fore them.

Mary had acquired one valuable piece of information. She knew enough to
understand how very trifling was the sum of all her knowledge; it may be
remarked that very ignorant persons are almost always the most conceited.
Such individuals have no more idea of knowledge than those born blind or
deaf can have of sight or sound. But the gentle humble-minded Mary
Mannering was a very opposite character. She was _not_ ignorant; she
had, as it were, peeped, through books and conversations with her father,
at the vast stores of knowledge and learning which human reason has been
permitted to accumulate; and, though she knew how little, in the longest
life, could really be mastered, in comparison with the mighty whole, she
also knew that one of the purest pleasures that life affords proceeds
from acquiring the sort of information which opens to our view the
wonders of creation. Thus would she quietly listen to conversations on
many improving subjects between her father and Mr. Vernon, seldom joining
in them, it is true, unless she was addressed. But hers was that
"eloquent silence" which is the opposite of indifference.

And thus several months passed away; for the remedies Mr. Vernon
recommended to his patient were slow in their operation. Winter came,
and still he was a daily visitor. Oh! how sadly Mary would have missed
him!

An event, however, was about to occur of some importance; nothing less
than Harriet's return home from her protracted visit at Mrs. Somerton's.

Yes, Harriet returned to her lowly home, less inclined than ever to be
content in her own station. She returned to it, however, because Mrs.
Somerton had not found her distinguished by the gentleness and humility
she had hoped to recognise in her character. For the proud and vain are
always selfish, and perhaps Harriet Mannering had been quite unconscious
that, while eagerly bent on her own enjoyment and frivolous
gratification, her conduct had been narrowly watched. And what had she
to show as the harvest or even gleanings of the last few months?
Literally nothing, for her time had been utterly wasted--her fine clothes
were worn out, and neither mind nor prospects improved.

It appeared that Mr. Vernon had sometimes visited at Mrs. Somerton's,
but, though Harriet recollected him immediately, she had made so little
impression on his mind that he did not at first remember her. And now it
was no small mortification to the vain girl to disco