Shelearnedfromhim,astheywalkedtogether,andhealsolearnedfromher,inamannerwhichbuiltforthemastheywentfrompointtopoint,acertaindegreeofdelicateintimacy,gradually,duringtheirramble,tendingtomakediscussionandquestionpossible。Herintelligentandbroadinterestintheworkontheestate,herfrankdesiretoacquiresuchpracticalinformationasshelacked,arousedinhimselfaninteresthehadpreviouslyseennoreasonthatheshouldfeel。Herealisedthathisoutlookupontheunusualsituationwasbeingilluminatedbyanintelligenceatoncebrilliantandfine,whileitwasalsofullofniceshading。Thesituation,ofcourse,WAS
unusual。Abeautifulyoungsister—in—lawappearinguponthedarkhorizonofashamefullyill—usedestate,andrestoring,withtouchesofawandofgold,whatafellowwhowasablackguardshouldhavesetinorderyearsago。ThatLadyAnstruthers’
moneyshouldhaverescuedherboy’sinheritanceinsteadofbeingspentuponlavishviciousnesswentwithoutsaying。WhatMountDunstanwasmoststruckbywastheperfectclearness,anditscombinationwithacertainjudicialgoodbreeding,inMissVanderpoel’sviewofthematter。Shemadenoconfidences,beautifullycandidashermannerwas,buthesawthatsheclearlyunderstoodthethingshewasdoing,andthatifhersisterhadhadnosonshewouldnothavedonethis,butsomethingtotallydifferent。HehadanideathatLadyAnstrutherswouldhavebeenswiftlyandlightlysweptbacktoNewYork,andSirNigellefttohisowndevices,inwhichcaseStornhamCourtanditsvillagewouldgraduallyhavecrumbledtodecay。ItwasforSirUghtredAnstrutherstheplacewasbeingrestored。Shewasquiteclearonthematterofentail。Hewonderedatfirst——notunnaturally——howagirlhadlearnedcertainthingsshehadanobviouslyclearknowledgeof。Astheycontinuedtoconversehelearned。ReubenS。Vanderpoelwaswithoutdoubtamanremarkablenotonlyinthematterofbeingtheownerofvastwealth。Therisingfloodofhismillionshadbornehimuponitsstrangesurfaceathinking,notanunthinkingbeing——infact,astrongandfineintelligence。Histhousandsofmilesofyearlyjourneyinginhissumptuousprivatecarhadbeenthemeansofhisaccumulatingnotmerelyaddedgains,butideas,pointsofview,emotions,ahumanoutlookworthcountingasanasset。Hisdaughter,whenshehadtravelledwithhim,hadseenandtalkedwithhimofallhehimselfhadseen。Whenshehadnotbeenhiscompanionshehadheardfromhimafterwardsallbestworthhearing。Shehadbecome——withoutanyspecialprocess——familiarwiththetechnicalitiesofhugebusinessschemes,withlawandcommerceandpoliticalsituations。Evenherchildishinterestintheworldofenterpriseandlabourhadbeenpassionate。Soshehadacquired——inevitably,whilealmostunconsciously——aremarkableeducation。
\"IfhehadnotbeenHIMSELFhemighteasilyhavegrowntiredofalittlegirlconstantlywantingtohearthings——constantlyaskingquestions,\"shesaid。\"Buthedidnotgettired。Weinventedaspecialknockonthedoorofhisprivateroom。Itsaid,`MayI
comein,father?’Ifhewasbusyheansweredwithoneknockonhisdesk,andIwentaway。Ifhehadtimetotalkhecalledout,`Come,Betty,’andIwenttohim。Iusedtosituponthefloorandleanagainsthisknee。Hehadabeautifulwayofstrokingmyhairormyhandashetalked。Hetrustedme。Hetoldmeofgreatthingsevenbeforehehadtalkedofthemtomen。HeknewI