mplimentary, or made the
slightest approach to tenderness in word or look, I was not only punished
by an immediate change in her manner at the time, but doomed to find her
more cold and distant, if not entirely inaccessible, when next I sought
her company. This circumstance did not greatly disconcert me, however,
because I attributed it, not so much to any dislike of my person, as to
some absolute resolution against a second marriage formed prior to the
time of our acquaintance, whether from excess of affection for her late
husband, or because she had had enough of him and the matrimonial state
together. At first, indeed, she had seemed to take a pleasure in
mortifying my vanity and crushing my presumption--relentlessly nipping
off bud by bud as they ventured to appear; and then, I confess, I was
deeply wounded, though, at the same time, stimulated to seek
revenge;--but latterly finding, beyond a doubt, that I was not that
empty-headed coxcomb she had first supposed me, she had repulsed my
modest advances in quite a different spirit. It was a kind of serious,
almost sorrowful displeasure, which I soon learnt carefully to avoid
awakening.

'Let me first establish my position as a friend,' thought I--'the patron
and playfellow of her son, the sober, solid, plain-dealing friend of
herself, and then, when I have made myself fairly necessary to her
comfort and enjoyment in life (as I believe I can), we'll see what next
may be effected.'

So we talked about painting, poetry, and music, theology, geology, and
philosophy: once or twice I lent her a book, and once she lent me one in
return: I met her in her walks as often as I could; I came to her house
as often as I dared. My first pretext for invading the sanctum was to
bring Arthur a little waddling puppy of which Sancho was the father, and
which delighted the child beyond expression, and, consequently, could not
fail to please his mamma. My second was to bring him a book, which,
knowing his mother's particularity, I had carefully selected, and which I
submitted for her approbation before presenting it to him. Then, I
brought her some plants for her garden, in my sister's name--having
previously persuaded Rose to send them. Each of these times I inquired
after the picture she was painting from the sketch taken on the cliff,
and was admitted into the studio, and asked my opinion or advice
respecting its progress.

My last visit had been to return the book she had len