Elfie, do not be so full of forebodings.' 'Oh yes, they will,' she replied.

'And you will look at them, not caring at first, and then you will look and be interested, and after a while you will think, "Ah, they know all about city life, and assemblies, and coteries, and the manners of the titled, and poor little Elfie, with all the fuss that's made about her having me, doesn't know about anything but a little house and a few cliffs and a space of sea, far away." And then you'll be more interested in them, and they'll make you have them instead of me, on purpose to be cruel to me because I am silly, and they are clever and hate me.

And I hate them, too; yes, I do!' Her impulsive words had power to impress him at any rate with the recognition of the uncertainty of all that is not accomplished.

And, worse than that general feeling, there of course remained the sadness which arose from the special features of his own case.

However remote a desired issue may be, the mere fact of having entered the groove which leads to it, cheers to some extent with a sense of accomplishment.