rly
expressive eyes, the color of which it takes her some time to decide
about. At the same moment he is saying to himself: "What sort of woman
is this, and what on earth shall I talk to her about? I hope to heaven
she isn't a girl of the period. She doesn't look like it--still less
like a prude. How I hate a society dinner! I suppose I shall be bored to
death, as usual."

True to her promise, Virginia apprises him, whilst he yet is
assimilating his soup, of her vow of celibacy. He turns to look at her,
being just a shade surprised at receiving such a confidence so early in
their acquaintance, and then he sees the archest smile curving the
corners of her mouth, and meets a glance from a pair of brown eyes that
he now perceives to be beautiful.

Mr. Vansittart has a quick intelligence--he understands in an instant
the object of her remark. His eyes light up with a sudden gleam, and he
murmurs quietly, "Thanks so much for putting me at my ease."

From that moment they are perfectly at home with each other, and fall to
animated talk. He does not air his theories about marriage, nor is
religion discussed between them, but there are plenty of other topics,
and they become aware of a dozen feelings and sympathies in common.
Virginia is as bright and witty as she is modest and pure-minded; there
is nothing in the world that Mr. Vansittart detests so much as a coarse
or immodest _lady_. So charmed is he with Virginia, that he remains
close to her side the whole evening, to the surprise of every one else.
No one ever saw him devote himself to a girl before. He stays until the
very last. As he walks away from the door, after lighting his cigar, he
reflects to himself: "If any earthly power could induce me to marry, it
would be a girl like that. But," resolutely, "nothing could." As
Virginia wends her way upstairs to bed, she says to herself with a heavy
sigh, "Why should he abuse marriage? How happy he might make some
woman!"

Virginia is the daughter of a clergyman. Father and mother are both
dead. She has a brother in the army, and a sister married to a country
rector. Her uncle, Mr. Hayward, has adopted her. She is clever and
accomplished. She has both passion and imagination. Some of her ideas
are original; she hates common-placeness, but she is also imbued with
the attribute possessed by every charming woman, the love of
approbation. This prevents her doing or saying anything _outre_ or
unconventional; this makes her ca