had the least resemblance to the boyish fancies that we used to joke about i assured her that its was quite and expressed my belief that nothing like it had ever been known somehow as i wrote to on a fine evening by my open window and the remembrance of her clear calm eyes and gentle face came stealing over me it shed such a peaceful influence upon the hurry and agitation in which i had been living lately and of which my very happiness partook in some degree that it soothed me into tears i remember that i sat resting my head upon my hand when the letter was half done a general fancy as if were one of the elements of my natural home as if in the retirement of the house made almost sacred to me by her presence and i must be happier than anywhere as if in love joy sorrow hope or disappointment in all emotions my heart turned naturally there and found its refuge and best friend of of i said i only told her there had been sad grief at on of � r s flight and that on me it made a double wound bj reason of the circumstances attending it i knew how quick she always was to divine the truth and that she would never be the first to breathe his name to this letter i received an answer bj return of post as i read it i seemed to hear speaking to me it was like her cordial in my ears what can i say more while i had been away from home lately had called twice or thrice finding within and being informed by who always volunteered that information to would receive it that she was my old nurse he had established a good acquaintance with her and had stayed to have a little chat with her me so said but i am afraid the chat was all on her own side and of length as she was very difficult indeed to stop bless her when she had me for her theme this reminds me not only that i expected on a certain afternoon of his own which was now come but that mrs had resigned everything to her office the salary until should cease to present herself mrs after holding divers conversations respecting in a very high pitched on the staircase with some invisible familiar it would appear for speaking she was quite alone at those times � addressed a letter to me developing her views beginning it with that statement of universal application which fitted every occurrence of her life namely that she was a the history and experience herself she went on to inform me that she had once seen very different days but that at all periods of her existence she had had a constitutional objection to and she named no names she said let them the cap fitted wear it but and especially in weeds this was she had ever accustomed herself to look down upon if a gentleman was the victim of and but still no names that was his own pleasure he had a right to please himself so let him do all that she mrs for was that she should not be brought in contract with such persons therefore she be ed to be excused from any further attendant on the top set until things were as they formerly was and as they could be wished to be and further mentioned that her little book would be found upon the breakfast table every saturday morning when she requested an immediate settlement of the same with the benevolent view of saving trouble and an ill to all parties after this mrs confined herself to making on the stairs principally with and to into breaking her legs i found it rather to live in this state of siege but was too much afraid of mrs to see any way out of it my dear cried appearing at my door in spite of all these obstacles how do you do my dear said i i am delighted to see you at last and very sorry i have not been at home before but i have been so much engaged � yes yes i know said of course yours lives in london i of � what did yon say she � excuse me � miss d you know said in his great delicacy lives in london i believe oh yes near london mine perhaps you recollect said with a serious look lives down in � one of ten consequently i am not so much engaged as you � in that sense i wonder yon can bear i returned to see her so seldom � said thoughtfully � it does seem a wonder i suppose it is because there s no help for it i suppose so i replied with a smile and not without a blush and because you have so constancy and patience dear me said considering about it do z strike you in that way i didn t know that i had but she is such an dear girl herself that it s possible she may have imparted something of those virtues to me now you mention it i shouldn t wonder at all i assure you she is always forgetting herself and taking of the other nine is she the eldest i inquired h dear no said the eldest is a beauty he saw i suppose that i could not help smiling at the simplicity of this reply and added with a smile upon his own face not of course but that my pretty name i always think the personal and � g very pretty said i not of course but that is beautiful too in my eyes and would be one of the dearest girls that ever was in anybody s eyes i should think but when i say the 