Even in crises of
graver difficulty, where sterner assailants are to be encountered than
Helen's magical smile or Florence's magnetic eyes, the invisible
presence seems to inspire her lover with supernatural valiance. Remember
the story of Aslauga's Knight; when once through the cloud of
battle-dust gleamed the golden tresses, horse and man went down before
him.
Royston was not half good enough to appreciate all this; yet some
shadowy and undefined feeling, allied to it, may have helped to hold him
back from pushing his advantage to the uttermost. Another and more
selfish presentiment worked probably more powerfully. There was one
phantom from which the Cool Captain never could escape; for years it had
followed close on the consummation of all his crimes, and was, in truth,
their best avenger: his Nemesis was satiety. He knew too well how the
sweetest flowers lost their color and fragrance, so soon as they were
plucked and fairly in his grasp, not to shrink before the prospect of a
certain disenchantment. This curse attaches to many of his kind: the
instant the prize is won there arise misgivings as to its value; and
defects develop themselves hourly in what seemed faultless perfection
before.
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