s lazily up the mountain side, and then broke into fragments
on the summit, seemed the same; and yet in that little world of three
people there was the endless conflict of hope and fear, and all the
warring interests which distract great masses of men filled their hearts
and engaged their minds.

At first Beecher chafed and fretted at the delay; Lizzy appeared but
rarely; and when she did it was with a strange reserve, almost amounting
to constraint, that he could not comprehend. She did not seem angry
or offended with him, simply more distant. Her high spirits, too,
were gone; no more the light-hearted, gay, and playful creature he
remembered, she was calm even to seriousness. A look of thoughtful
preoccupation marked her as she sat silently gazing on the landscape,
or watching the eddies of the circling river. There was nothing--save
a slight increase of paleness--to denote sorrow in her appearance; her
features were placid, and her expression tranquil. If her voice had lost
its ringing music, it had acquired a tone of deep and melting softness
that seemed to leave an echo in the heart that heard it. To this change,
which at first chilled and repelled Beecher, he grew day by day to
accustom himself. If her mood was one less calculated to enliven and to
cheer him, it was yet better adapted to make his confidence. He could
talk to her more freely of himself than heretofore. No longer did he
stand in dread of the sharp and witty epigrams with which she used to
quiz his opinions and ridicule his notions of life. She would listen to
him now with patience, if not with interest, and she would hear him
with attention as he talked for hours on the one sole theme he
loved,--himself. And, oh, young ladies,--not that you need any counsels
of mine in such matters; but if, perchance, my words of advice should
have any weight with you,--let me impress this lesson on your hearts:
that for the man who is not actually in love with you, but only
"spooney," there is no such birdlime as the indulgence of his
selfishness. Let him talk away about his dogs and his horses, his
exploits in China or the Crimea, his fishings in Norway, his yachtings
in the Levant; let him discourse about his own affairs, of business as
well as pleasure; how briefs are pouring in or patients multiply; hear
him as he tells you of his sermon before the bishop, or his examination
at Burlington House,--trust me, no theme will make _him_ so eloquent
nor _you_ so inter