notbindallthathehadinhisnature—therover,theaspirant,thepoet,thepriest—inthelimitsofasinglepassion.Hecouldnot—hewouldnot—renouncehiswildfieldofmissionwarfarefortheparloursandthepeaceofValeHall.IlearntsomuselfinaninroadIonce,despitehisreserve,hadthedaringtomakeonhisfidence.

    MissOliveralreadyhonouredmewithfrequentvisitstomycottage.Ihadlearntherwholecharacter,whichwaswithoutmysteryuise:shewascoquettishbutless;exag,butnotworthlesslyselfish.Shehadbeenindulgedfromherbirth,butwasnotabsolutelyspoilt.Shewashasty,butgood-humoured;vain(shecould,wheneveryglaheglassshowedhersuchaflushofloveliness),butnotaffected;liberal-handed;ioftheprideofwealth;ingenuous;suffitlyintelligent;gay,lively,andunthinking:shewasverycharming,inshort,eventoacoolobserverofherownsexlikeme;butshewasnotprofoundlyiingorthhlyimpressive.Averydifferentsortofmindwashersfromthat,forinstahesistersofSt.John.Still,IlikedheralmostasIlikedmypupilAdèle;exceptthat,forachildwhomwehavewatchedoverandtaught,acloseraffeisengehanwegiveanequallyattractiveadultacquaintance.

    Shehadtakenanamiablecaprie.ShesaidIwaslikeMr.Rivers,only,certainly,sheallowed,“notohsohandsome,thoughIwasalittlesoulenough,buthewasanangel.”Iwas,however,good,clever,posed,andfirm,likehim.Iwasalususnaturae,sheaffirmed,asavillagesistress:shewassuremyprevioushistory,ifknown,wouldmakeadelightfulromance.

    Oneevening,while,withherusualchild-likeactivity,andthoughtlessyetnotoffensiveinquisitiveness,shewasrummagingthecupboardaable-drawerofmylittlekit,shedi