elvio down to Lecco, never trusting myself
with even the very briefest intercourse with my fellow-travellers, and
suffering them to indulge in the humblest estimate of me, morally and
intellectually,--all that I might be true to my object and firm to my
fixed purpose. For the first time in my life I tried to present myself
in an unfavorable aspect, and I was astonished to find the experiment by
no means unpleasing, the reason being, probably, that it was an eminent
success. I began to see how the surly people are such acute philosophers
in life, and what a deal of selfish gratification they must derive from
their uncurbed ill-humor. I reached Genoa in time to catch a steamer
for Malta. It was crowded, and with what, in another mood, I might have
called pleasant people; but I held myself estranged and aloof from all.
I could mark many an impertinent allusion to my cold and distant manner,
and could see that a young sub on his way to Join was even witty at the
expense of my retiring disposition. The creature, Groves he was called,
used to try to "trot me out," as he phrased it; but I maintained both my
resolve and my temper, and gave him no triumph.

I was almost sorry on the morning we dropped anchor in the harbor. The
sense of doing something, anything, with a firm persistence, had given
me cheerfulness and courage. However, I had now a task of some nicety
before me, and addressed myself at once to its discharge. At the hotel I
learned that the cottage inhabited by Mrs. Keats was in a small nook
of one of the bays, and only an easy walk from the town; and so I
despatched a messenger at once with Miss Crofton's note to Miss Herbert,
enclosed in a short one from myself, to know if she would permit me to
wait upon her, with reference to the matter in the letter. I spoke of
myself in the third person and as the bearer of the letter.

While I was turning over the letters and papers in my writing-desk,
awaiting her reply, I came upon Buller's note to his brother, and,
without any precise idea why, I sent it by a servant to the Government
House, with my card. It was completely without a purpose that I did
so, and if my reader has not experienced moments of the like
"inconsequence," I should totally break down in attempting to account
for their meaning.

Miss Herbert's reply came back promptly. She requested that the writer
of the note she had just read would favor her with a visit at his
earliest convenience.

I set forth