Bella
talked again about her good husband,--she always called him her "good
husband,"--and said how thoughtfully Eric understood him, not only, if
she might say so, with his mind, but with his heart.

"You have made a new phrase," said Eric, and Bella repeated her
newly-coined expression, with as much pleasure as if she had found a
new style of head-dress which suited her face alone.

Eric was pedantic enough to go back to the original subject of
discussion, and said warmly, how delightful it was to find Beauty and
Peacefulness, not only in one's own ideal, but in real life; to reach
out one's hand to them and look into their calm, clear eyes.

"You are a good man, and I believe an honest one," said Bella, and
pulling off her glove she lightly tapped with it on Eric's hand.

"It is no merit to be honest," said Eric. "I could almost wish I could
be untruthful; no,--not untruthful, but a little more reticent
sometimes."

It was charming and edifying, to hear how Bella now extolled the beauty
and happiness of a thoroughly honest nature; and she spoke in a tone of
deep emotion, as she added, that she might have won early in life a
most brilliant lot, if she could have feigned, a very little love. Eric
did not know what to answer, and this caused one of those pauses which
Pranken, passing with Roland, observed.

Bella went on to say, that it is always a blessing to do anything to
help a human being; it falls to the lot of one person, to do this for a
fellow-creature in the morning of life--here she bent her head towards
Eric--while another does it for one in the decline of life, when the
sacrifice, quiet and unrecognized, can only be rewarded by the
consciousness of the service rendered.

At a bend of the road, it happened, very naturally, that Eric walked
with Roland, and Pranken with his sister. Roland was jealous of Bella,
of every person; jealous at every word, at every look, that Eric
directed to any one but himself; he wished to have him wholly to
himself. And as Roland now exhibited his childish humor, Eric shrunk
into himself affrighted; he had not only allowed himself to be diverted
from Roland, but perhaps also had been committing a wrong in a
different direction. There was yet time for him to retrace his steps.
He went to bid Clodwig good-night, and he was almost pleased to find
that he had already retired to rest.

CHAPTER XIX.

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