TheeffectofthiscuriouscapriceoffancyasIthoughtitthenwasnotofanaturetosetmeatmyease，duringafirstinterviewwithMissFairlie。Thefewkindwordsofwelcomewhichshespokefoundmehardlyself-possessedenoughtothankherinthecustomaryphrasesofreply。Observingmyhesitation，andnodoubtattributingit，naturallyenough，tosomemomentaryshynessonmypart，MissHalcombetookthebusinessoftalking，aseasilyandreadilyasusual，intoherownhands。
　　`Lookthere，MrHartright，’shesaid，pointingtothesketchbookonthetable，andtothelittledelicatewanderinghandthatwasstilltriflingwithit。`Surelyyouwillacknowledgethatyourmodelpupilisfoundatlast？Themomentshehearsthatyouareinthehouse，sheseizesherinestimablesketch-book，looksuniversalNaturestraightintheface，andlongstobegin！’
　　MissFairlielaughedwithareadygood-humour，whichbrokeoutasbrightlyasifithadbeenpartofthesunshineaboveus，overherlovelyface。
　　`Imustnottakecredittomyselfwherenocreditisdue，’shesaid，herclear，truthfulblueeyeslookingalternatelyatMissHalcombeandatme。`FondasIamofdrawing，IamsoconsciousofmyownignorancethatIammoreafraidthananxioustobegin。NowIknowyouarehere，MrHartright，Ifindmyselflookingovermysketches，asIusedtolookovermylessonswhenIwasalittlegirl，andwhenIwassadlyafraidthatI
　　shouldturnoutnotfittobeheard。’
　　Shemadetheconfessionveryprettilyandsimply，and，withquaint，childishearnestness，drewthesketch-hookawayclosetoherownsideofthetable。MissHalcombecuttheknotofthelittleembarrassmentforthwith，inherresolute，downrightway。
　　`Good，bad，orindifferent，’shesaid，`thepupil’ssketchesmustpassthroughthefieryordealofthemaster’sjudgment——andthere’sanendtoit。Supposewetakethemwithusinthecarriage，Laura，andletMrHartrightseethem，forthefirsttime，undercircumstancesofperpetualjoltingandinterruption？Ifwecanonlyconfusehimallthroughthedrive，betweenNatureasitis，whenhelooksupattheview，andNatureasitisnot，whenhelooksdownagainatoursketch-books，weshalldrivehimintothelastdesperaterefugeofpayinguscompliments，andshallslipthroughhisprofessionalfingerswithourpetfeathersofvanityallunruffled。’
　　`IhopeMrHartrightwillpaymenocompliments，’saidMissFairlie，asweallleftthesummer-house。
　　`MayIventuretoinquirewhyyouexpressthathope？’Iasked。
　　`BecauseIshallbelieveallthatyousaytome，’sheansweredsimply。
　　Inthosefewwordssheunconsciouslygavemethekeytoherwholecharacter：
　　tothatgeneroustrustinotherswhich，inhernature，grewinnocentlyoutofthesenseofherowntruth。Ionlyknewitintuitivelythen。Iknowitbyexperiencenow。
　　WemerelywaitedtorousegoodMrsVeseyfromtheplacewhichshestilloccupiedatthedesertedluncheon-table，beforeweenteredtheopencarriageforourpromiseddrive。TheoldladyandMissHalcombeoccupiedthebackseat，andMissFairlieandIsattogetherinfront，withthesketch-bookopenbetweenus，fairlyexhibitedatlasttomyprofessionaleyes。Allseriouscriticismonthedrawings，evenifIhadbeendisposedtovolunteerit，wasrenderedimpossiblebyMissHalcombe’slivelyresolutiontoseenothingbuttheridiculoussideoftheFineArts，aspractisedbyherself，hersister，andladiesingeneral。IcanremembertheconversationthatpassedfarmoreeasilythanthesketchesthatImechanicallylookedover。
　　Thatpartofthetalk，especially，inwhichMissFairlietookanyshare，isstillasvividlyimpressedonmymemoryasifIhadhearditonlyafewhoursago。
