n the house that was his home brought a peculiar
demand. She looked toward him in the distance, and he saw that she did;
but he remained where he was, and watched the streams of emulous
admirers closing round her, till presently they parted to make way for
Gwendolen, who was taken up to be introduced by Mrs. Klesmer. Easier
now about "the little Jewess," Daniel relented toward poor Gwendolen in
her splendor, and his memory went back, with some penitence for his
momentary hardness, over all the signs and confessions that she too
needed a rescue, and one much more difficult than that of the wanderer
by the river--a rescue for which he felt himself helpless. The silent
question--"But is it not cowardly to make that a reason for turning
away?" was the form in which he framed his resolve to go near her on
the first opportunity, and show his regard for her past confidence, in
spite of Sir Hugo's unwelcome hints.

Klesmer, having risen to Gwendolen as she approached, and being
included by her in the opening conversation with Mirah, continued near
them a little while, looking down with a smile, which was rather in his
eyes than on his lips, at the piquant contrast of the two charming
young creatures seated on the red divan. The solicitude seemed to be
all on the side of the splendid one.

"You must let me say how much I am obliged to you," said Gwendolen. "I
had heard from Mr. Deronda that I should have a great treat in your
singing, but I was too ignorant to imagine how great."

"You are very good to say so," answered Mirah, her mind chiefly
occupied in contemplating Gwendolen. It was like a new kind of
stage-experience to her to be close to genuine grand ladies with
genuine brilliants and complexions, and they impressed her vaguely as
coming out of some unknown drama, in which their parts perhaps got more
tragic as they went on.

"We shall all want to learn of you--I, at least," said Gwendolen. "I
sing very badly, as Herr Klesmer will tell you,"--here she glanced
upward to that higher power rather archly, and continued--"but I have
been rebuked for not liking to middling, since I can be nothing more. I
think that is a different doctrine from yours?" She was still looking
at Klesmer, who said quickly--

"Not if it means that it would be worth while for you to study further,
and for Miss Lapidoth to have the pleasure of helping you." With that
he moved away, and Mirah taking everything with _naive_ seriousness,
said--