But, had he now brought himself as severely to task as he ought, he would have discovered that he was making no objection to the little girl's loving him, only he would not love her in the same way in return; and where was the honor in that?
Doubtless, had he thus examined himself, he would have thought he meant to take care that the child's love for him should not go too far--should not endanger her peace; and that, if the thing should give her trouble, it should be his business to comfort her in it; but descend he would not--would not _yet_--from his pedestal, to meet the silly thing on the level ground of humanity, and the relation of the man and the woman! Something like this, I say, he would have found in his heart, horrid as it reads.

That heart's action was not even, was not healthy.
When in London he had ransacked Holywell Street for dainty editions of so many of his favorite authors as would make quite a little library for Letty; and on his return, had commissioned a cabinet-maker in Testbridge to put together a small set of book-shelves, after his own design, measured and fitted to receive them exactly; these shelves, now ready, he fastened to her wall one afternoon when she was out of the way, and filled them with the books.

He never doubted that, the moment she saw them, she would rush to find him; and, when he had done, retreated, therefore, to his study, there to sit in readiness to receive her and her gratitude with gentle kindness; when he would express the hope that she would make real friends of the spirits whose quintessence he had thus stored to her hand; and would introduce her to what Milton says in his "Areopagitica" concerning good books.

There, for her sake, then, he sat, in mental state, expectant; but sat in vain.

When they met at tea, then, in the presence of his mother, with embarrassment and broken utterance, she did thank him.
"O Cousin Godfrey!" she said, and ceased; then, "It is so much more than I deserve, I dare hardly thank you." After another pause, with a shake of her pretty head, as if she would toss aside her hair, or the tears out of her eyes, "I don't know--I seem to have no right to thank you; I ought not to have such a splendid present.