When a lady condescends to apologise, there is no keeping one's anger, of
course; so we parted good friends for once; and this time I squeezed her
hand with a cordial, not a spiteful pressure.

CHAPTER VI

During the next four months I did not enter Mrs. Graham's house, nor she
mine; but still the ladies continued to talk about her, and still our
acquaintance continued, though slowly, to advance. As for their talk, I
paid but little attention to that (when it related to the fair hermit, I
mean), and the only information I derived from it was, that one fine
frosty day she had ventured to take her little boy as far as the
vicarage, and that, unfortunately, nobody was at home but Miss Millward;
nevertheless, she had sat a long time, and, by all accounts, they had
found a good deal to say to each other, and parted with a mutual desire
to meet again. But Mary liked children, and fond mammas like those who
can duly appreciate their treasures.

But sometimes I saw her myself, not only when she came to church, but
when she was out on the hills with her son, whether taking a long,
purpose-like walk, or--on special fine days--leisurely rambling over the
moor or the bleak pasture-lands, surrounding the old hall, herself with a
book in her hand, her son gambolling about her; and, on any of these
occasions, when I caught sight of her in my solitary walks or rides, or
while following my agricultural pursuits, I generally contrived to meet
or overtake her, for I rather liked to see Mrs. Graham, and to talk to
her, and I decidedly liked to talk to her little companion, whom, when
once the ice of his shyness was fairly broken, I found to be a very
amiable, intelligent, and entertaining little fellow; and we soon became
excellent friends--how much to the gratification of his mamma I cannot
undertake to say. I suspected at first that she was desirous of throwing
cold water on this growing intimacy--to quench, as it were, the kindling
flame of our friendship--but discovering, at length, in spite of her
prejudice against me, that I was perfectly harmless, and even
well-intentioned, and that, between myself and my dog, her son derived a
great deal of pleasure from the acquaintance that he would not otherwise
have known, she ceased to object, and even welcomed my coming with a
smile.

As for Arthur, he would shout his welcome from afar, and run to meet me
fifty yards from his mother's side. If I happened to be on horseback he