Ifshewasnotthatnow，shewouldgrowintothatthroughthelapsefromthepersonaltotheancestralwhichweallundergointheprocessoftheyears。
　　Thesightofherfaceashehadpicturedit，andofthesoulwhichbehadimaginedforit，restoredhimtoabettersenseofher，buthefelttheneedofescapingfromthesuggestionofherfather’spresence，andtakingfurtherthought。Perhapsheshouldneveragainreachthepointthathewasawareofdeflectingfromnow；hefilledhislungswithlongbreaths，whichheexhaledinsighsofrelief。Itmighthavebeenamistakeonthespiritualaswellastheworldlyside；itwouldcertainlynothavepromotedhiscareer；itmighthaveimpededit。Thesemisgivingsflittedoverthesurfaceofthoughtthatmoreprofoundlywasoccupiedwithaquestionofotherthings。Inthetimesincehehadseenherlastitmightverywellbethatayoungandprettygirlhadmetsomeonewhohadtakenherfancy；andhecouldnotbesurethatherfancyhadeverbeenhis，evenifthishadnothappened。Hehadnoproofatallthatshehadevercaredorcouldcareforhimexceptgratefully，respectfully，almostreverentially，withthatminglingoffilialandmaternalanxietywhichhadhithertobeenthewarmestexpressionofherregard。Hetriedtoreasonitout，andcouldnot。Hesuddenlyfoundhimselfbitterlydisappointedthathehadmissedseeingher，foriftheyhadmet，hewouldhaveknownbythistimewhattothink，whattohope。Hefeltold——
　　hefeltfullythirty—sixyearsold——ashepassedhishandoverhiscrown，whosegossamergrowthopposedsolittleresistancetohistouch。Hehadbeguntolosehishairearly，buttillthenhehadnotmuchregrettedhisbaldness。Heenteredintoalittlequestionoftheircomparativeages，whichledhimtotheconclusionthatCynthiamustnowbeabouttwenty—
　　five。
　　Almostatthesamemomenthesawhercomingupthewalktowardhimfromfardowntheavenue。Forareason，orratheramotive，ofhisownhepretendedtohimselfthatitwasnotshe，butheknewinstantlythatitwas，andheputonhishat。Hecouldseethatshedidnotknowhim，anditwasaprettythingtowitnesstherecognitiondawnonher。Whenithaditsfulleffect，hewasawareofaflutter，apauseinherwholefigurebeforeshecameontowardhim，andhehurriedhisstepsforthecharmofherbeautifulblushingface。
　　Itwasthespiritualeffectoffigureandfacethathehadcarriedinhisthoughteversincehehadarrivedatthatone—sidedintimacythroughhisstudyofherforthepicturehehadjustseen。Hehadoftenhadtoaskhimselfwhetherhehadreallyperceivedoronlyimaginedthecharacterhehadtranslatedintoit；buthere，forthemomentatleast，waswhathehadseen。Hehurriedforwardandjoyfullytookthehandshegavehim。
　　Hethoughtheshouldspeakofthatatonce，butitwasnotpossible，ofcourse。Therehadtocomefirsttheunheededquestionsandanswersabouteachother’shealth，andmanyothercommonplaces。Heturnedandwalkedhomewithher，andatthegateofthelittleuglyhousesheaskedhimifhewouldnotcomeinandtaketeawiththem。
　　Herfathertalkedwithhimwhileshegotthetea，andwhenitwasreadyherbrothercameinfromhiswalkhomeoutofOldCambridgeandhelpedherputitonthetable。HehadgrownmuchtallerthanWestover，andhewasveryecclesiasticalinhismanner；moresothanhewouldbe，probably，ifheeverbecameabishop，Westoverdecided。Jombateeste，inanintervalofsuspendedworkatthebrickyard，waspayingavisittohispeopleinCanada，andWestoverdidnotseehim。
