piety and passion, to do, rather, nothing at all, to
leave her untouched because no touch one could
apply, however light, however just, however earnest
and anxious, would be half good enough, would be
anything but an ugly smutch upon perfection this
now imposed itself as a consistent, an inspiring
thought.

Less than a month after the event that had so
determined Mrs. Stringham's attitude close upon
the heels, that is, of her return from New York
she was reached by a proposal that brought up for
her the kind of question her delicacy might have
to contend with. Would she start for Europe with
her young friend at the earliest possible date, and
should she be willing to do so without making con
ditions? The inquiry was launched by wire; ex
planations, in sufficiency, were promised; extreme
urgency was suggested, and a general surrender
invited. It was to the honour of her sincerity that
she made the surrender on the spot, though it was
not perhaps altogether to that of her logic. She
had wanted, very consciously, from the first, to give
something up for her new acquaintance, but she
had now no doubt that she was practically giving
up all. What settled this was the fulness of a par
ticular impression, the impression that had through
out more and more supported her and which she
would have uttered so far as she might by saying
that the charm of the creature was positively in the
creature's greatness. She would have been con-

[[125]]

p124 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p125w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p126

v?