re to appear at
Strathaivron Lodge, how could that affect you? You are yourself; you are
apart from her; her visit will be Lady Adela's doing, not yours. And if
people choose to regard you as one of a band of strolling players, how
can that harm you? Why should you care? The opinion that is of value to
you is your own opinion; be right with yourself; and leave others to
think what they please. Whoever could so entirely misjudge your position
must be a fool; why should you pause for a moment to consider the
opinion of a fool or any number of fools? 'To thine own self be true;'
and let that suffice."

For he had come to know pretty accurately, during these frequent if
intermittent talks and chats along the Aivron banks, how Miss Honnor
would regard most things. The wild weather had been succeeded by a
period of calm; the river had dwindled and dwindled, until it seemed
merely to creep along its channel; where a rushing brown current had
come down there now appeared long banks of stones, lilac and silver-gray
and purple, basking in the sun; while half-way across the stream in many
places the yellow sand and shingle shone through the lazily rippling
shallows. Consequently there was little fishing to be done. Honnor
Cunyngham went out all the same, for she loved the river-side in all
weathers; and as often as he discreetly might, Lionel accompanied her;
but as they had frequently to wait for half-hours together until a cloud
should come over, he had ample opportunity of learning her views and
opinions on a great variety of subjects. For she spoke freely and
frankly and simply in this enforced idleness; and, from just a little
touch here and there, Lionel began to think that she must have a good
deal more of womanly tenderness and sympathy than he had given her
credit for. Certainly she was always most considerate towards himself;
she seemed to understand that he was a little sensitive on the score of
his out-of-door performances; and while she made light of his occasional
blunders, she would quietly hint to him that he in turn ought to
exercise a generous judgment when those people at the Lodge ventured to
enter a province in which he was a past master.

"We are all amateurs in something or another, Mr. Moore," she would say.
"And the professionals should not treat us with scorn."

"I wonder in what you show yourself an amateur," said he, bethinking
himself how she seemed to keep aloof from the music, art, and literature