　　AllthetimewhiletheysatattableandtalkedtogetherWestoverrealizedmoreandmorethatforhim，atleast，theseparationofthelasttwoyearshadputthatspacebetweenthemwhichalonemadeitpossibleforthemtoapproacheachotheronnewground。Akindofhorror，ofrepulsion，forherengagementtoJeffDurginhadceasedfromhissenseofher；itwasasifshehadbeenunhappilymarried，andtheman，whohadbeenunworthyandunkind，waslikeaghostwhocouldnevercometotroublehisjoy。Hewasmorehercontemporary，hefound，thanformerly；
　　shehadgrownagreatdealinthepasttwoyears，andacertainafflictionwhichherfather’sfixityhadgivenhimconcerningherpassedintheassuranceofchangewhichsheherselfgavehim。
　　Shehadchangedherworld，andgrowntoit，buthernaturehadnotchanged。Evenherlookhadnotchanged，andhetoldherhowhehadseenhispictureinheratthemomentoftheirmeetinginthestreet。Theyallwentintoverifyhisimpressionfromthepainting。"Yes，thatisthewayyoulooked。"
　　"ItseemstomethatisthewayIfelt，"sheasserted。
　　Frankwentaboutthehouse—work，andlefthertotheirguest。WhenWhitwellcamebackfromthepost—office，wherehesaidhewouldonlybegoneaminute，hedidnotrejoinWestoverandCynthiaintheparlor。
　　Theparlordoorwasshut；hehadriskedhisfate，andtheyweretalkingitover。Cynthiawasnotsure；shewassureofnothingbutthattherewasnooneintheworldshecaredforsomuch；butshewasnotsurethatwasenough。Shedidnotpretendthatshewassurprised；sheownedthatshehadsometimesexpectedit；sheblamedherselffornotexpectingitthen。
　　Westoversaidthathedidnotblameherfornotknowinghermind；hehadbeenfifteenyearslearninghisownfully。Heaskedhertotakeallthetimeshewished。Ifshecouldnotmakesureafterall，heshouldalwaysbesurethatshewaswiseandgood。ShetoldhimeverythingtherewastotellofherbreakingwithJeff，andhethoughtthelastepisodeasupremeproofofherwisdomandgoodness。
　　Afteracertaintimetheywentforawalkinthewarmsummermoonlightundertheelms，wheretheyhadmetontheavenue。
　　"Isuppose，"shesaid，astheydrewnearherdooragain，"thatpeopledon’toftentalkitoveraswe’vedone。"
　　"Weonlyknowfromthenovels，"heanswered。"Perhapspeopledo，oftenerthaniseverknown。Idon’tseewhytheyshouldn’t。"
　　"No。"
　　"I’veneverwishedtobesureofyousomuchassinceyou’vewishedtobesureofyourself。"
　　"AndI’veneverbeensosureassinceyouwerewillingtoletme，"saidCynthia。
　　"Iamgladofthat。Trytothinkofme，ifthatwillhelpmycause，assomeoneyoumighthavealwaysknowninthisway。Wedon’treallyknoweachotheryet。I’magreatdealolderthanyou，butstillI’mnotsoveryold。"
　　"Oh，Idon’tcareforthat。AllIwanttobecertainofisthatthefeelingIhaveisreally——thefeeling。"
　　"Iknow，dear，"saidWestover，andhisheartsurgedtowardherinhistendernessforhersimpleconscience，herwisequestion。"Taketime。
　　Don’thurry。ForgetwhatI’vesaid——orno；that’sabsurd！Thinkofit；
　　butdon’tletanythingbutthetruthpersuadeyou。Now，good—night，Cynthia。"
　　"Good—night——Mr。Westover。"
　　"Mr。Westover"hereproachedher。
　　Shestoodthinking，asifthequestionwerecrucial。Thenshesaid，firmly，"IshouldalwayshavetocallyouMr。Westover。"
　　"Oh，well，"hereturned，"ifthat’sall！"
　　End