brought disappointment to herself, and, as she sadly suspected, to
Hester. While continually and delightedly compelled to honour and
regard him more and more, and to rely upon him as she had never before
relied, she felt that he did not win, and even did not desire, any
intimate confidence. She found that she could still say things to Maria
which she could not say to him; and that, while their domestic
conversation rarely flagged--while it embraced a boundless range of
fact, and all that they could ascertain of morals, philosophy, and
religion--the greatest psychological events, the most interesting
experiences of her life might go forward without express recognition
from Edward. Such was her view of the case; and this was the
disappointment which, in the early days of her new mode of life, she had
to acknowledge to herself, and to conceal from all others.

One fine bright morning towards the end of January, the sisters set out
for their walk, willingly quitting the clear crackling fire within for
the sharp air and sparkling pathways without.

"Which way shall we go?" asked Margaret.

"Oh, I suppose along the high-road, as usual. How provoking it is that
we are prevented, day after day, from getting to the woods by my
snow-boots not having arrived! We will go by Mrs Howell's for the
chance of their having come."

Mrs Howell had two expressions of countenance--the gracious and the
prim. Till lately, Hester had been favoured with the first exclusively.
She was now to be amused with variety, and the prim was offered to her
contemplation. Never did Mrs Howell look more inaccessible than
to-day, when she scarcely rose from her stool behind the counter, to
learn what was the errand of her customer.

"You guess what I am come for, Mrs Howell, I dare say. Have my boots
arrived yet?"

"I am not aware of their having arrived, ma'am. But Miss Miskin is now
occupied in that department."

"Only consider how the winter is getting on, Mrs Howell! and I can walk
nowhere but in the high-road, for want of my boot."

Mrs Howell curtsied.

"Can you not hasten your agent, or help me to my boots, one way or
another? Is there no one in Deerbrook whom you could employ to make me
a pair?"

Mrs Howell cast up her hands and eyes.

"How do other ladies manage to obtain their boots before the snow comes,
instead of after it has melted?"

"Perhaps you will ask them yourself ma'am: I conceive you know all the
ladies in Deerb