All her flowers seemed dull of hue; her pets seemed to look wistfully into her eyes, as if they no longer stood in the same friendly relation to her as formerly.

She wore melancholy jewellery, gazed at sunsets, and talked to old men and women.

It was the first time that she had had an inner and private world apart from the visible one about her.

She wished that her father, instead of neglecting her even more than usual, would make some advance--just one word; she would then tell all, and risk Stephen's displeasure.

Thus brought round to the youth again, she saw him in her fancy, standing, touching her, his eyes full of sad affection, hopelessly renouncing his attempt because she had renounced hers; and she could not recede.
On the Wednesday she was to receive another letter.