as not feeling the necessity of coming to a conclusion, and therefore
preferring to allow the conclusion to grow instead of constructing one for
immediate use. This I rather liked than otherwise. His behaviour, I need
hardly say, after what I have told of him already, was entirely that of a
gentleman; and his education was good. But what I did not like was, that
as often as the conversation made a bend in the direction of religious
matters, he was sure to bend it away in some other direction as soon as
ever he laid his next hold upon it. This, however, might have various
reasons to account for it, and I would wait.

After lunch, as we rose from the table, he took Wynnie's portfolio from the
side-table where he had laid it, and with no more than a bow and thanks
returned it to her. She, I thought, looked a little disappointed, though
she said as lightly as she could:

"I am afraid you have not found anything worthy of criticism in my poor
attempts, Mr. Percivale?"

"On the contrary, I shall be most happy to tell you what I think of them if
you would like to hear the impression they have made upon me," he replied,
holding out his hand to take the portfolio again.

"I shall be greatly obliged to you," she said, returning it, "for I have
had no one to help me since I left school, except a book called _Modern
Painters_, which I think has the most beautiful things in it I ever read,
but which I lay down every now and then with a kind of despair, as if I
never could do anything worth doing. How long the next volume is in coming!
Do you know the author, Mr. Percivale?"

"I wish I did. He has given me much help. I do not say I can agree with