Theeffectofthiscuriouscapriceoffancy(asIthoughtitthen)wasnotofanaturetosetmeatmyease，duringafirstinterviewwithMissFairlie。Thefewkindwordsofwelcomewhichshespokefoundmehardlyself-possessedenoughtothankherinthecustomaryphrasesofreply。Observingmyhesitation，andnodoubtattributingit，naturallyenough，tosomemomentaryshynessonmypart，MissHalcombetookthebusinessoftalking，aseasilyandreadilyasusual，intoherownhands。
`Lookthere，MrHartright，’shesaid，pointingtothesketchbookonthetable，andtothelittledelicatewanderinghandthatwasstilltriflingwithit。`Surelyyouwillacknowledgethatyourmodelpupilisfoundatlast？Themomentshehearsthatyouareinthehouse，sheseizesherinestimablesketch-book，looksuniversalNaturestraightintheface，andlongstobegin！’
MissFairlielaughedwithareadygood-humour，whichbrokeoutasbrightlyasifithadbeenpartofthesunshineaboveus，overherlovelyface。
`Imustnottakecredittomyselfwherenocreditisdue，’shesaid，herclear，truthfulblueeyeslookingalternatelyatMissHalcombeandatme。`FondasIamofdrawing，IamsoconsciousofmyownignorancethatIammoreafraidthananxioustobegin。NowIknowyouarehere，MrHartright，Ifindmyselflookingovermysketches，asIusedtolookovermylessonswhenIwasalittlegirl，andwhenIwassadlyafraidthatI
shouldturnoutnotfittobeheard。’
Shemadetheconfessionveryprettilyandsimply，and，withquaint，childishearnestness，drewthesketch-hookawayclosetoherownsideofthetable。MissHalcombecuttheknotofthelittleembarrassmentforthwith，inherresolute，downrightway。
`Good，bad，orindifferent，’shesaid，`thepupil’ssketchesmustpassthroughthefieryordealofthemaster’sjudgment——andthere’sanendtoit。Supposewetakethemwithusinthecarriage，Laura，andletMrHartrightseethem，forthefirsttime，undercircumstancesofperpetualjoltingandinterruption？Ifwecanonlyconfusehimallthroughthedrive，betweenNatureasitis，whenhelooksupattheview，andNatureasitisnot，whenhelooksdownagainatoursketch-books，weshalldrivehimintothelastdesperaterefugeofpayinguscompliments，andshallslipthroughhisprofessionalfingerswithourpetfeathersofvanityallunruffled。’
`IhopeMrHartrightwillpaymenocompliments，’saidMissFairlie，asweallleftthesummer-house。
`MayIventuretoinquirewhyyouexpressthathope？’Iasked。
`BecauseIshallbelieveallthatyousaytome，’sheansweredsimply。
Inthosefewwordssheunconsciouslygavemethekeytoherwholecharacter：
tothatgeneroustrustinotherswhich，inhernature，grewinnocentlyoutofthesenseofherowntruth。Ionlyknewitintuitivelythen。Iknowitbyexperiencenow。
WemerelywaitedtorousegoodMrsVeseyfromtheplacewhichshestilloccupiedatthedesertedluncheon-table，beforeweenteredtheopencarriageforourpromiseddrive。TheoldladyandMissHalcombeoccupiedthebackseat，andMissFairlieandIsattogetherinfront，withthesketch-bookopenbetweenus，fairlyexhibitedatlasttomyprofessionaleyes。Allseriouscriticismonthedrawings，evenifIhadbeendisposedtovolunteerit，wasrenderedimpossiblebyMissHalcombe’slivelyresolutiontoseenothingbuttheridiculoussideoftheFineArts，aspractisedbyherself，hersister，andladiesingeneral。IcanremembertheconversationthatpassedfarmoreeasilythanthesketchesthatImechanicallylookedover。
Thatpartofthetalk，especially，inwhichMissFairlietookanyshare，isstillasvividlyimpressedonmymemoryasifIhadhearditonlyafewhoursago。
