第71部分(第4/7 页)

acplished　and　better　read　than　I　was；　but　with　eagerness　I　followed　in　the　path　of　knowledge　they　had　trodden　before　me。　I　devoured　the　books　they　lent　me：　then　it　was　full　satisfaction　to　discuss　with　them　in　the　evening　what　I　had　perused　during　the　day。　Thought　fitted　thought；　opinion　met　opinion：　we　coincided；　in　short；　perfectly。

If　in　our　trio　there　was　a　superior　and　a　leader；　it　was　Diana。　Physically；　she　far　excelled　me：　she　was　handsome；　she　was　vigorous。　In　her　animal　spirits　there　was　an　affluence　of　life　and　certainty　of　flow；　such　as　excited　my　wonder；　while　it　baffled　my　prehension。　I　could　talk　a　while　when　the　evening　menced；　but　the　first　gush　of　vivacity　and　fluency　gone；　I　was　fain　to　sit　on　a　stool　at　Diana’s　feet；　to　rest　my　head　on　her　knee；　and　listen　alternately　to　her　and　Mary；　while　they　sounded　thoroughly　the　topic　on　which　I　had　but　touched。　Diana　offered　to　teach　me　German。　I　liked　to　learn　of　her：　I　saw　the　part　of　instructress　pleased　and　suited　her；　that　of　scholar　pleased　and　suited　me　no　less。　Our　natures　dovetailed：　mutual　affection—of　the　strongest　kind—was　the　result。　They　discovered　I　could　draw：　their　pencils　and　colour…boxes　were　immediately　at　my　service。　My　skill；　greater　in　this　one　point　than　theirs；　surprised　and　charmed　them。　Mary　would　sit　and　watch　me　by　the　hour　together：　then　she　would　take　lessons；　and　a　docile；　intelligent；　assiduous　pupil　she　made。　Thus　occupied；　and　mutually　entertained；　days　passed　like　hours；　and　weeks　like　days。

As　to　Mr。　St　John；　the　intimacy　which　had　arisen　so　naturally　and　rapidly　between　me　and　his　sisters　did　not　extend　to　him。　One　reason　of　the　distance　yet　observed　between　us　was；　that　he　was　paratively　seldom　at　home：　a　large　proportion　of　his　time　appeared　devoted　to　visit