—Ten —

Vavasor and Hester

The visits of Vavasor, in reality to Hester, continued. They became more frequent and he stayed longer. Her mother and Miss Dasomma noted with some anxiety, that he began to appear at the church they attended, a dull enough place, without any possible attraction of its own for a man like Vavasor. After two or three Sundays, he began to join them as they came out and walk part way home with them. Next, he went all the way and was asked to stay to lunch.

It may seem strange that Mrs. Raymount would allow things to go on like this if she was truly anxious about the result. But in the first place, she had thorough confidence in Hester and did not imagine it possible she should fall in love with a man like Vavasor. . In the second place, it is amazing what weakness may coexist with what strength, what worldliness stand side by side with what spirituality—for a time, that is, till one overcomes the other. Mrs. Raymount was pleased with the idea of a possible marriage of such distinction for her daughter, which would give her just the position she counted her fit for. These mutually destructive considerations were, with whatever logical inconsistency, both certainly operative in her.

Then again, they knew nothing against the young man! He made himself agreeable to every one in the house. In Addison Square he showed scarce the faintest shadow of the manner which made him at the bank almost hated. He was on his good behaviour in a private house, but his heart, and his self-respect, as he would have called his self-admiration, were equally concerned in his looking his best—which always means looking better than one’s best.

In Hester’s company his best was always uppermost, and humility being no part of this best, he not merely felt comfortable and kindly disposed—which he was—but good in himself and considerate of others—which he was not. There was that in Hester and his feeling towards her which had upon him what elevating influence he was yet capable of receiving, and this fact said more for him than anything else.

She seemed gaining a power over him that could not be for other than good with any man who submitted to it. It had begun to bring out what was best in a disposition nearly ruined by evil influences on all sides. Both glad and proud to see her daughter exerting such influence, how could Mrs. Raymount interfere? It was plain he was improving. Not once now did they ever hear him jest on anything belonging to church!—As to anything belonging to religion, he scarcely knew enough to have any material for jesting.

Miss Dasomma was more awake. She knew better than Mrs. Raymount the kind of soil in which his human plant had been reared, and saw more danger ahead. She feared the young man was but amusing himself, or at best enjoying Hester’s company as some wary winged thing enjoys the flame, courting a few singes, not quite avoiding even a slight plumous conflagration, but careful not to turn a delightful imagination into a consuming reality. She could not believe him as careless of himself as of her, but judged he was what he would to himself call flirting with her—which had the more danger for Hester that there was not in her mind the idea corresponding to the phrase.