ening.

But considering her real beauty, and the care which her father always
took about her appearance, she met with far less than her due of
admiration. Admiration she did not care for; partners she did; and
sometimes felt mortified when she had to sit or stand quiet during all
the first part of the evening. If it had not been for her father's
wishes she would much rather have stayed at home; but, nevertheless, she
talked even to the irresponsive old dowager, and fairly chatted to her
father when she got beside him, because she did not like him to fancy
that she was not enjoying herself.

And, indeed, she had so much happiness in the daily course of this part
of her life, that, on looking back upon it afterwards, she could not
imagine anything brighter than it had been. The delight of receiving her
lover's letters--the anxious happiness of replying to them (always a
little bit fearful lest she should not express herself and her love in
the precisely happy medium becoming a maiden)--the father's love and
satisfaction in her--the calm prosperity of the whole household--was
delightful at the time, and, looking back upon it, it was dreamlike.

Occasionally Mr. Corbet came down to see her. He always slept on these
occasions at Mr. Ness's; but he was at Ford Bank the greater part of the
one day between two nights that he allowed himself for the length of his
visits. And even these short peeps were not frequently taken. He was
working hard at law: fagging at it tooth and nail; arranging his whole
life so as best to promote the ends of his ambition; feeling a delight in
surpassing and mastering his fellows--those who started in the race at
the same time. He read Ellinor's letters over and over again; nothing
else beside law-books. He perceived the repressed love hidden away in
subdued expressions in her communications, with an amused pleasure at the
attempt at concealment. He was glad that her gaieties were not more gay;
he was glad that she was not too much admired, although a little
indignant at the want of taste on the part of the ---shire gentlemen. But
if other admirers had come prominently forward, he would have had to take
some more decided steps to assert his rights than he had hitherto done;
for he had caused Ellinor to express a wish to her father that her
engagement should not be too much talked about until nearer the time when
it would be prudent for him to marry her. He thought that the knowledge
of