Yes！letmeacknowledgethatonthefirstdayIletthecharmofherpresenceluremefromtherecollectionofmyselfandmyposition。Themosttriflingofthequestionsthatsheputtome，onthesubjectofusingherpencilandmixinghercolours；theslightestalterationsofexpressioninthelovelyeyesthatlookedintominewithsuchanearnestdesiretolearnallthatIcouldteach，andtodiscoverallthatIcouldshow，attractedmoreofmyattentionthanthefinestviewwepassedthrough，orthegrandestchangesoflightandshade，astheyflowedintoeachotheroverthewavingmoorlandandthelevelbeach。Atanytime，andunderanycircumstancesofhumaninterest，isitnotstrangetoseehowlittlerealholdtheobjectsofthenaturalworldamidwhichwelivecangainonourheartsandminds？
WegotoNatureforcomfortintrouble，andsympathyinjoy，onlyinbooks。
Admirationofthosebeautiesoftheinanimateworld，whichmodernpoetrysolargelyandsoeloquentlydescribes，isnot，eveninthebestofus，oneoftheoriginalinstinctsofournature。Aschildren，wenoneofuspossessit。Nouninstructedmanorwomanpossessesit。Thosewhoselivesaremostexclusivelypassedamidtheever-changingwondersofseaandlandarealsothosewhoaremostuniversallyinsensibletoeveryaspectofNaturenotdirectlyassociatedwiththehumaninterestoftheircalling。Ourcapacityofappreciatingthebeautiesoftheearthweliveonis，intruth，oneofthecivilisedaccomplishmentswhichwealllearnasanArt；and，more，thatverycapacityisrarelypractisedbyanyofusexceptwhenourmindsaremostindolentandmostunoccupied。HowmuchsharehavetheattractionsofNatureeverhadinthepleasurableorpainfulinterestsandemotionsofourselvesorourfriends？Whatspacedotheyeveroccupyinthethousandlittlenarrativesofpersonalexperiencewhichpasseverydaybywordofmouthfromoneofustotheother？Allthatourmindscancompass，allthatourheartscanlearn，canbeaccomplishedwithequalcertainty，equalprofit，andequalsatisfactiontoourselves，inthepoorestasintherichestprospectthatthefaceoftheearthcanshow。Thereissurelyareasonforthiswantofinbornsympathybetweenthecreatureandthecreationaroundit，areasonwhichmayperhapsbefoundinthewidely-differingdestiniesofmanandhisearthlysphere。Thegrandestmountainprospectthattheeyecanrangeoverisappointedtoannihilation。Thesmallesthumaninterestthatthepureheartcanfeelisappointedtoimmortality。
Wehadbeenoutnearlythreehours，whenthecarriageagainpassedthroughthegatesofLimmeridgeHouse。
OnourwaybackIhadlettheladiessettleforthemselvesthefirstpointofviewwhichtheyweretosketch，undermyinstructions，ontheafternoonofthenextday。Whentheywithdrewtodressfordinner，andwhenIwasaloneagaininmylittlesitting-room，myspiritsseemedtoleavemeonasudden。Ifeltillateaseanddissatisfiedwithmyself，Ihardlyknewwhy。PerhapsIwasnowconsciousforthefirsttimeofhavingenjoyedourdrivetoomuchinthecharacterofaguest，andtoolittleinthecharacterofadrawing-master。Perhapsthatstrangesenseofsomethingwanting，eitherinMissFairlieorinmyself，whichhadperplexedmewhenIwasfirstintroducedtoher，hauntedmestill。Anyhow，itwasarelieftomyspiritswhenthedinner-hourcalledmeoutofmysolitude，andtookmebacktothesocietyoftheladiesofthehouse。
Iwasstruck，onenteringthedrawing-room，bythecuriouscontrast，ratherinmaterialthanincolour，ofthedresseswhichtheynowwore。
