All this he well understood; and, reverent to her feeling, he laid
aside all trifling, and waited on her mood with the tenderest
watchfulness. When she could bear it, they would dwell together on
the precious recollections of her mother; and sometimes she could
even speak of her father, and relate instances of his affection for
herself, and all his other redeeming traits of character; most
thankful to Louis for accepting him on her word, and never uttering
one word of him which she could wish unsaid.

What Louis did not see, was that the very force of her own affection
was what alarmed Mary, and caused her reserve. To a mind used to
balance and regulation, any sensation so mighty and engrossing
appeared wrong; and repressed as her attachment had been, it was the
more absorbing now that he was all that was left to her. Admiration,
honour, gratitude, old childish affection, and caressing elder-
sisterly protection, all flowed in one deep, strong current; but the
very depth made her diffident. She could imagine the whole
reciprocated, and she feared to be importunate. If the day was no
better than a weary turmoil, save when his voice was in her ear, his
eyes wistfully bent on her, the more carefully did she restrain all
expression of hope of seeing him to-morrow, lest she should be
exacting and detain him from projects of his own. If it was pride
and delight to her to watch his graceful, agile figure spring on
horseback, she would keep herself from the window, lest he should
feel oppressed by her pursuing him; and when she found her advice
sought after as his law, she did not venture to proffer it. She was
uncomfortable in finding the rule committed to her, and all the more
because Lord Ormersfield, who had learnt to talk to her so openly
that she sometimes thought he confounded her with her mother, used in
all his schemes to appear to take it for granted that she should