And, indeed, she had so much happiness in the daily course of this part of her life, that, on looking back upon it afterwards, she could not imagine anything brighter than it had been.  The delight of receiving her lover’s letters—­the anxious happiness of replying to them (always a little bit fearful lest she should not express herself and her love in the precisely happy medium becoming a maiden)—­the father’s love and satisfaction in her—­the calm prosperity of the whole household—­was delightful at the time, and, looking back upon it, it was dreamlike.

Occasionally Mr. Corbet came down to see her.  He always slept on these occasions at Mr. Ness’s; but he was at Ford Bank the greater part of the one day between two nights that he allowed himself for the length of his visits.  And even these short peeps were not frequently taken.  He was working hard at law:  fagging at it tooth and nail; arranging his whole life so as best to promote the ends of his ambition; feeling a delight in surpassing and mastering his fellows—­those who started in the race at the same time.  He read Ellinor’s letters over and over again; nothing else beside law-books.  He perceived the repressed love hidden away in subdued expressions in her communications, with an amused pleasure at the attempt at concealment.  He was glad that her gaieties were not more gay; he was glad that she was not too much admired, although a little indignant at the want of taste on the part of the —–­shire gentlemen.  But if other admirers had come prominently forward, he would have had to take some more decided steps to assert his rights than he had hitherto done; for he had caused Ellinor to express a wish to her father that her engagement should not be too much talked about until nearer the time when it would be prudent for him to marry her.  He thought that the knowledge of this, the only imprudently hasty step he ever meant to take in his life, might go against his character for wisdom, if the fact became known while he was as yet only a student.  Mr. Wilkins wondered a little; but acceded, as he always did, to any of Ellinor’s requests.  Mr. Ness was a confidant, of course, and some of Lady Maria’s connections heard of it, and forgot it again very soon; and, as it happened, no one else was sufficiently interested in Ellinor to care to ascertain the fact.

All this time, Mr. Ralph Corbet maintained a very quietly decided attitude towards his own family.  He was engaged to Miss Wilkins; and all he could say was, he felt sorry that they disapproved of it.  He was not able to marry just at present, and before the time for his marriage arrived, he trusted that his family would take a more reasonable view of things, and be willing to receive her as his wife with all becoming respect or affection.  This was the substance of what he repeated in different forms in reply to his father’s angry letters.  At length, his invariable determination made way with his father; the paternal thunderings were subdued