leaving James exultant over his conquest, and indulging a more definite
pleasure than hitherto in the person and devotion of the girl. As to any
consciousness in him of danger to either of them, it was no more than, on
the shore, the uneasy stir of a storm far out at sea. Had the least thought
of wronging her invaded his mind, he would have turned from it with
abhorrence; yet was he endangering all her peace without giving it one
reasonable thought. He was acting with a selfishness too much ingrained to
manifest its own unlovely shape; while in his mind lay all the time a
half-conscious care to avoid making the girl any promise.

As to her fitness for a minister's wife, he had never asked himself a
question concerning it; but in truth she might very soon have grown far
fitter for the position than he was for that of a minister. In character
she was much beyond him; and in breeding and consciousness far more of a
lady than he of a gentleman--fine gentleman as he would fain know himself.
Her manners were immeasurably better than his, because they were simple and
aimed at nothing. Instinctively she avoided whatever, had she done it, she
would at once have recognized as uncomely. She did not know that
simplicity was the purest breeding, yet from mere truth of nature practised
it unknowing. If her words were older-fashioned, that is more provincial
than his, at least her tone was less so, and her utterance was prettier
than if, like him, she had aped an Anglicized mode of speech. James would,
I am sure, have admired her more if she had been dressed on Sundays in
something more showy than a simple cotton gown; and I fear that her
poverty had its influence in the freedoms he allowed himself with her.

Her aunt was a weak as well as unsuspicious woman, who had known better
days, and pitied herself because they were past and gone. She gave herself
no anxiety as to her niece's prudence, but continued well assured of it
even while her very goodness was conspiring against her safety. It would