　　Yes！letmeacknowledgethatonthefirstdayIletthecharmofherpresenceluremefromtherecollectionofmyselfandmyposition。Themosttriflingofthequestionsthatsheputtome，onthesubjectofusingherpencilandmixinghercolours；theslightestalterationsofexpressioninthelovelyeyesthatlookedintominewithsuchanearnestdesiretolearnallthatIcouldteach，andtodiscoverallthatIcouldshow，attractedmoreofmyattentionthanthefinestviewwepassedthrough，orthegrandestchangesoflightandshade，astheyflowedintoeachotheroverthewavingmoorlandandthelevelbeach。Atanytime，andunderanycircumstancesofhumaninterest，isitnotstrangetoseehowlittlerealholdtheobjectsofthenaturalworldamidwhichwelivecangainonourheartsandminds？
　　WegotoNatureforcomfortintrouble，andsympathyinjoy，onlyinbooks。
　　Admirationofthosebeautiesoftheinanimateworld，whichmodernpoetrysolargelyandsoeloquentlydescribes，isnot，eveninthebestofus，oneoftheoriginalinstinctsofournature。Aschildren，wenoneofuspossessit。Nouninstructedmanorwomanpossessesit。Thosewhoselivesaremostexclusivelypassedamidtheever-changingwondersofseaandlandarealsothosewhoaremostuniversallyinsensibletoeveryaspectofNaturenotdirectlyassociatedwiththehumaninterestoftheircalling。Ourcapacityofappreciatingthebeautiesoftheearthweliveonis，intruth，oneofthecivilisedaccomplishmentswhichwealllearnasanArt；and，more，thatverycapacityisrarelypractisedbyanyofusexceptwhenourmindsaremostindolentandmostunoccupied。HowmuchsharehavetheattractionsofNatureeverhadinthepleasurableorpainfulinterestsandemotionsofourselvesorourfriends？Whatspacedotheyeveroccupyinthethousandlittlenarrativesofpersonalexperiencewhichpasseverydaybywordofmouthfromoneofustotheother？Allthatourmindscancompass，allthatourheartscanlearn，canbeaccomplishedwithequalcertainty，equalprofit，andequalsatisfactiontoourselves，inthepoorestasintherichestprospectthatthefaceoftheearthcanshow。Thereissurelyareasonforthiswantofinbornsympathybetweenthecreatureandthecreationaroundit，areasonwhichmayperhapsbefoundinthewidely-differingdestiniesofmanandhisearthlysphere。Thegrandestmountainprospectthattheeyecanrangeoverisappointedtoannihilation。Thesmallesthumaninterestthatthepureheartcanfeelisappointedtoimmortality。
　　Wehadbeenoutnearlythreehours，whenthecarriageagainpassedthroughthegatesofLimmeridgeHouse。
　　OnourwaybackIhadlettheladiessettleforthemselvesthefirstpointofviewwhichtheyweretosketch，undermyinstructions，ontheafternoonofthenextday。Whentheywithdrewtodressfordinner，andwhenIwasaloneagaininmylittlesitting-room，myspiritsseemedtoleavemeonasudden。Ifeltillateaseanddissatisfiedwithmyself，Ihardlyknewwhy。PerhapsIwasnowconsciousforthefirsttimeofhavingenjoyedourdrivetoomuchinthecharacterofaguest，andtoolittleinthecharacterofadrawing-master。Perhapsthatstrangesenseofsomethingwanting，eitherinMissFairlieorinmyself，whichhadperplexedmewhenIwasfirstintroducedtoher，hauntedmestill。Anyhow，itwasarelieftomyspiritswhenthedinner-hourcalledmeoutofmysolitude，andtookmebacktothesocietyoftheladiesofthehouse。
　　Iwasstruck，onenteringthedrawing-room，bythecuriouscontrast，ratherinmaterialthanincolour，ofthedresseswhichtheynowwore。
