She was cold in manner, because she could not be hypocritical; but her words were polite and kind in purport; and she took pains to make her actions the same as formerly.

But rule and line may measure out the figure of a man; it is the soul that gives it life; and there was no soul, no inner meaning, breathing out in Jemima's actions.
Ruth felt the change acutely.

She suffered from it some time before she ventured to ask what had occasioned it.

But, one day, she took Miss Bradshaw by surprise, when they were alone together for a few minutes, by asking her if she had vexed her in any way, she was so changed?
It is sad when friendship has cooled so far as to render such a question necessary.

Jemima went rather paler than usual, and then made answer: "Changed! How do you mean?
How am I changed?
What do I say or do different from what I used to do ?" But the tone was so constrained and cold, that Ruth's heart sank within her.