Greifenstein during her half-yearly visits, it was not because she
disliked or despised her own home life. She was too thoroughly
conscious of the inevitable to groan over her lot, she was too strong
in mind and body to desire luxurious idleness, and she never imagined
that a woman could find occupation except in household duties. Her
whole existence had made her so simple that she could never have
comprehended that complicated state of mind which is so delightful to
society.

Something of nature's own freshness, too, had been infused into the
young girl's veins, refreshing and renewing the life in that old blood
of which she was the last descendant. Blue eyes are rarely very bright.
Hilda's seemed to have a special vitality of their own, which gave the
impression that they must shine in the dark as some crystals do for a
few seconds when they have been long exposed to the sun. They were of
that rare type which appear to sparkle even when not seen directly, not
merely reflecting the light as a placid pool reflects it, but making it
dance and change as sunshine does in falling water. Hilda's hair was
yellow, and yellow hair is often lustreless as the pine dust in the
woods; but hers glowed, as it were by its own colour, without
reflection, out of the very abundance of vitality. Her features were
delicate and aquiline, but were saved from any look of deficient
strength by that perfection of evenly-distributed colour which comes
only from matchless health and untainted blood, combined with a rare
strength in the action of the heart. Hilda possessed one of those
highly-favoured organisations which nature occasionally produces as
normal types of what humanity should be. Such people bring with them a
radiance that nothing can extinguish, not even extreme old age. Their
beauty may not be of the highest type, but their vitality is
irresistibly attractive, and spreads to their surroundings,