fondly anticipated, the lone childless lady had taken with kindness and
interest to the fair motherless child. Left to herself often for months
together in the grand forlorn house, Caroline soon found an object to her
pensive walks in the basket-maker's cottage. Sophy's charming face and
charming ways stole more and more into affections which were denied all
nourishment at home. She entered into Waife's desire to improve, by
education, so exquisite a nature; and, familiarity growing by degrees,
Sophy was at length coaxed up to the great house; and during the hours
which Waife devoted to his rambles (for even in his settled industry he
could not conquer his vagrant tastes, but would weave his reeds or osiers
as he sauntered through solitudes of turf or wood), became the docile
delighted pupil in the simple chintz room which Lady Montfort had
reclaimed from the desert of her surrounding palace. Lady Montfort was
not of a curious turn of mind; profoundly indifferent even to the gossip
of drawing-rooms, she had no rankling desire to know the secrets of
village hearthstones. Little acquainted even with the great world-
scarcely at all with any world below that in which she had her being,
save as she approached humble sorrows by delicate charity--the contrast
between Waife's calling and his conversation roused in her no vigilant
suspicions. A man of some education, and born in a rank that touched
upon the order of gentlemen, but of no practical or professional culture
--with whimsical tastes--with roving eccentric habits--had, in the course
of life, picked up much harmless wisdom, but, perhaps from want of
worldly prudence, failed of fortune. Contented with an obscure retreat
and a humble livelihood, he might naturally be loth to confide to others
the painful history of a descent in life. He might have relations in a
higher sphere, whom the confession would shame; he might be silent in the
manly pride which shrinks from alms and pity and a tale of fall. Nay,
grant the worst--grant that Waife had suffered in repute as well as
fortune--grant that his character had been tarnished by some plausible