WhileMrsVeseyandMissHalcombewererichlyclad(eachinthemannermostbecomingtoherage)，thefirstinsilver-grey，andthesecondinthatdelicateprimrose-yellowcolourwhichmatchessowellwithadarkcomplexionandblackhair，MissFairliewasunpretendinglyandalmostpoorlydressedinplainwhitemuslin。Itwasspotlesslypure：itwasbeautifullyputon；butstillitwasthesortofdresswhichthewifeordaughterofapoormannighthaveworn，anditmadeher，sofarasexternalswent，looklessaffluentincircumstancesthanherowngoverness。Atalaterperiod，whenIlearnttoknowmoreofMissFairlie’scharacter，Idiscoveredthatthiscuriouscontrast，onthewrongside，wasduetohernaturaldelicacyoffeelingandnaturalintensityofaversiontotheslightestpersonaldisplayofherownwealth。NeitherMrsVeseynorMissHalcombecouldeverinducehertolettheadvantageindressdesertthetwoladieswhowerepoor，toleantothesideoftheoneladywhowasrich。
Whenthedinnerwasoverwereturnedtogethertothedrawing-room。AlthoughMrFairlie(emulatingthemagnificentcondescensionofthemonarchwhohadpickedupTitian’sbrushforhim)hadinstructedhisbutlertoconsultmywishesinrelationtothewinethatImightpreferafterdinner，Iwasresoluteenoughtoresistthetemptationofsittinginsolitarygrandeuramongbottlesofmyownchoosing，andsensibleenoughtoasktheladies’
permissiontoleavethetablewiththemhabitually，onthecivilisedforeignplan，duringtheperiodofmyresidenceatLimmeridgeHouse。
Thedrawing-room，towhichwehadnowwithdrawnfortherestoftheevening，wasontheground-floor，andwasofthesameshapeandsizeasthebreakfast-room。Largeglassdoorsatthelowerendopenedontoaterrace，beautifullyornamentedalongitswholelengthwithaprofusionofflowers。
Thesoft，hazytwilightwasjustshadingleafandblossomalikeintoharmonywithitsownsoberhuesasweenteredtheroom，andthesweeteveningscentoftheflowersmetuswithitsfragrantwelcomethroughtheopenglassdoors。GoodMrsVesey(alwaysthefirstofthepartytositdown)tookpossessionofanarmchairinacorner，anddozedoffcomfortablytosleep。
AtmyrequestMissFairlieplacedherselfatthepiano。AsIfollowedhertoaseatneartheinstrument，IsawMissHalcomberetireintoarecessofoneofthesidewindows，toproceedwiththesearchthroughhermother’slettersbythelastquietraysoftheeveninglight。
Howvividlythatpeacefulhome-pictureofthedrawing-roomcomesbacktomewhileIwrite！fromtheplacewhereIsatIcouldseeMissHalcombe’sgracefulfigure，halfofitinsoftlight，halfinmysteriousshadow，bendingintentlyoverthelettersinherlap；while，nearertome，thefairprofileoftheplayeratthepianowasjustdelicatelydefinedagainstthefaintlydeepeningbackgroundoftheinnerwalloftheroom。Outside，ontheterrace，theclusteringflowersandlonggrassesandcreeperswavedsogentlyinthelighteveningair，thatthesoundoftheirrustlingneverreachedus。
Theskywaswithoutacloud，andthedawningmysteryofmoonlightbegantotremblealreadyintheregionoftheeasternheaven。Thesenseofpeaceandseclusionsoothedallthoughtandfeelingintoarapt，unearthlyrepose；
andthebalmyquiet，thatdeepenedeverwiththedeepeninglight，seemedtohoveroveruswithagentlerinfluencestill，whentherestoleuponitfromthepianotheheavenlytendernessofthemusicofMozart。Itwasaneveningofsightsandsoundsnevertoforget。
Weallsatsilentintheplaceswehadchosen——MrsVeseystillsleeping，MissFairliestillplaying，MissHalcombestillreading——tillthelightfailedus。Bythistimethemoonhadstolenroundtotheterrace，andsoft，mysteriousraysoflightwereslantingalreadyacrossthelowerendoftheroom。Thechangefromthetwilightobscuritywassobeautifulthatwebanishedthelamps，bycommonconsent，whentheservantbroughtthemin，andkeptthelargeroomunlighted，exceptbytheglimmerofthetwocandlesatthepiano。
