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。
Itwasthespiritualeffectoffigureandfacethathehadcarriedinhisthoughteversincehehadarrivedatthatone—sidedintimacythroughhisstudyofherforthepicturehehadjustseen。Hehadoftenhadtoaskhimselfwhetherhehadreallyperceivedoronlyimaginedthecharacterhehadtranslatedintoit；buthere，forthemomentatleast，waswhathehadseen。Hehurriedforwardandjoyfullytookthehandshegavehim。
Hethoughtheshouldspeakofthatatonce，butitwasnotpossible，ofcourse。Therehadtocomefirsttheunheededquestionsandanswersabouteachother’shealth，andmanyothercommonplaces。Heturnedandwalkedhomewithher，andatthegateofthelittleuglyhousesheaskedhimifhewouldnotcomeinandtaketeawiththem。
Herfathertalkedwithhimwhileshegotthetea，andwhenitwasreadyherbrothercameinfromhiswalkhomeoutofOldCambridgeandhelpedherputitonthetable。HehadgrownmuchtallerthanWestover，andhewasveryecclesiasticalinhismanner；moresothanhewouldbe，probably，ifheeverbecameabishop，Westoverdecided。Jombateeste，inanintervalofsuspendedworkatthebrickyard，waspayingavisittohispeopleinCanada，andWestoverdidnotseehim。
AllthetimewhiletheysatattableandtalkedtogetherWestoverrealizedmoreandmorethatforhim，atleast，theseparationofthelasttwoyearshadputthatspacebetweenthemwhichalonemadeitpossibleforthemtoapproacheachotheronnewground。Akindofhorror，ofrepulsion，forherengagementtoJeffDurginhadceasedfromhissenseofher；itwasasifshehadbeenunhappilymarried，andtheman，whohadbeenunworthyandunkind，waslikeaghostwhocouldnevercometotroublehisjoy。Hewasmorehercontemporary，hefound，thanformerly；
shehadgrownagreatdealinthepasttwoyears，andacertainafflictionwhichherfather’sfixityhadgivenhimconcerningherpassedintheassuranceofchangewhichsheherselfgavehim。
Shehadchangedherworld，andgrowntoit，buthernaturehadnotchanged。Evenherlookhadnotchanged，andhetoldherhowhehadseenhispictureinheratthemomentoftheirmeetinginthestreet。Theyallwentintoverifyhisimpressionfromthepainting。\"Yes，thatisthewayyoulooked。\"
\"ItseemstomethatisthewayIfelt，\"sheasserted。
Frankwentaboutthehouse—work，andlefthertotheirguest。WhenWhitwellcamebackfromthepost—office，wherehesaidhewouldonlybegoneaminute，hedidnotrejoinWestoverandCynthiaintheparlor。
Theparlordoorwasshut；hehadriskedhisfate，andtheyweretalkingitover。Cynthiawasnotsure；shewassureofnothingbutthattherewasnooneintheworldshecaredforsomuch；butshewasnotsurethatwasenough。Shedidnotpretendthatshewassurprised；sheownedthatshehadsometimesexpectedit；sheblamedherselffornotexpectingitthen。
Westoversaidthathedidnotblameherfornotknowinghermind；hehadbeenfifteenyearslearninghisownfully。Heaskedhertotakeallthetimeshewished。Ifshecouldnotmakesureafterall，heshouldalwaysbesurethatshewaswiseandgood。ShetoldhimeverythingtherewastotellofherbreakingwithJeff，andhethoughtthelastepisodeasupremeproofofherwisdomandgoodness。
Afteracertaintimetheywentforawalkinthewarmsummermoonlightundertheelms，wheretheyhadmetontheavenue。
\"Isuppose，\"shesaid，astheydrewnearherdooragain，\"thatpeopledon’toftentalkitoveraswe’vedone。\"
\"Weonlyknowfromthenovels，\"heanswered。\"Perhapspeopledo，oftenerthaniseverknown。Idon’tseewhytheyshouldn’t。\"
\"No。\"
\"I’veneverwishedtobesureofyousomuchassinceyou’vewishedtobesureofyourself。\"
\"AndI’veneverbeensosureassinceyouwerewillingtoletme，\"saidCynthia。
\"Iamgladofthat。Trytothinkofme，ifthatwillhelpmycause，assomeoneyoumighthavealwaysknowninthisway。Wedon’treallyknoweachotheryet。I’magreatdealolderthanyou，butstillI’mnotsoveryold。\"
\"Oh，Idon’tcareforthat。AllIwanttobecertainofisthatthefeelingIhaveisreally——thefeeling。\"
\"Iknow，dear，\"saidWestover，andhisheartsurgedtowardherinhistendernessforhersimpleconscience，herwisequestion。\"Taketime。
Don’thurry。ForgetwhatI’vesaid——orno；that’sabsurd！Thinkofit；
butdon’tletanythingbutthetruthpersuadeyou。Now，good—night，Cynthia。\"
\"Good—night——Mr。Westover。\"
\"Mr。Westover\"hereproachedher。
Shestoodthinking，asifthequestionwerecrucial。Thenshesaid，firmly，\"IshouldalwayshavetocallyouMr。Westover。\"
\"Oh，well，\"hereturned，\"ifthat’sall！\"
End