ot wisdom Letty was in
want of, she thought, but somebody to be kind to her--as kind as she
should like; somebody, though she did not say this even to herself, to
pet her a little, and humor her, and not require too much of her.
Physically, Letty was not in the least lazy, but she did not enjoy
being forced to think much. She could think, and to no very poor
purpose either, but as yet she had no hunger for the possible results
of thought, and how then could she care to think? Seated on the edge of
her bed, weary and wet and self-accused, she recalled, and pondered,
and, after her faculty, compared the two scarce comparable men, until
the voice of her aunt, calling to her to make haste and come to tea,
made her start up, and in haste remove her drenched garments. The old
lady imagined from her delay she was out of temper because she had sent
for her home; but, when she appeared, she was so ready, so attentive,
and so quick to help, that, a little repentant, she said to herself,
"Really the girl is very good-natured!" as if then first she discovered
the fact. But Thornwick could never more to Letty feel like a home! Not
at peace with herself, she could not be in rhythmic relation with her
surroundings.

The next day, the old manner of life began again; but, alas! it was
only the old manner, it was not the old life; that was gone for ever,
like an old sunset, or an old song, and could not be recalled from the
dead. We may have better, but we can not have the same. God only can
have the same. God grant our new may inwrap our old! Letty labored more
than ever to lay hold of the lessons, to his mind so genial, in hers
bringing forth more labor than fruit, which Godfrey set before her, but
success seemed further from her than ever. She was now all the time
aware of a weight, an oppression, which seemed to belong to the task,
but was in reality her self-dissatisfaction. She was like a poor Hebrew
set to make brick without straw, but the Egyptian that had brought her
into bondage was the feebleness of her own will. Now and then would
come a break--a glow of beauty, a gleam of truth; for a moment she
would forget herself; for a moment a shining pool would flash on the
clouded sea of her life; presently her heart would send up a fresh
mist, the light would fade and vanish, and the sea lie dusky and sad.
Not seldom reproaching herself with having given Tom cause to think
unjustly of her guardians, she would try harder than ever to