These
favored youths had too much appreciation of their fortune to be absent
from their quarters save when military duty required, and what with
the obligation of entertaining and being entertained by them, and
keeping in play the numerous callers who dropped in from other
quarters in the evening, Desire had mighty little time to herself. It
was of course very exciting for her and very agreeable to be the sole
queen of so gallant and devoted a court. She enjoyed it as any sprightly,
beautiful girl fond of society and well nigh starved for it might be
expected to. Provided here so unexpectedly in remote winter-bound
Stockbridge, it was like a table spread in the wilderness, whereof the
Psalmist speaks.
And in this whirl of gayety, did she quite forget Perez, did she so
soon forget the secret flame she had cherished for the Shayite
captain? Be sure she had not forgotten, but she would have been
willing to give anything in the world if she could.
After the conventual seclusion and mental vacancy of the preceding
months, the sudden, almost instantaneous change in her surroundings,
had been like a burst of air and sunlight which dissipates the
soporific atmosphere of a sleeping-room.
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