’Now I had the world before me, a happy home, a prospect of a certain independence, and, I suppose, a sufficient share of personal attractions.  I had never considered whether I could like this young man or not; but I had well considered that when I married, I must have talent, position, personal beauty, and a hundred other visionary attributes in my husband.  I was of a most imaginative, and at the same time, ambitious temperament; and on the one hand, thought a great poet or warrior would fall to my lot, and on the other, that a prince of the blood royal was not too good for me.

’Your pride, my dear Freda, is too matter-of-fact, as is your general character, thoroughly to understand me.  At that time I was touched and flattered by the devotion of this young man, and felt, that had he been differently placed, and had he more of the attributes either of station or romance about him, I might have taken him under my august consideration; but as I had never even looked upon him in the light of a lover, or supposed it possible that he could be one, I at once, and decidedly refused him.

’I shall never forget the pained and melancholy expression of his features when I did so, or the few words he uttered.  He said that he had not ventured to hope for a different answer, though he had dared to speak, and that his one slight prospect of happiness had vanished.  He had now nothing but a life of labour before him, without a gleam of hope to cheer his way, but that he should think of me always, and of the happy hours we had passed together.  I felt so sorry for him that I could really say nothing, either to cheer or discourage him.  He simply asked me to allow him to remain my friend, and to forgive his presumption; and so we shook hands and parted.  He did not join the family that evening, and the next day I left the Merryweathers.

’I do not know how it was, but when I returned home, I thought more of this young man than of any one else.  Although my sister and myself were surrounded by men of a very different, and I may say, superior class, still he haunted me very much, for a time at least.

’Then came my sister’s marriage, which proved, as you know, unfortunate in a pecuniary point of view, and her and her husband’s emigration to Australia in search of fortune.  Then followed our own ruin, and my father’s paralytic seizure.  To help my parents and support myself, I came to you as governess.  You know, dearest Freda, how happy your dear mother made me as long as she lived, and how ardently I desired to fulfil her dying wish that I should finish your education.  Most thankful I am that I was permitted to do so.

’I need not tell you, over and over again, the sad story of my mother’s death, and my return home to live with my father, and become a daily instead of a resident governess.  All the happiness I have known—­at least the greatest—­since our troubles, has been in this house.