strength and determination.

Hollywell was a hamlet, two miles from the parish church of East-hill,
and Mary had thus seen very little of the Edmonstone's guest, having
only been introduced to him after church on Sunday. The pleasure on
which Charles chiefly reckoned for that evening was the talking him
over with her when the ladies came in from the dining-room. The Miss
Harpers, with his sisters, gathered round the piano, and Mrs.
Edmonstone sat at Charles's feet, while Mary knitted and talked.

'So you get on well with him?'

'He is one of those people who are never in the way, and yet you never
can forgot their presence,' said Mrs. Edmonstone.

'His manners are quite the pink of courtesy,' said Mary.

'Like his grandfather's,' said Mrs. Edmonstone; 'that old-school
deference and attention is very chivalrous, and sits prettily and
quaintly on his high spirits and animation; I hope it will not wear
off.'

'A vain hope,' said Charles. 'At present he is like that German myth,
Kaspar Hauser, who lived till twenty in a cellar. It is lucky for
mamma that, in his green state, he is courtly instead of bearish.'

'Lucky for you, too, Charlie; he spoils you finely.'

'He has the rare perfection of letting me know my own mind. I never
knew what it was to have my own way before.'