nd requires study,' said Miss
Current.

Neither with the worldly nor the unworldly woman could the ladies do
anything. But they were soon to have their triumph.

A delicious morning had followed the lovely night. The stream flowed
under Evan's eyes, like something in a lower sphere, now. His passion
took him up, as if a genie had lifted him into mid-air, and showed him
the world on a palm of a hand; and yet, as he dressed by the window,
little chinks in the garden wall, and nectarines under their shiny
leaves, and the white walks of the garden, were stamped on his hot brain
accurately and lastingly. Ruth upon the lips of Rose: that voice of
living constancy made music to him everywhere. 'Thy God shall be my
God.' He had heard it all through the night. He had not yet broken the
tender charm sufficiently to think that he must tell her the sacrifice
she would have to make. When partly he did, the first excuse he clutched
at was, that he had not even kissed her on the forehead. Surely he had
been splendidly chivalrous? Just as surely he would have brought on
himself the scorn of the chivalrous or of the commonly balanced if he
had been otherwise. The grandeur of this or of any of his proceedings,
then, was forfeited, as it must needs be when we are in the false
position: we can have no glory though martyred. The youth felt it, even
to the seeing of why it was; and he resolved, in justice to the dear
girl, that he would break loose from his fetters, as we call our
weakness. Behold, Rose met him descending the stairs, and, taking his
hand, sang, unabashed, by the tell-tale colour coming over her face,
a stave of a little Portuguese air that they had both been fond of in
Portugal; and he, listening to it, and looking in her eyes, saw that his
feelings in--the old time had been hers. Instantly the old time gave him
its breath, the present drew back.

Rose, now that she had given her heart out, had no idea of concealment.
She would have denied nothing to her aunts: she was ready to confide it
to her mother. Was she not proud of the man she loved? When Evan's hand
touched hers she retained it, and smiled up at him frankly, as it were
to make him glad in her gladness. If before others his eyes brought the
blood to her cheeks, she would perhaps drop her eye-lids an instant,
and then glance quickly level again to reassure him. And who would have
thought that this boisterous, boyish creature had such depths of eye!
Cold, did they