ThemelancholythoughtsofTressiliancastagloomyshadeonalltheobjectswithwhichhewassurrounded。HecomparedthemagnificentsceneswhichheheretraversedwiththedeepwoodlandandwildmoorlandwhichsurroundedLidcoteHall，andtheimageofAmyRobsartglidedlikeaphantomthrougheverylandscapewhichhisimaginationsummonedup。Nothingisperhapsmoredangeroustothefuturehappinessofmenofdeepthoughtandretiredhabitsthantheentertaininganearly，long，andunfortunateattachment。
Itfrequentlysinkssodeepintothemindthatitbecomestheirdreambynightandtheirvisionbyday——mixesitselfwitheverysourceofinterestandenjoyment;andwhenblightedandwitheredbyfinaldisappointment，itseemsasifthespringsoftheheartweredriedupalongwithit。Thisachingoftheheart，thislanguishingafterashadowwhichhaslostallthegaietyofitscolouring，thisdwellingontheremembranceofadreamfromwhichwehavebeenlongroughlyawakened，istheweaknessofagentleandgenerousheart，anditwasthatofTressilian。
Hehimselfatlengthbecamesensibleofthenecessityofforcingotherobjectsuponhismind;andforthispurposeheleftthePleasance，inordertominglewiththenoisycrowduponthewalls，andviewthepreparationforthepageants。Butasheleftthegarden，andheardthebusyhum，mixedwithmusicandlaughter，whichfloatedaroundhim，hefeltanuncontrollablereluctancetomixwithsocietywhosefeelingswereinatonesodifferentfromhisown，andresolved，insteadofdoingso，toretiretothechamberassignedhim，andemployhimselfinstudyuntilthetollingofthegreatCastlebellshouldannouncethearrivalofElizabeth。
Tressiliancrossedaccordinglybythepassagebetwixttheimmenserangeofkitchensandthegreathall，andascendedtothethirdstoryofMervyn\'sTower，andapplyinghimselftothedoorofthesmallapartmentwhichhadbeenallottedtohim，wassurprisedtofinditwaslocked。Hethenrecollectedthatthedeputy—
chamberlainhadgivenhimamaster—key，advisinghim，inthepresentconfusedstateoftheCastle，tokeephisdoorasmuchshutaspossible。Heappliedthiskeytothelock，theboltrevolved，heentered，andinthesameinstantsawafemaleformseatedintheapartment，andrecognizedthatformtobe，AmyRobsart。Hisfirstideawasthataheatedimaginationhadraisedtheimageonwhichitdotedintovisibleexistence;hissecond，thathebeheldanapparition;thethirdandabidingconviction，thatitwasAmyherself，paler，indeed，andthinner，thaninthedaysofheedlesshappiness，whenshepossessedtheformandhueofawood—nymph，withthebeautyofasylph——butstillAmy，unequalledinlovelinessbyaughtwhichhadevervisitedhiseyes。