led her head little about
it. What he did in the office was out of her sphere; at home, in the
family, he was a great improvement on the former secretary. Mr. Barr,
his predecessor, had been an awkward, angular, taciturn fourth person
in the house; a machine of the pen; nothing more. Mr. St. Leger brought
quite a new life into the family circle. It is true, he was himself no
great talker; but his blue eyes were eloquent. They were beautiful
eyes; and they spoke of kindness of heart, gentleness of disposition,
and undoubted liking for his present companions. There was refinement
too, and the habit of the world, and the power of comprehending at
least what others spoke; and gentle as he was, there was also now and
then a gleam which showed some fire and some persistent self-will; that
amount of backbone without which a man's agreeable qualities go for
nothing with women. It was pleasant, his respectful attention to Mrs.
Copley; it was pleasant too the assistance he was to Mr. Copley's
monologues; if he did not say a great deal himself, his blue eyes gave
intelligent heed, and he could also now and then say a word in the
right place. With Dolly he took very soon the familiar habit of a
brother. She liked him, she liked to pour out his coffee for him, it
amused her to hear her father talk to him, she was grateful for his
kindness to her mother; and before long the words exchanged between
themselves came in the easy, enjoyable tone of a thorough good
understanding. I don't know but St. Leger would have liked a little
more shyness on her part. Dolly was not given to shyness in any
company; and as to being shy with him, she would as soon have thought
of being on terms of ceremony with Berdan, the great hound that her
father was so proud of. And poor St. Leger was more hopelessly in love
every day. Dolly was so fresh and cool and sweet, as she came down to
breakfast in her white wrapper; she was so despairingly careless and
free; and at evening, dressed for dinner, she was so quiet and simple
and graceful; it was another thing, he said to himself, seeing a girl
in this way, from dancing with her in a cloud of lace and flowers in a
crowded room, and talking conventional nothings. Now, on the contrary,
he was always admiring Dolly's practical business ways; the quick eye
and capable hand; the efficient attention she bestowed on the affairs
of the household and gave to her father's and mother's comfort, and
also not less to his own