to treat her to some complicated drama of nerves. At
the end of a week, however, with their further pro
gress, her young friend had effectively answered the
question and given her the impression, indistinct in
deed as yet, of something that had a reality compared
with which the nervous explanation would have
been coarse. Mrs. Stringham found herself from
that hour, in other words, in presence of an ex
planation that remained a muffled and intangible
form, but that, assuredly, should it take on sharp
ness, would explain everything and more than
everything, would become instantly the light in
which Milly was to be read._

Such a matter as this may at all events speak of
the style in which our young woman could affect
those who were near her, may testify to the sort of
interest she could inspire. She worked and seem
ingly quite without design upon the sympathy,
the curiosity, the fancy of her associates, and we
shall really ourselves scarce otherwise come closer
to her than by feeling their impression and sharing,
if need be, their confusion. She reduced them, Mrs.
Stringham would have said, reduced them to a con
senting bewilderment; which was precisely, for that
good lady, on a last analysis, what was most in
harmony with her greatness. She exceeded, es
caped measure, was surprising only because they
were so far from great. " Thus it was that on this
wondrous day on the Briinig the spell of watching
her had grown more than ever irresistible; a proof

[[130]]

p129 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p130w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p131

v?