CHAPTER III.

niversaries,andcouldnotwellpassmeoverIwas,however,keptstrictlyinthebackground.Mrs.Crimsworth,elegantlydressedinsatinandlace,bloominginyouthandhealth,vouchsafedmenomorenoticethanwasexpressedbyadistantmoveCrimsworth,ofcourse,neverspoketomeIwasintroducedtononeofthebandofyoungladies,who,envelopedinsilverycloudsofwhitegauzeandmuslin,satinarrayagainstmeontheoppositesideofalongandlargeroominfact,Iwasfairlyisolated,andcouldbutcontemplatetheshiningonesfromafar,andwhenwearyofsuchadazzlingscene,turnforachangetotheconsiderationofthecarpetpattern.Mr.Crimsworth,standingontherug,hiselbowsupportedbythemarblemantelpiece,andabouthimagroupofveryprettygirls,withwhomheconversedgaily—Mr.Crimsworth,thusplaced,glancedatmeIlookedweary,solitary,keptdownlikesomedesolatetutororgovernesshewassatisfied. DancingbeganIshouldhavelikedwellenoughtobeintroducedtosomepleasingandintelligentgirl,andtohavefreedomandopportunitytoshowthatIcouldbothfeelandcommunicatethepleasureofsocialintercourse—thatIwasnot,inshort,ablock,orapieceoffurniture,butanacting,thinking,sentientman.Manysmilingfacesandgracefulfiguresglidedpastme,butthesmileswerelavishedonothereyes,thefiguressustainedbyotherhandsthanmine.Iturnedawaytantalized,leftthedancers,andwanderedintotheoak-panelleddining-room.NofibreofsympathyunitedmetoanylivingthinginthishouseIlookedforandfoundmymother’spicture.Itookawaxtaperfromastand,andhelditup.Igazedlong,earnestlymyheartgrewtotheimage.Mymother,Iperceived,hadbequeathedtomemuchofherfeaturesandcountenance—herforehead,hereyes,hercomplexion.Noregularbeautypleasesegotisticalhumanbeingssomuchasasoftenedandrefinedlikenessofthemselvesforthisreason,fathersregardwithcomplacencythelineamentsoftheirdaughters’faces,wherefrequentlytheirownsimilitudeisfoundflatteringlyassociatedwithsoftnessofhueanddelicacyofoutline.Iwasjustwonderinghowthatpicture,tomesointeresting,wouldstrikeanimpartialspectator,whenavoiceclosebehindmepronouncedthewords— “Humph!there’ssomesenseinthatface.” Iturnedatmyelbowstoodatallman,young,thoughprobablyfiveorsixyearsolderthanI—inotherrespectsofanappearancetheoppositetocommonplacethoughjustnow,asIamnotdisposedtopainthisportraitindetail,thereadermustbecontentwiththesilhouetteIhavejustthrownoffitwasallImyselfsawofhimforthemoment:Ididnotinvestigatethecolourofhiseyebrows,norofhiseyeseitherIsawhisstature,andthe