Barry Pain

“ Leader has that shade of gentle Puritanism in her which one still finds occasionally in the inhabitants of English villages. It is the old Puritanism with charity added. She is hard on herself and indulgent to the rest of the world. There are some good people still alive, my dear Jack, but one does not as a rule meet them in London. For real goodness and simplicity one must come to the country. ”

“ I have often thought it very sad that at the age of twenty-five you should have decided that you can never love again; but I know that you do take the warmest and deepest interest in the love-stories of others, and there is no one to whom I could more readily tell all the secrete of my heart. ”

“ If she really cares for Tom, of course I shall not annoy her by my interference. You must not misunderstand me when I say that she is perfect. I do not mean that her attainments—her intellectual attainments—are better than those of all other women. I have not entirely lost my critical faculty. I can see, for instance, that her playing is slipshod, and her singing only shows the average drawing-room quality. Very likely she was not well taught. What I meant rather was that she was quite unspoiled. I feel sure that she has never given one sentimental thought to a man in her life. ”

“ Merle's face was roundish, that I meant it in a disparaging way at all. He is very good-looking; he has that appearance of nobility and strength which I so much admire in a man. He makes every one like him, except Tom. I wish I could give you a better idea of his personal appearance, but there really is no one we know who could be compared with him for a moment. He likes music; I sang two or three songs for him in the drawing-room the last time he dined here. ”

“ On the contrary, I have just realized that you are quite right about my cousin Tom, and that I can never, never love him at all. Every word that you said about him was true: mere good looks, good nature, and a partiality for athletics are not enough ”

“ He has a strange way of looking at one sometimes, as if he were thirsty. It is very interesting to talk to him; he has just come from London, you see, and has heaps of things to tell us. One hears so little in this benighted village. We are going to have tea at his rooms in the farmhouse this afternoon, which will be splendid. Tom says he shall not go. I shall meet him again in the evening at Mrs. Leader's. Please write soon to me, dearest Clara, and tell me what to do.
Ever your most loving friend ”

“ September 5th.—I have just come up from the drawing-room. I talked to Tom most of dinner-time, and I played the accompaniments to Tom's songs. I told him that I should have The Devout Lover ringing in my head all night. Afterwards I talked to Cecil—chiefly about Tom's prospects at Cambridge. I watched most anxiously to see what effect this had on Cecil. I could not discover that it had any effect at all; he does not let one see very easily what his feelings are. He ought to, I think. Tom, however, was very much elated ”

“ I do not believe Charles Leader has ever forgotten me. I only wish that he would, except that it would rather lessen my high opinion of him. I do so hate fickleness. I like simplicity and constancy.
Mr. Merle is very brilliant. He has had a piano sent down here from London, and I sang Love's Rapturous Sorrow to him this afternoon at his rooms ”

“ There are girls in town who have a hideous practice of writing morbid confidences to each other about men they have met. She would never do that. She is quite incapable, too, of fickleness. She will love once, and love always. ”

“ When I decided, rather in a hurry, to take these rooms and come to Carleston for a couple of months or so, I neglected to inquire who was the village parson. He is the Rev. Hubert Marshe, and was at Trinity with my father. They were friends, and consequently I have been up to the Rectory a good deal. He is a man of some culture, has a touch of bibliomania, is gentle in everything but his orthodoxy, and is really loved by every one in the village. ”