"I think I shall find you just after my own heart." The voice of Mrs.Lloyd was a little raised as she said this, and Mrs.Emerson noticed that a gentleman who was in the parlor when she entered, but to whom she had not been introduced, turned and looked at her with a steady, curious gaze, which struck her at the time as being on the verge of impertinence.
Only two or three days passed before Mrs.Lloyd returned this visit.
Irene found her more interesting than ever.

She had seen a great deal of society, and had met, according to her own story, with most of the distinguished men and women of the country, about whom she talked in a very agreeable manner.

She described their personal appearance, habits, peculiarities and manners, and related pleasant anecdotes about them.

On authors and books she was entirely at home.
But there was an undercurrent of feeling in all she said that a wiser and more experienced woman than Irene would have noted.

It was not a feeling of admiration for moral, but for intellectual, beauty.
She could dissect a character with wonderful skill, but always passed the quality of goodness as not taken into account.