第75部分(第2/7 页)

ain　her；　when　she　thus　left　him；　but　he　would　not　give　one　chance　of　heaven；　nor　relinquish；　for　the　elysium　of　her　love；　one　hope　of　the　true；　eternal　Paradise。　Besides；　he　could　not　bind　all　that　he　had　in　his　nature—the　rover；　the　aspirant；　the　poet；　the　priest—in　the　limits　of　a　single　passion。　He　could　not—he　would　not—renounce　his　wild　field　of　mission　warfare　for　the　parlours　and　the　peace　of　Vale　Hall。　I　learnt　so　much　from　himself　in　an　inroad　I　once；　despite　his　reserve；　had　the　daring　to　make　on　his　confidence。

Miss　Oliver　already　honoured　me　y　cottage。　I　had　learnt　her　whole　character；　which　was　without　mystery　or　disguise：　she　was　coquettish　but　not　heartless；　exacting；　but　not　worthlessly　selfish。　She　had　been　indulged　from　her　birth；　but　was　not　absolutely　spoilt。　She　was　hasty；　but　good…humoured；　vain　（she　could　not　help　it；　when　every　glance　in　the　glass　showed　her　such　a　flush　of　loveliness）；　but　not　affected；　liberal…handed；　innocent　of　the　pride　of　wealth；　ingenuous；　sufficiently　intelligent；　gay；　lively；　and　unthinking：　she　was　very　charming；　in　short；　even　to　a　cool　observer　of　her　own　sex　like　me；　but　she　was　not　profoundly　interesting　or　thoroughly　impressive。　A　very　different　sort　of　mind　was　hers　from　that；　for　instance；　of　the　sisters　of　St。　John。　Still；　I　liked　her　almost　as　I　liked　my　pupil　Adèle；　except　that；　for　a　child　whom　we　have　watched　over　and　taught；　a　closer　affection　is　engendered　than　we　can　give　an　equally　attractive　adult　acquaintance。

She　had　taken　an　amiable　caprice　to　me。　She　said　I　was　like　Mr。　Rivers；　only；　certainly；　she　allowed；　“not　one…tenth　so　handsome；　though　I　was　a　nice　neat　little　soul　enough；　but　he　was　an　angel。”　I　was；　however；　good；　clever；　posed；　and　firm；　like　him。　I　was　a　lusus　naturae；　she　af