Cashel, with an unaccustomed sense of getting the worst of an
encounter, almost lost heart to reply. Then he brightened, and said,
"I can tell you how that is. As far as being a place to sketch, or
for another person to look at, it is Chinese enough. But somehow
your living in it makes a difference. That is what I meant; upon my
soul it is."

Lydia smiled; but he, looking down at her, did not see the smile
because of her coronet of red hair, which seemed to flame in the
sunlight. The obstruction was unsatisfactory to him; he wanted to
see her face. He hesitated, and then sat down on the ground beside
her cautiously, as if getting into a very hot bath.

"I hope you won't mind my sitting here," he said, timidly. "It seems
rude to talk down at you from a height."

She shook her head and threw two more stones into the pool. He could
think of nothing further to say, and as she did not speak, but
gravely watched the circles in the water, he began to stare at them
too; and they sat in silence for some minutes, steadfastly regarding
the waves, she as if there were matter for infinite thought in them,
and he as though the spectacle wholly confounded him. At last she
said,

"Have you ever realized what a vibration is?"

"No," said Cashel, after a blank look at her.

"I am glad to hear you make that admission. Science has reduced