urging　him　to　reconcile　us　to　each　other？　How　could　we　two　poor
  young　people　be　of　the　smallest　use　to　the　fashionable　Masseuse？
  My　silence　began　to　irritate　Philip。　〃I　never　knew　before　how
  obstinate　you　could　be；〃　he　said；　〃you　seem　to　be　doing　your
  bestI　can't　imagine　whyto　lower　yourself　in　my　estimation。〃
  I　held　my　tongue；　I　assumed　my　smile。　It　is　all　very　well　for　men
  to　talk　about　the　deceitfulness　of　women。　What　chance　（I　should
  like　to　ask　somebody　who　knows　about　it）　do　the　men　give　us　of
  making　our　lives　with　them　endurable；　except　by　deceit！　I　gave
  way；　of　course；　and　wrote　down　the　address　of　the　shop。
  He　was　so　pleased　that　he　kissed　me。　Yes！　the　most　fondly
  affectionate　kiss　that　he　had　given　me；　for　weeks　past；　was　my
  reward　for　submitting　to　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。　She　is　old　enough　to　be
  his　mother；　and　almost　as　ugly　as　Miss　Jillgalland　she　has　made
  her　interests　his　interests　already！
  On　the　next　day；　I　fully　expected　to　receive　a　visit　from　Mrs。
  Tenbruggen。　She　knew　better　than　that。　I　only　got　a　polite　little
  note；　thanking　me　for　the　address；　and　adding　an　artless
  concession：　〃I　earn　more　money　than　I　know　what　to　do　with；　and　I
  adore　Irish　lace。〃
  The　next　day　came；　and　still　she　was　careful　not　to　show　herself
  too　eager　for　a　personal　reconciliation。　A　splendid　nosegay　was
  sent　to　me；　with　another　little　note：　〃A　tribute；　dear　Helena；
  offered　by　one　of　my　grateful　patients。　Too　beautiful　a　present
  for　an　old　woman　like　me。　I　agree　with　the　poet：　'Sweets　to　the
  sweet。'　A　charming　thought　of　Shakespeare's；　is　it　not？　I　should
  like　to　verify　the　quotation。　Would　you　mind　leaving　the　volume
  for　me　in　the　hall；　if　I　call　to…morrow？〃
  Well　done；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen！　She　doesn't　venture　to　intrude　on
  Miss　Gracedieu　in　the　drawing…room；　she　only　wants　to　verify　a
  quotation　in　the　hall。　Oh；　goddess　of　Humility　（if　there　is　such
  a　person）；　how　becomingly　you　are　dressed　when　your　milliner　is
  an　artful　old　woman！
  While　this　reflection　was　passing　through　my　mind；　Miss　Jillgall
  came　insaw　the　nosegay　on　the　tableand　instantly　pounced　on
  it。　〃Oh；　for　me！　for　me！〃　she　cried。　〃I　noticed　it　this　morning
  on　Elizabeth's　table。　How　very　kind　of　her！〃　She　plunged　her
  inquisitive　nose　into　the　poor　flowers；　and　looked　up
  sentimentally　at　the　ceiling。　〃The　perfume　of　goodness；〃　she
  remarked；　〃mingled　with　the　perfume　of　flowers！〃　〃When　you　have
  quite　done　with　it；〃　I　said；　〃perhaps　you　will　be　so　good　as　to
  return　my　nosegay？〃　〃_Your_　nosegay！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃There　is
  Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　letter；〃　I　replied；　〃if　you　would　like　to　look
  at　it。〃　She　did　look　at　it。　All　the　bile　in　her　body　flew　up　into
  her　eyes；　and　turned　them　green；　she　looked　as　if　she　longed　to
  scratch　my　face。　I　gave　the　flowers　afterward　to　Maria；　Miss
  Jillgall's　nose　had　completely　spoiled　them。
  It　would　have　been　too　ridiculous　to　have　allowed　Mrs。　Tenbruggen
  to　consult　Shakespeare　in　the　hall。　I　had　the　honor　of　receiving
