The ceaseless hum of the huge Babylon Has known no silence for a thousand years; Still does her tide of human life flow on, Still is she racked with sorrows, hopes, and fears; Still the sun sets, still morning dawns upon Hearts full of anguish, eye-balls dimmed with tears:-- Still do the millions toil to bless the few-- And hideous Want stalks all her pathways through! "Beautiful--very beautiful!" exclaimed Captain Dapper. "Strike me if I ever heard more beautiful poetry!" "Almotht ath good ath your lineth on the Thea Therpent. Wath the poem witten by the thame perthon that painted the landthcape?" "The very same," answered Isabella. "His initials are in the corner." "R. M. Who can that be?" exclaimed Dapper. "Robert Montgomery, perhaps?" said Isabella, smiling with a charmingly arch expression of countenance. "No--Wichard Markham!" cried Sir Cherry; and then he and his friend the hussar captain were excessively annoyed to think that they had been extolling to the skies the performances of an individual who had frightened the one out of his wits, and boxed the ears of the other. Thus passed the evening; but Markham was reserved and melancholy. It was in vain that Isabella exerted herself to instil confidence into his mind, by means of those thousand little attentions and manifestations of preference which lovers know so well how to exhibit, but which those around perceive not. Richard was firm in those resolutions which he deemed consistent with propriety and honour; and he deeply regretted the explanation and its consequences into which the enthusiasm of the moment had that evening led him. At length the hour for retiring to rest arrived. Richard repaired to his chamber--but not to sleep. His mind was too much harassed by the events of the evening--the plans which he had pursued, and those which he intended to pursue--the love which he bore to Isabel, and the stern opposition which might be anticipated from her father--the persecution to which he was subject at the hands of the Resurrection Man--and the train of evil fortune which appeared constantly to attend upon him;--of all these he thought; and his painful meditations defied the advance of slumber.