ted them, he divided
them into two portions. One was that larger experience, in general,
which had come to her with her arrival in Europe; the vague sense, borne
in upon her imagination, that there were more things one might do with
one's life than youth and ignorance and Northampton had dreamt of; the
revision of old pledges in the light of new emotions. The other was the
experience, in especial, of Rowland's--what? Here Rowland always paused,
in perfect sincerity, to measure afresh his possible claim to the young
girl's regard. What might he call it? It had been more than civility and
yet it had been less than devotion. It had spoken of a desire to serve,
but it had said nothing of a hope of reward. Nevertheless, Rowland's
fancy hovered about the idea that it was recompensable, and his
reflections ended in a reverie which perhaps did not define it, but
at least, on each occasion, added a little to its volume. Since Miss
Garland had asked him as a sort of favor to herself to come also to
Switzerland, he thought it possible she might let him know whether he
seemed to have effectively served her. The days passed without her doing
so, and at last Rowland walked away to an isolated eminence some
five miles from the inn and murmured to the silent rocks that she was
ungrateful. Listening nature seemed not to contradict him, so that,
on the morrow, he asked the young girl, with an infinitesimal touch of
irony, whether it struck her that his deflection from his Florentine
plan had been attended with brilliant results.

"Why, we are delighted that you are with us!" she answered.

He was anything but satisfied with this; it seemed to imply that she had
forgotten that she had solemnly asked him to come. He reminded her
of her request, and recalled the place and time. "That evening on the
terrace, late, after Mrs. Hudson had gone to bed, and Roderick being
absent."

She perfectly remembered, but the memory seemed to trouble her. "I am
afraid your kindness has been a great charge upon you," she said. "You
wanted very much to do something else."

"I wanted above all things to oblige you, and I made no sacrifice. But
if I had made an immense one, it would be more than made up to me by any
assurance that I have helped Roderick into a better mood."

She was silent a moment, and then, "Why do you ask me?" she said. "You
are able to judge quite as well as I."

Rowland blushed; he desired to justify himself in the most veracious
ma