  her　in　my　own　room。　We　accomplished　a　touching　reconciliation；
  and　we　quite　forgot　Shakespeare。
  She　troubles　me；　she　does　indeed　trouble　me。
  Having　set　herself　entirely　right　with　Philip；　she　is　determined
  on　performing　the　same　miracle　with　me。　Her　reform　of　herself　is
  already　complete。　Her　vulgar　humor　was　kept　under　strict
  restraint；　she　was　quiet　and　well…bred；　and　readier　to　listen
  than　to　talk。　This　change　was　not　presented　abruptly。　She
  contrived　to　express　her　friendly　interests　in　Philip　and　in　me
  by　hints　dropped　here　and　there；　assisted　in　their　effort　by
  answers　on　my　part；　into　which　I　was　tempted　so　skillfully　that　I
  only　discovered　the　snare　set　for　me；　on　reflection。　What　is　it；
  I　ask　again；　that　she　has　in　view　in　taking　all　this　trouble？
  Where　is　her　motive　for　encouraging　a　love…affair；　which　Miss
  Jillgall　must　have　denounced　to　her　as　an　abominable　wrong
  inflicted　on　Eunice？　Money　（even　if　there　was　a　prospect　of　such
  a　thing；　in　our　case）　cannot　be　her　object；　it　is　quite　true　that
  her　success　sets　her　above　pecuniary　anxiety。　Spiteful　feeling
  against　Eunice　is　out　of　the　question。　They　have　only　met　once；
  and　her　opinion　was　expressed　to　me　with　evident　sincerity：　〃Your
  sister　is　a　nice　girl；　but　she　is　like　other　nice　girlsshe
  doesn't　interest　me。〃　There　is　Eunice's　character；　drawn　from　the
  life　in　few　words。　In　what　an　irritating　position　do　I　find
  myself　placed！　Never　before　have　I　felt　so　interested　in　trying
  to　look　into　a　person's　secret　mind；　and　never　before　have　I　been
  so　completely　baffled。
  I　had　written　as　far　as　this；　and　was　on　the　point　of　closing　my
  Journal；　when　a　third　note　arrived　from　Mrs。　Tenbruggen。
  She　had　been　thinking　about　me　at　intervals　（she　wrote）　all
  through　the　rest　of　the　day；　and；　kindly　as　I　had　received　her；
  she　was　conscious　of　being　the　object　of　doubts　on　my　part　which
  her　visit　had　failed　to　remove。　Might　she　ask　leave　to　call　on
  me；　in　the　hope　of　improving　her　position　in　my　estimation？　An
  appointment　followed　for　the　next　day。
  What　can　she　have　to　say　to　me　which　she　has　not　already　said？　Is
  it　anything　about　Philip；　I　wonder？
  CHAPTER　LIV。
  HELENA'S　DIARY　RESUMED。
  AT　our　interview　of　the　next　day；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen's　capacity　for
  self…reform　appeared　under　a　new　aspect。　She　dropped　all
  familiarity　with　me；　and　she　stated　the　object　of　her　visit
  without　a　superfluous　word　of　explanation　or　apology。
  I　thought　this　a　remarkable　effort　for　a　woman；　and　I　recognized
  the　merit　of　it　by　leaving　the　lion's　share　of　the　talk　to　my
  visitor。　In　these　terms　she　opened　her　business　with　me：
  〃Has　Mr。　Philip　Dunboyne　told　you　why　he　went　to　London？〃
  〃He　made　a　commonplace　excuse；〃　I　answered。　〃Business；　he　said；
  took　him　to　London。　I　know　no　more。〃
  〃You　have　a　fair　prospect　of　happiness；　Miss　Helena；　when　you　are
  marriedyour　future　husband　is　evidently　afraid　of　you。　I　am　not
  afraid　of　you；　and　I　shall　confide　to　your　private　ear　something
  which　you　have　an　interest　in　knowing。　The　business　which　took
  young　Mr。　Dunboyne　to　London　was　to　consult　a　competent　person；
