state nor
a goddess by origin has to play one of those parts which strain the
woman's faculties past naturalness. She must never expose her feelings
to her lover; she must make her counsel weighty--otherwise she is little
his nymph of the pure wells, and what she soon may be, the world will
say. She has also, most imperatively, to dazzle him without the betrayal
of artifice, where simple spontaneousness is beyond conjuring. But
feelings that are constrained becloud the judgement besides arresting
the fine jet of delivery wherewith the mastered lover is taught through
his ears to think himself prompted, and submit to be controlled, by
a creature super-feminine. She must make her counsel so weighty in
poignant praises as to repress impulses that would rouse her own; and
her betraying impulsiveness was a subject of reflection to Diana after
she had given Percy Dacier, metaphorically, the key of her house. Only
as true Egeria could she receive him. She was therefore grateful, she
thanked and venerated this noblest of lovers for his not pressing to the
word of love, and so strengthening her to point his mind, freshen
his moral energies and inspirit him. His chivalrous acceptance of the
conditions of their renewed intimacy was a radiant knightliness to
Diana, elevating her with a living image for worship:--he so near once
to being the absolute lord of her destinies! How to reward him, was her
sole dangerous thought. She prayed and strove that she might give him
of her best, to practically help him; and she had reason to suppose she
could do it, from the visible effect of her phrases. He glistened in
repeating them; he had fallen into the habit; before witnesses too;
in the presence of Miss Paynham, who had taken earnestly to the art of
painting, and obtained her dear Mrs. Warwick's promise of a few sittings
for the sketch of a portrait, near the close of the season. 'A very
daring thing to attempt,' Miss Paynham said, when he was comparing her
first outlines and the beautiful breathing features. 'Even if one gets
the face, the lips will seem speechless, to those who know her.'

'If they have no recollection,' said Dacier.

'I mean, the endeavour should be to represent them at the moment of
speaking.'

'Put it into the eyes.' He looked at the eyes.

She looked at the mouth. 'But it is the mouth, more than the eyes.'

He looked at the face. 'Where there is character, you have only to study
it to be sure of a likeness.'