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poor man； he left his daughter sufficiently well provided for as a
modest fundholder and claimant of sundry small sums in dividends to
maintain herself as mistress at Peakhill。
At Cytherea's knock an inner door was heard to open and close； and
footsteps crossed the passage hesitatingly。 The next minute
Cytherea stood face to face with the lady herself。
Adelaide Hinton was about nine…and…twenty years of age。 Her hair
was plentiful； like Cytherea's own； her teeth equalled Cytherea's in
regularity and whiteness。 But she was much paler； and had features
too transparent to be in place among household surroundings。 Her
mouth expressed love less forcibly than Cytherea's； and； as a
natural result of her greater maturity； her tread was less elastic；
and she was more self…possessed。
She had been a girl of that kind which mothers praise as not
forward； by way of contrast； when disparaging those warmer ones with
whom loving is an end and not a means。 Men of forty； too； said of
her； 'a good sensible wife for any man； if she cares to marry；' the
caring to marry being thrown in as the vaguest hypothesis； because
she was so practical。 Yet it would be singular if； in such cases；
the important subject of marriage should be excluded from
manipulation by hands that are ready for practical performance in
every domestic concern besides。
Cytherea was an acquisition； and the greeting was hearty。
'Good afternoon！ O yesMiss Graye； from Miss Aldclyffe's。 I have
seen you at church； and I am so glad you have called！ Come in。 I
wonder if I have change enough to pay my subscription。' She spoke
girlishly。
Adelaide； when in the company of a younger woman； always levelled
herself down to that younger woman's age from a sense of justice to
herselfas if； though not her own age at common law； it was in
equity。
'It doesn't matter。 I'll come again。'
'Yes； do at any time； not only on this errand。 But you must step in
for a minute。 Do。'
'I have been wanting to come for several weeks。'
'That's right。 Now you must see my houselonely； isn't it； for a
single person？ People said it was odd for a young woman like me to
keep on a house； but what did I care？ If you knew the pleasure of
locking up your own door； with the sensation that you reigned
supreme inside it； you would say it was worth the risk of being
called odd。 Mr。 Springrove attends to my gardening； the dog attends
to robbers； and whenever there is a snake or toad to kill； Jane does
it。'
'How nice！ It is better than living in a town。'
'Far better。 A town makes a cynic of me。'
The remark recalled； somewhat startlingly； to Cytherea's mind； that
Edward had used those very words to herself one evening at Budmouth。
Miss Hinton opened an interior door and led her visitor into a small
drawing…room commanding a view of the country for miles。
The missionary business was soon settled； but the chat continued。
'How lonely it must be here at night！' said Cytherea。 'Aren't you
afraid？'
'At first I was； slightly。 But I got used to the solitude。 And you
know a sort of commonsense will creep even into timidity。 I say to
myself sometimes at night； 〃If I were anybody but a harmless woman；
not worth the trouble of a worm's ghost to appear to me； I should
think that every sound I hear was a spirit。〃 But you must see all
over my house。'
Cytherea was highly interested in seeing。
'I say you MUST do this； and you MUST do that； as if you were a
child；' remarked Adelaide。 'A privileged friend of mine tells me
this use of the imperative comes of being so constantly in nobody's
society but my own。'
'Ah； yes。 I suppose she is right。'
Cytherea called the friend 'she' by a rule of ladylike practice； for
a woman's 'friend' is delicately assumed by another friend to be of
their own sex in the absence of knowledge to the contrary； just as
cats are called she's until they prove themselves he's。
Miss Hinton laughed mysteriously。
'I get a humorous reproof for it now and then； I assure you；' she
continued。
'〃Humorous reproof：〃 that's not from a woman： who can reprove
humorously but a man？' was the groove of Cytherea's thought at the
remark。 'Your brother reproves you； I expect；' said that innocent
young lady。
'No；' said Miss Hinton； with a candid air。 ''Tis only a
professional man I am acquainted with。' She looked out of the
window。
Women are persistently imitative。 No sooner did a thought flash
through Cytherea's mind that the man was a lover than she became a
Miss Aldclyffe in a mild form。
'I imagine he's a lover；' she said。
Miss Hinton smiled a smile of experience in that line。
Few women； if taxed with having an admirer； are so free from vanity
as to deny the impeachment； even if it is utterly untrue。 When it
does happen to be true； they look pityingly away from the person who
is so benighted as to have got no further than suspecting it。
'There nowMiss Hinton； you are engaged to be married！' said
Cytherea accusingly。
Adelaide nodded her head practically。 'Well； yes； I am；' she said。
The word 'engaged' had no sooner passed Cytherea's lips than the
sound of itthe mere sound of her own lipscarried her mind to the
time and circumstances under which Miss Aldclyffe had used it
towards herself。 A sickening thought followedbased but on a mere
surmise； yet its presence took every other idea away from Cytherea's
mind。 Miss Hinton had used Edward's words about towns； she
mentioned Mr。 Springrove as attending to her garden。 It could not
be that Edward was the man！ that Miss Aldclyffe had planned to
reveal her rival thus！
'Are you going to be married soon？' she inquired； with a steadiness
the result of a sort of fascination； but apparently of indifference。
'Not very soonstill； soon。'
'Ah…ha！ In less than three months？' said Cytherea。
'Two。'
Now that the subject was well in hand； Adelaide wanted no more
prompting。 'You won't tell anybody if I show you something？' she
said； with eager mystery。
'O no； nobody。 But does he live in this parish？'
'No。'
Nothing proved yet。
'What's his name？' said Cytherea flatly。 Her breath and heart had
begun their old tricks； and came and went hotly。 Miss Hinton could
not see her face。
'What do you think？' said Miss Hinton。
'George？' said Cytherea； with deceitful agony。
'No；' said Adelaide。 'But now； you shall see him first； come here；'
and she led the way upstairs into her bedroom。 There； standing on
the dressing table in a little frame； was the unconscious portrait
of Edward Springrove。
'There he is；' Miss Hinton said； and a silence ensued。
'Are you very fond of him？' continued the miserable Cytherea at
length。
'Yes； of course I am；' her companion replied； but in the tone of one
who 'lived in Abraham's bosom all the year；' and was therefore
untouched by solemn thought at the fact。 'He's my cousina native
of this village。 We were engaged before my father's death left me
so lonely。 I was only twenty； and a much greater belle than I am
now。 We know each other thoroughly； as you may imagine。 I give him
a little sermonizing now and then。'
'Why？'
'O； it's only in fun。 He