gh to see that a too
eager pressing of his cause with Dolly would ruin all. So he had
waited, not discontentedly, and bided his time. Now, however, he began
to think it desirable on many accounts to have the question decided.
Mr. Copley would not stay much longer in Italy, Lawrence was certain,
and the present way of life would come to an end; if his advantages
were ever to bear fruit, it should be ripe now. Moreover, one or two
other, and seemingly inconsistent, considerations came in. Lawrence
admired Miss Thayer. Her beauty was even more striking, to his fancy,
than Dolly's; if it were also more like other beauties he had seen. She
had money too, and Dolly had none. Truly, Mr. St. Leger had enough of
his own; but when did ever a man with enough not therefore desire more?
He admired Christina very much; she suited him; if Dolly should prove
after all obdurate, here was his chance for making himself amends.
Cool! for an ardent lover; but Mr. St. Leger _was_ of a calm
temperament, and these suggestions did come into his mind back of his
liking for Dolly.

This liking was strong upon him the day of the excursion to the Punta
di Campanella. Of necessity he was Christina's special attendant, Mr.
Thayer being Dolly's. Many girls would not have relished such an
arrangement, Lawrence knew; his sisters would not. And Dolly was in an
acme of delight. Lawrence watched her whenever they came near each
other, and marvelled at the sweet, childish-womanish face. It was in a
ripple of pleasure; the brown, considerate eyes were sparkling, roving
with quick, watchful glances over everything, and losing as few as
possible of the details of the way. Talking to Mr. Thayer now and then,
Lawrence saw her, with the most innocent, sweet mouth in the world; her
smile and that play of lip and eye bewitched him whenever he got a
glimpse of it. The play of Christina's features was never so utterly
free, so absent from thought of self, so artless in its fun. Now and
then, too, there came the soft, low ring of a clear voice, in laughter
or talking, bearing the same characteristics of a sweet spirit and a
simple heart; and yet, when in repose, Dolly's face was strong in its
sense and womanliness. The combination held Mr. St. Leger captive. I do
not know how he carried on his needful attentions to his companion;
with a mechanical necessity, I suppose; when all the while he was
watching Dolly and contrasting the two girls. He was not such a fool as
n