I was the only lucky fellow who had her preference. Once I
was terribly jealous. A certain Mr. T. (a professor of languages, I
believe) came to Greendale, played, sung, and chattered French; and
immediately Rose forgot me, to chat, and play, and sing with Mr. T.,
making herself altogether as charming to him as she had hitherto been to
me. I was desperate; went away over meadows and fields; saw neither
hedges nor gates, stumbled into ditches and brooks, and reached home
furious as a blunderbuss. But, behold! Mr. T. was gone, and Rose was
again charming to me, and I was instantly as much under her fascination
as ever, fully convinced that it was all my fault, and that I was a
Turk, a monster--nay, quite an Othello of jealousy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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