Ifshewasnotthatnow，shewouldgrowintothatthroughthelapsefromthepersonaltotheancestralwhichweallundergointheprocessoftheyears。
Thesightofherfaceashehadpicturedit，andofthesoulwhichbehadimaginedforit，restoredhimtoabettersenseofher，buthefelttheneedofescapingfromthesuggestionofherfather’spresence，andtakingfurtherthought。Perhapsheshouldneveragainreachthepointthathewasawareofdeflectingfromnow；hefilledhislungswithlongbreaths，whichheexhaledinsighsofrelief。Itmighthavebeenamistakeonthespiritualaswellastheworldlyside；itwouldcertainlynothavepromotedhiscareer；itmighthaveimpededit。Thesemisgivingsflittedoverthesurfaceofthoughtthatmoreprofoundlywasoccupiedwithaquestionofotherthings。Inthetimesincehehadseenherlastitmightverywellbethatayoungandprettygirlhadmetsomeonewhohadtakenherfancy；andhecouldnotbesurethatherfancyhadeverbeenhis，evenifthishadnothappened。Hehadnoproofatallthatshehadevercaredorcouldcareforhimexceptgratefully，respectfully，almostreverentially，withthatminglingoffilialandmaternalanxietywhichhadhithertobeenthewarmestexpressionofherregard。Hetriedtoreasonitout，andcouldnot。Hesuddenlyfoundhimselfbitterlydisappointedthathehadmissedseeingher，foriftheyhadmet，hewouldhaveknownbythistimewhattothink，whattohope。Hefeltold——
hefeltfullythirty—sixyearsold——ashepassedhishandoverhiscrown，whosegossamergrowthopposedsolittleresistancetohistouch。Hehadbeguntolosehishairearly，buttillthenhehadnotmuchregrettedhisbaldness。Heenteredintoalittlequestionoftheircomparativeages，whichledhimtotheconclusionthatCynthiamustnowbeabouttwenty—
five。
Almostatthesamemomenthesawhercomingupthewalktowardhimfromfardowntheavenue。Forareason，orratheramotive，ofhisownhepretendedtohimselfthatitwasnotshe，butheknewinstantlythatitwas，andheputonhishat。Hecouldseethatshedidnotknowhim，anditwasaprettythingtowitnesstherecognitiondawnonher。Whenithaditsfulleffect，hewasawareofaflutter，apauseinherwholefigurebeforeshecameontowardhim，andhehurriedhisstepsforthecharmofherbeautifulblushingface。