Under the influence of the lovely place, of the lovely weather, and of his admiration for Hester, notwithstanding this folly, as he considered it, the latent poetry of Vavasor’s nature awoke more rapidly, with the result that he was growing more and more in love with Hester. It was a pleasant experience to him. It began to grow plain to him that now his aunt could no longer look upon the idea of such an alliance in the same unfavourable light that she would naturally have before. It was very different to see Hester, now, in the midst of such grounds and in such a house, with all the old-fashioned comforts and luxuries of an ancient and prosperous family around her. If he could get his aunt to see her in the midst of these surroundings, then her beauty would have a chance to work its natural effect upon her.

By degrees, therefore, and without any transition noticed by Hester, emboldened mainly by the influences of the soft dusky twilight, he came to speak with more warmth and nearer approach.

“How strangely this loveliness seems to sink into the soul,” he said one evening. “For when one loves, how it exalts his whole being, yet in the presence of the woman he worships, how small and unworthy he feels.”

Hester sat silent. There are women like Hester who have had their minds constantly filled with true and earnest things and so have, over the years, come to woman’s full dignity without having even speculated on what it may be to be in love. Such women, therefore, are somewhat in the dark when it first begins to show itself within them. Having never invited its presence, finding it within them adds to their perplexity. Yet, though Vavasor’s experience was scarcely so valuable as her ignorance, he judged he might venture a little further. But with all his experience in the manufacture of compliments, he was now at a loss—he had no fine theories of love to talk from!

“If one might sit forever like this,” he said in almost a whisper, “—forever and ever, needing nothing, desiring nothing! lost in perfect bliss! If only God would make this moment eternal.”

He ceased and was silent.

Hester could not help being moved by the hint of the poetic thought that pervaded the utterance. But she was not altogether pleased. Never had she ever felt, even in a transient mood, like praying, “Let it last forever!”

“I do not quite understand you,” she said. “I can scarcely imagine the time should ever come when I would wish it to last forever.”

“Have you had so little happiness?” he asked sympathetically.