and feared I had
said more than he expected me to say, and that he would disapprove what
he might deem my indiscretion; now, to-night I could have ventured to
express any thought, he was so indulgent. How kind he was as we walked
up the lane! He does not flatter or say foolish things; his love-making
(friendship, I mean; of course I don't yet account him my lover, but I
hope he will be so some day) is not like what we read of in books,--it
is far better--original, quiet, manly, sincere. I _do_ like him; I would
be an excellent wife to him if he did marry me; I would tell him of his
faults (for he has a few faults), but I would study his comfort, and
cherish him, and do my best to make him happy. Now, I am sure he will
not be cold to-morrow. I feel almost certain that to-morrow evening he
will either come here, or ask me to go there."

She recommenced combing her hair, long as a mermaid's. Turning her head
as she arranged it she saw her own face and form in the glass. Such
reflections are soberizing to plain people: their own eyes are not
enchanted with the image; they are confident then that the eyes of
others can see in it no fascination. But the fair must naturally draw
other conclusions: the picture is charming, and must charm. Caroline saw
a shape, a head, that, daguerreotyped in that attitude and with that
expression, would have been lovely. She could not choose but derive
from the spectacle confirmation to her hopes. It was then in
undiminished gladness she sought her couch.

And in undiminished gladness she rose the next day. As she entered her
uncle's breakfast-room, and with soft cheerfulness wished him
good-morning, even that little man of bronze himself thought, for an
instant, his niece was growing "a fine girl." Generally she was quiet
and timid with him--very docile, but not communicative; this morning,
however, she found many things to say. Slight topics alone might be
discussed between them; for with a woman--a girl--Mr. Helstone would
touch on no other. She had taken an early walk in the garden, and she
told him what flowers were beginning to spring there; she inquired when
the gardener was to come and trim the borders; she informed him that
certain starlings were beginning to build their nests in the
church-tower (Briarfield church was close to Briarfield rectory); she
wondered the tolling of the bells in the belfry did not scare them.

Mr. Helstone opined that "they were like other fools who had ju