All the Year Round; A Weekly Journal Volume 59 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 edition. Excerpt: ... his grief if repulsed, that it was not possible to refuse him anything. He hated occupation. His ideal of happiness was to meet some perfect woman, and to spend his life at her feet, devoting himself to her, body and soul. "When he was twenty I was with him one evening at the Opera House in Milan. We were seeing a representation of 1 Faust.' "Towards the middle of the first act, a lady and gentleman entered the box immediately facing us. The man was an Italian, the woman English. I hate that woman so, that I would give ten years of my life to see her lying dead at my feet, but I own that she was then--they say she is still--most beautiful, with a charm about her that attracts women as well as men. "It was I who first directed my son's attention to her. '"Look, Tito, ' I said, 'that is the loveliest face I have seen for years.' "And my son looked; it would have been better had he died then in my arms than have lived to look upon that woman's face again. "Probably you all here, with your colder, calmer English natures, will scarcely realise what I say when I tell you that my son fell madly in love with this woman at first sight, an utter stranger to him, and destined to be his ruin. "He left me to make enquiries about her, and learnt that she was the wife of the man who accompanied her--the Count of Montecalvo." "Why, Maurice, are you ill? What is the matter with you? Your hand has grown suddenly quite cold," Mrs. Wilde exclaimed. "It is nothing," he answered, drawing his chair a little away from her, "I haven't got over the journey. Besides, I--I am interested. Please go on, Madame Ravelli." "My son was terribly distressed when he learnt she was married," she...