Lenore was now a young lady. I thought myself a man. As children, we could no longer live together--no longer dwell under the same roof. Lenore was too beautiful; and I was too much afflicted with poverty. Any further acquaintance between us might not contribute to my future happiness but the contrary. I left the house with mingled feelings of pleasure and despair, pleased to find myself once more restored to the good opinion of Mrs Hyland-- despairing of being able to resist the fascinations of her daughter's beauty. Every time I gazed upon her fair face, could only add to my misery. I was young; and as I had been told, good-looking. Lenore and I had been old friends and playmates. It was possible for me to win her love; but would it be honourable? Would it be a proper return for the kindness of Captain Hyland and his widow, for me, a penniless "rolling stone," to try to win the affections of their only child, and subject her to the misery of my own unfortunate lot? No! I could love Lenore; but I could not act in such an unworthy manner. Then followed the reflection, that Mrs Hyland had some property. Her home would be mine. She needed a son-in-law to look after the ship; and I was a seaman. These thoughts only stirred within me a feeling of pride, that would not allow me to receive any advantage of fortune from one I could choose for a wife. I knew that with all the exertions a man may make--and however correct his habits may be--he cannot live happily with a wife who brings into the firm of husband and wife more money than himself. Another unpleasant consideration came before me. Why should I be seeking for reasons against marrying Lenore, when perhaps she might not consent to marry _me_? Because we were old friends, was no reason why she should ever think of me as a husband. By trying to make her love me, I might, as she had said of Mr Adkins, cause her only to hate me. The day after my visit to Mrs Hyland and Lenore, I went to see Mason, the steward, in order that I might thank him for the good word he had spoken for me--as well as for much kindness he had shown towards me, when we were shipmates in the `Lenore.' He received me in a cordial manner, that caused me to think better of mankind, than I had lately done. In a long conversation I held with him, he told me of many acts of dishonesty, in the committal of which he had detected Adkins, who, he said, had been robbing Mrs Hyland in every way he could. "Captain Hyland took much trouble in giving you some education," said he; "why don't you marry the daughter, and take command of the ship?" "I am a poor penniless adventurer," I replied, "and dare not aspire to so much happiness as would be mine, were I to become the husband, as well as captain, of `Lenore.' I am neither so vain nor ambitious."