ntly bent her thoughts upon someone for whose welfare she was
anxious, and whom she might possibly aid. The rule had to submit to an
emphatic exception; the person to be thought of must be any one _save_
that particular one whose welfare she especially desired, and whom she
might perchance have aided if she had made a great endeavour. However,
the rule itself had become established long before this exception was
dreamt of. Formerly she was wont to occupy her mind with Thyrza. Now
that her sister seemed all but beyond need of anxious guarding, and
that the necessity for applying the rule was greater than ever before,
Lydia gave her attention to Mr. Boddy.

The old man had not borne the winter very well; looking at him, Lydia
could not help observing that he stooped more than was his habit, and
that his face was more drawn. He did his best to put a bright aspect on
things when he talked with her, but there were signs that he found it
increasingly difficult to obtain sufficient work. A few months ago she
would have had no scruple in speaking freely on the subject to Mary
Bower, or even to Mrs. Bower, and so learning from them whether the old
man paid his rent regularly and had enough food. But from Mary she was
estranged--it seemed as if hopelessly--and Mrs. Bower had of late been
anything but cordial when Lydia went to the shop. The girl observed
that Mr. Boddy was now never to be found seated in the back parlour:
she always had to go up to his room. She could not bring herself to
mention this to him, or indeed to say anything that would suggest her
coolness with the Bowers. Still, it was all tacitly understood, and it
made things very uncomfortable.

She was still angry with Mary. Every night she chid herself for doing
what she had never done before--for nourishing unkindness. She shed
many tears in secret. But forgiveness would not grow in her heart. She
thought not seldom of the precepts she had heard at chapel,
and--curiously--they by degrees separated themselves from her
individual resentment; much she desired to make them her laws, for they
seemed beautiful to her conscience. Could she but receive that
Christian spirit, it would be easy to go to Mary and say, 'I have been
wrong; forgive me!' The day was not yet come.

So she had to turn over plans for helping the poor old man who long ago
had so helped her and Thyrza. Of course she thought of the possibility
of his coming to live in Thyrza's house; yet how propose