not our intention to do. They had not lost sight
of Winston. As they had inquired of him, when at Rome, what hotel he
would recommend them at Naples, and as he had very naturally mentioned
the one he had selected for himself, it was not at all surprising that
he should find himself, one afternoon, seated very snugly by Mrs. and
Miss Jackson, at the comfortable quiet _table-d'hote_ of the _Hotel des
Etrangers_. Happily there existed no secrets, and no division of opinion
between the mother and daughter on what now chiefly preoccupied the
thoughts of both. Mrs. Jackson had herself conceived a great partiality
for Winston--sympathised entirely with her daughter's romantic
attachment--and was willing to promote her views by all means in her
power. She was at heart a generous woman, though certain petty and
rooted habits would, at first acquaintance, lead to an opposite
impression. There was nothing she was not ready to do for Winston. It
was only the good sense, or the somewhat better sense, of the daughter,
that prevented her at Rome from secretly calling for his bill and paying
it for him behind his back. At Naples, Winston almost always met them at
the dinner table; and it was impossible for him to be churlish towards
persons who seemed so very pleased with whatever he said, and so kindly
disposed towards him. Mrs. Jackson was confidential in the extreme as to
the several items which formed her worldly prosperity, and very clearly
intimated the extremely benevolent designs she had upon himself. To
Louisa, indeed, it was a sad blow and heavy discouragement when she met
him in the company of one so beautiful as Mildred; but she had tact
enough, even from Winston himself, to extract certain particulars
respecting the fortune of the lady, which went far to set her fears at
rest.

And now began in Winston's mind one of the saddest conflicts and
confusions that could visit a poor mortal. On the one hand was hopeless
passion--poverty forbidding; on the other, a fortune offered to a needy
gentleman--ay, and affection too, if he could resign himself to accept
it. Strange as it may seem, it was his very love for Mildred that gave
its greatest influence to the fortune of Miss Jackson. By a marriage
with this latter lady he should escape from the tortures of his hopeless
passion; it would be a refuge from this, and all like disquietudes. Most
people will be doubtless of opinion that the attractions of wealth need
no auxiliary. Those