came, that a certain disagreeable impression had grown up in her mind
about her during the week which it took some time to thaw. When it did
thaw, however, which in time it always did, she would feel attracted to
her with redoubled warmth; and though their conversation might be
ostensibly occupied only with such subjects as laying the table or
dishing the dinner, she would contrive to introduce into it anything and
everything concerning the lieutenant which she thought might interest or
recommend him to her friend. Marie Forstberg couldn't help sometimes
fixing her clear blue eyes searchingly upon her, to ascertain if there
was not some object underlying this communicativeness; but Elizabeth
would look so unconscious, as she stood there with her sleeves tucked
up, busy with her work, that she dismissed the idea from her mind.

In this country life, although without a moment to call her own,
Elizabeth felt freer at all events than she had done in the town; and
she had made such rapid progress under Madam Beck's tuition, that the
latter's supervision was in many things no longer required. One part in
particular, the one which she might have been expected to find the most
difficult of all--that of parlour-maid--she filled to perfection; and
her upright figure and expressive face attracted many an admiring glance
on Sundays, when in her becoming striped chintz dress and white apron,
and with her luxuriant hair turned up in the simplest manner, she
carried the tea or coffee things out to the guests in the summer-house.
She could feel that Carl Beck's eyes were never off her as long as she
was in sight, and she seemed to know that it was she whom his eye
wandered in search of first whenever he came home. In a hundred small
ways he made her conscious of the interest which he felt in her; and
whenever there was a commission to be particularly remembered, he never
gave it to his sisters alone, but to her also.