anner often express more than the accompanying words.

I congratulated her upon her prospects. She received my compliments with
a great deal of self-complacency.

She liked the gentleman still more at his next visit; and yet he made no
particular address to her, although an opportunity was given him for
it. This was wondered at, as my uncle has introduced him into our family
declaredly as a visitor to my sister. But as we are ever ready to make
excuses when in good humour with ourselves for the perhaps not unwilful
slights of those whose approbation we wish to engage; so my sister found
out a reason much to Mr. Lovelace's advantage for his not improving
the opportunity that was given him.--It was bashfulness, truly, in him.
[Bashfulness in Mr. Lovelace, my dear!]--Indeed, gay and lively as he
is, he has not the look of an impudent man. But, I fancy, it is many,
many years ago since he was bashful.

Thus, however, could my sister make it out--'Upon her word, she believed
Mr. Lovelace deserved not the bad character he had as to women.--He was
really, to her thinking, a modest man. He would have spoken out, she
believed; but once or twice as he seemed to intend to do so, he was
under so agreeable a confusion! Such a profound respect he seemed to
shew her! A perfect reverence, she thought: she loved dearly that a man
in courtship should shew a reverence to his mistress'--So indeed we all
do, I believe: and with reason; since, if I may judge from what I
have seen in many families, there is little enough of it shewn
afterwards.--And she told my aunt Hervey, that she would be a little
less upon the reserve next time he came: 'She was not one of those
flirts, not she, who would give pain to a person that deserved to be
well-treated; and the more pain for the greatness of his value for
her.'--I wish she had not somebody whom I love in her eye.

In his third visit, Bella governed herself by this kind and considerate
principle: so that, according to her own account of the matter, the man
might have spoken out.--But he was still bashful: he was not able to
overcome this unseasonable reverence. So this visit went off as the
former.

But now she began to be dissatisfied with him. She compared his general
character with this his particular behaviour to her; and having never
been courted before, owned herself puzzled how to deal with so odd a
lover. 'What did the man mean, she wondered? Had not her uncle brought
him declaredly as