she could leave the coach at Orizaba she would be within fifty miles of
the _hacienda_ of La Concepcion, whereas when she reached Mexico City
she would still be eighty miles from it. Her aunt had added, however,
that this was not practicable at present, why she did not say, and that
she must go on to Mexico where some friends would take charge of her
until her uncle was able to fetch her.

Presently Emma seemed to fall asleep, at least she shut her eyes. But I
could not sleep, and sat there listening to the snores of the fat priest
and the strange interminable oaths of the drivers as they thrashed the
mules. Opposite to me, tied to the roof of the coach immediately above
Emma's head, was a cheap looking-glass, provided, I suppose, for the
convenience of passengers when making the toilette of travel. In it I
could see myself reflected, so, having nothing better to do, in view of
contingencies which of a sudden had become possible, I amused myself by
taking count of my personal appearance. On the whole in those days it
was not unsatisfactory. In build, I was tall and slight, with thin,
nervous hands. My colouring and hair were dark, and I had soft and
rather large brown eyes. The best part of my face was my forehead, which
was ample, and the worst my mouth, which was somewhat weak. I do not
think, however, that any one would have guessed by looking at me as I
then appeared at the age of seven and twenty, that I was an exceedingly
hard-working man with extraordinary powers of observation and a really
retentive memory.

At any rate, I am sure that it was not these qualities which recommended
me to Emma Becker, nor, whatever we may have felt under the influences
of Orizaba, was it any spiritual affinity. Doctors, I fear, are not
great believers in spiritual affinities; they know that such emotions
can be accounted for in other ways. Probably Emma was attracted to