had to smart for it. I had
plenty of money when I came of age, and I had plenty of friends, or
rather acquaintances, who knew it. But I was shy, and not over fond of
many companions; my weakness wasn't in that direction. I had sense
enough to see through your common gold-hunters. I was never over fond
of sugar-candy; coarse flattery made me sick, and I had no taste for
patching up the holes in the purses of profligates and spendthrifts. I
never was a worshipper of money, but I knew its value, and wasn't
disposed to make ducks and drakes of it, nor partridges and pheasants
either. So the summer flies, after buzzing about me a little, flew off
to sunnier spots; all except one. He puzzled me a bit at first, but I
blamed myself for having a shadow of suspicion of him. All seemed so
open about him, open hands, open eyes, open brow; he wound himself round
my heart before I knew where I was. Mine was a fair estate (it will be
yours one day, Mary, my child, I trust; John's and yours together). I'd
lived away from home many years before I came into it, for both my
parents died while I was young, and when I came of age, my nearest
relations were only distant. I never had brother nor sister. When I
came to reside on my property the neighbours called, and I returned
their calls, and it didn't go much beyond that. They thought me cold
and unfeeling, but they were mistaken. But I must go back and take up
my dropped thread. I said there was one man who got hold of my heart.
I had a good stout fence of prejudices, and an inner paling of reserve
about that heart of mine, but he contrived to climb over both, and get
inside. I could have done anything for him, but he did not seem to want
anything but my affection; so I thought. He had a sister: well, what
shall I say? I'm a poor, weak, old fool; it is all past and gone now.
I must go straight on; but it is like ploughing up my heart into a
thousand deep furrows with my own hand. But; well, he had a sister;
I'll not tell you her name, nor his either: at least not now. He
brought her with him to call on me one day. She had never been in the
neighbourhood before, for her brother was only a recent settler in the
place. I was charmed with her; the more so because she was so like her
brother, so bright and so open; so thoroughly transparent. She beamed
upon me like a flood of sunshine, and gilded my cloudy reserve with her
own radiance, so that I shone out myself in her com