the coquetry which was at the bottom of this was not without its effect.
She had always made rather a hero of him in her own mind, and he had
created the flattering impression now that the light and flirting manner
which he adopted towards young ladies, and which had rather qualified
her admiration of him, had been due to his not having before found among
them any one that was worthy of a man's serious attention. He had begun
consequently to occupy a much larger share of her thoughts than she
would herself have been willing to acknowledge; and many of the
confidences of which she was the recipient at this time would, if her
friends had had a little more penetration, have been brought last of all
to her.

Marie Forstberg's attention had very soon been attracted to Elizabeth;
and knowing her history, she tried very often to help her, and put her
in the right way of doing things. At first she found her rather short
and unapproachable, and could get nothing but "yes" or "no" from her;
and there was something almost offensive in the brusque way in which she
would turn with an impatient flush from her mentor when she sometimes
didn't understand what was meant, and would do the thing in her own way.
She wouldn't see at first the various little good turns which the other
did her in her quiet, considerate way; but they were acknowledged at
last with a look that made amends for all her former obtuseness; and in
spite of their different natures and unequal social position, these two
women soon came to feel, if not exactly drawn to one another, mutually
interested in each other. At the same time, as Elizabeth was not blind
to the diplomacy of the house, she had soon perceived that of all the
young ladies who came there, Marie Forstberg was the one who had the
best chance, and who indeed best deserved to be the young lieutenant's
bride; and although she tried to believe that she was merely a resigned
looker-on herself, she seemed to feel every Sunday, when Marie Forstberg