  on　a　matter　concerning　himself。　The　competent　person　is　the
  sagacious　（not　to　say　sly）　old　gentlemanwhom　we　used　to　call
  the　Governor。　You　know　him；　I　believe？〃
  〃Yes。　But　I　am　at　a　loss　to　imagine　why　Philip　should　have
  consulted　him。〃
  〃Have　you　ever　heard　or　read；　Miss　Helena；　of　such　a　thing　as　'an
  old　man's　fancy'？〃
  〃I　think　I　have。〃
  〃Well；　the　Governor　has　taken　an　old　man's　fancy　to　your　sister。
  They　appeared　to　understand　each　other　perfectly　when　I　was　at
  the　farmhouse。〃
  〃Excuse　me；　Mrs。　Tenbruggen；　that　is　what　I　know　already。　Why　did
  Philip　go　to　the　Governor？〃
  She　smiled。　〃If　anybody　is　acquainted　with　the　true　state　of　your
  sister's　feelings；　the　Governor　is　the　man。　I　sent　Mr。　Dunboyne
  to　consult　himand　there　is　the　reason　for　it。〃
  This　open　avowal　of　her　motives　perplexed　and　offended　me。　After
  declaring　herself　to　be　interested　in　my　marriage…engagement　had
  she　changed　her　mind；　and　resolved　on　favoring　Philip's　return　to
  Eunice？　What　right　had　he　to　consult　anybody　about　the　state　of
  that　girl's　feelings？　_My_　feelings　form　the　only　subject　of
  inquiry　that　was　properly　open　to　him。　I　should　have　said
  something　which　I　might　have　afterward　regretted；　if　Mrs。
  Tenbruggen　had　allowed　me　the　opportunity。　Fortunately　for　both
  of　us；　she　went　on　with　her　narrative　of　her　own　proceedings。
  〃Philip　Dunboyne　is　an　excellent　fellow；〃　she　continued；　〃I
  really　like　himbut　he　has　his　faults。　He　sadly　wants　strength
  of　purpose；　and；　like　weak　men　in　general；　he　only　knows　his　own
  mind　when　a　resolute　friend　takes　him　in　hand　and　guides　him。　I
  am　his　resolute　friend。　I　saw　him　veering　about　between　you　and
  Eunice；　and　I　decided　for　his　sakemay　I　say　for　your　sake
  also？on　putting　an　end　to　that　mischievous　state　of　indecision。
  You　have　the　claim　on　him；　you　are　the　right　wife　for　him；　and
  the　Governor　was　（as　I　thought　likely　from　what　I　had　myself
  observed）　the　man　to　make　him　see　it。　I　am　not　in　anybody's
  secrets；　it　was　pure　guesswork　on　my　part；　and　it　has　succeeded。
  Th　ere　is　no　more　doubt　now　about　Miss　Eunice's　sentiments。　The
  question　is　settled。〃
  〃In　my　favor？〃
  〃Certainly　in　your　favoror　I　should　not　have　said　a　word　about
  it。〃
  〃Was　Philip's　visit　kindly　received？　Or　did　the　old　wretch　laugh
  at　him？〃
  〃My　dear　Miss　Gracedieu；　the　old　wretch　is　a　man　of　the　world；
  and　never　makes　mistakes　of　that　sort。　Before　he　could　open　his
  lips；　he　had　to　satisfy　himself　that　your　lover　deserved　to　be
  taken　into　his　confidence；　on　the　delicate　subject　of　Eunice's
  sentiments。　He　arrived　at　a　favorable　conclusion。　I　can　repeat
  Philip's　questions　and　the　Governor's　answers　after　putting　the
  young　man　through　a　stiff　examination　just　as　they　passed：　'May　I
  inquire；　sir；　if　she　has　spoken　to　you　about　me？'　'She　has　often
  spoken　about　you。'　'Did　she　seem　to　be　angry　with　me？'　'She　is
  too　good　and　too　sweet　to　be　angry　with　you。'　'Do　you　think　she
  will　forgive　me？'　'She　has　forgiven　you。'　'Did　she　say　so
  herself？'　'Yes；　of　her　own　free　will。'　'Why　did　she　refuse　to　see
  me　when　I　called　at　the　farm？'　'She　had　her　own　reasonsgood
  reasons。'　'Has　s