Outofsuchalife，inheritedfromaracewhichhadlivedinconditionsnotunlikeherown，beauty，inthecommonsenseoftheterm，couldhardlyfindleisuretodevelopandshapeitself。Foritmustberemembered，thatsymmetryandeleganceoffeaturesandfigure，likeperfectlyformedcrystalsinthemineralworld，arereachedonlybyinsuringacertainnecessaryreposetoindividualsandtogenerations。Humanbeautyisanagriculturalproductinthecountry，growingupinmenandwomenasincornandcattle，wherethesoilisgood。Itisaluxuryalmostmonopolizedbytherichincities，bredunderglassliketheirforcedpine-applesandpeaches。
Bothincityandcountry，theevolutionofthephysicalharmonieswhichmakemusictooureyesrequiresacombinationoffavorablecircumstances，ofwhichalternationsofunburdenedtranquillitywithintervalsofvariedexcitementofmindandbodyareamongthemostimportant。Wheresufficientexcitementiswanting，asoftenhappensinthecountry，thefeatures，howeverrichinredandwhite，getheavy，andthemovementssluggish；whereexcitementisfurnishedinexcess，asisfrequentlythecaseincities，thecontoursandcolorsareimpoverished，andthenervesbegintomaketheirexistenceknowntotheconsciousness，asthefaceverysooninformsus。
HelenDarleycouldnot，inthenatureofthings，havepossessedthekindofbeautywhichpleasesthecommontaste。Hereyewascalm，sad-looking，herfeaturesverystill，exceptwhenherpleasantsmilechangedthemforamoment，allheroutlinesweredelicate，hervoicewasverygentle，butsomewhatsubduedbyyearsofthoughtfullabor，andonhersmoothforeheadonelittlehintedlinewhisperedalreadythatCarewasbeginningtomarkthetracewhichTimesoonerorlaterwouldmakeafurrow。Shecouldnotbeabeauty；ifshehadbeen，itwouldhavebeenmuchharderformanypersonstobeinterestedinher。
For，althoughintheabstractwealllovebeauty，andalthough，ifweweresentnakedsoulsintosomeultramundanewarehouseofsoullessbodiesandtoldtoselectonetoourliking，weshouldeachchooseahandsomeone，andneverthinkoftheconsequences，——itisquitecertainthatbeautycarriesanatmosphereofrepulsionaswellasofattractionwithit，alikeinbothsexes。Wemaybewellassuredthattherearemanypersonswhonomorethinkofspecializingtheirloveoftheothersexupononeendowedwithsignalbeauty，thantheythinkofwantinggreatdiamondsorthousand-dollarhorses。Nomanorwomancanappropriatebeautywithoutpayingforit，——inendowments，infortune，inposition，inself-surrender，orothervaluablestock；andthereareagreatmanywhoaretoopoor，tooordinary，toohumble，toobusy，tooproud，topayanyofthesepricesforit。Sotheunbeautifulgetmanymoreloversthanthebeauties；only，astherearemoreofthem，theirloversarespreadthinneranddonotmakesomuchshow。
TheyoungmasterstoodlookingatHelenDarleywithakindoftenderadmiration。Shewassuchapictureofthemartyrbytheslowsocialcombustiveprocess，thatitalmostseemedtohimhecouldseeapalelambentnimbusroundherhead。