Hence, many of her admirers still offered their
attentions, in the vain hope of ultimate success. Particularly was this the
case with those who had an eye to the fortune rather than the heiress,
taking the latter as the only means of obtaining the former; and first
among this number was Louis Durant, a man of corrupt principles, and deeply
depraved feelings. A sprig of a noble family of small pretensions, whose
pride far exceeded their means, he was desirous of obtaining wealth; and
being too indolent to enter a profession, too poor to become a merchant,
and too proud to work, as a last resort, he wished to _marry_ a fortune.
Like most of his class, he was unscrupulous as to _means_ so the _end_ was
attained. It was, therefore, an easy matter to conform, in outward
appearance, to the society he was in. This he never failed to do. When with
the Waltons, he was a pattern of generosity, and a pitying angel. When with
the gambler, or the _roue_, he was equally at home--a debauchee, or a
handler of cards.
With the intuitive perception of woman, Ellen saw through his character at
once; and, though she treated him with civility, never gave him any
encouragement. Blinded by her fortune, and construing her reserve into the
bashfulness of a first passion, being too vain to acknowledge the inability
of his powers of fascination to carry all before them, he gave himself up
to hope, and already counted on the half of the Walton estate as his own,
and spent many a shilling of his small funds on the strength of the
anticipation.
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