　　WhileMrsVeseyandMissHalcombewererichlycladeachinthemannermostbecomingtoherage，thefirstinsilver-grey，andthesecondinthatdelicateprimrose-yellowcolourwhichmatchessowellwithadarkcomplexionandblackhair，MissFairliewasunpretendinglyandalmostpoorlydressedinplainwhitemuslin。Itwasspotlesslypure：itwasbeautifullyputon；butstillitwasthesortofdresswhichthewifeordaughterofapoormannighthaveworn，anditmadeher，sofarasexternalswent，looklessaffluentincircumstancesthanherowngoverness。Atalaterperiod，whenIlearnttoknowmoreofMissFairlie’scharacter，Idiscoveredthatthiscuriouscontrast，onthewrongside，wasduetohernaturaldelicacyoffeelingandnaturalintensityofaversiontotheslightestpersonaldisplayofherownwealth。NeitherMrsVeseynorMissHalcombecouldeverinducehertolettheadvantageindressdesertthetwoladieswhowerepoor，toleantothesideoftheoneladywhowasrich。
　　Whenthedinnerwasoverwereturnedtogethertothedrawing-room。AlthoughMrFairlieemulatingthemagnificentcondescensionofthemonarchwhohadpickedupTitian’sbrushforhimhadinstructedhisbutlertoconsultmywishesinrelationtothewinethatImightpreferafterdinner，Iwasresoluteenoughtoresistthetemptationofsittinginsolitarygrandeuramongbottlesofmyownchoosing，andsensibleenoughtoasktheladies’
　　permissiontoleavethetablewiththemhabitually，onthecivilisedforeignplan，duringtheperiodofmyresidenceatLimmeridgeHouse。
　　Thedrawing-room，towhichwehadnowwithdrawnfortherestoftheevening，wasontheground-floor，andwasofthesameshapeandsizeasthebreakfast-room。Largeglassdoorsatthelowerendopenedontoaterrace，beautifullyornamentedalongitswholelengthwithaprofusionofflowers。
　　Thesoft，hazytwilightwasjustshadingleafandblossomalikeintoharmonywithitsownsoberhuesasweenteredtheroom，andthesweeteveningscentoftheflowersmetuswithitsfragrantwelcomethroughtheopenglassdoors。GoodMrsVeseyalwaysthefirstofthepartytositdowntookpossessionofanarmchairinacorner，anddozedoffcomfortablytosleep。
　　AtmyrequestMissFairlieplacedherselfatthepiano。AsIfollowedhertoaseatneartheinstrument，IsawMissHalcomberetireintoarecessofoneofthesidewindows，toproceedwiththesearchthroughhermother’slettersbythelastquietraysoftheeveninglight。
　　Howvividlythatpeacefulhome-pictureofthedrawing-roomcomesbacktomewhileIwrite！fromtheplacewhereIsatIcouldseeMissHalcombe’sgracefulfigure，halfofitinsoftlight，halfinmysteriousshadow，bendingintentlyoverthelettersinherlap；while，nearertome，thefairprofileoftheplayeratthepianowasjustdelicatelydefinedagainstthefaintlydeepeningbackgroundoftheinnerwalloftheroom。Outside，ontheterrace，theclusteringflowersandlonggrassesandcreeperswavedsogentlyinthelighteveningair，thatthesoundoftheirrustlingneverreachedus。
　　Theskywaswithoutacloud，andthedawningmysteryofmoonlightbegantotremblealreadyintheregionoftheeasternheaven。Thesenseofpeaceandseclusionsoothedallthoughtandfeelingintoarapt，unearthlyrepose；
　　andthebalmyquiet，thatdeepenedeverwiththedeepeninglight，seemedtohoveroveruswithagentlerinfluencestill，whentherestoleuponitfromthepianotheheavenlytendernessofthemusicofMozart。Itwasaneveningofsightsandsoundsnevertoforget。
　　Weallsatsilentintheplaceswehadchosen——MrsVeseystillsleeping，MissFairliestillplaying，MissHalcombestillreading——tillthelightfailedus。Bythistimethemoonhadstolenroundtotheterrace，andsoft，mysteriousraysoflightwereslantingalreadyacrossthelowerendoftheroom。Thechangefromthetwilightobscuritywassobeautifulthatwebanishedthelamps，bycommonconsent，whentheservantbroughtthemin，andkeptthelargeroomunlighted，exceptbytheglimmerofthetwocandlesatthepiano。