TheLadyMaryElkinghornmadethingsalittlemorecomplicatedforhim。
HowTHATbeganwasasubjectofinexhaustiblespeculationtoHicks。
Probablyinthebeginningshewasjustalittle“nice“tohimwiththatimpartialpartialityofhers，anditmaybethattohereyes，standingoutconspicuouslyashedidrulinghismonsterintheupperair，hehadadistinctionthatHickswasnotdisposedtofind。Andsomehowtheymusthavehadamomentofsufficientisolation，andthegreatDiscovereramomentofsufficientcourageforsomethingjustalittlepersonaltobemumbledorblurted。Howeveritbegan，thereisnodoubtthatitdidbegin，andpresentlybecamequiteperceptibletoaworldaccustomedtofindintheproceedingsoftheLadyMaryElkinghornamatterofentertainment。Itcomplicatedthings，becausethestateofloveinsuchavirginmindasFilmer’swouldbracehisresolution，ifnotsufficiently，atanyrateconsiderablytowardsfacingadangerhefeared，andhamperedhiminsuchattemptsatevasionaswouldotherwisebenaturalandcongenial。
ItremainsamatterforspeculationjusthowtheLadyMaryfeltforFilmerandjustwhatshethoughtofhim。Atthirty-eightonemayhavegatheredmuchwisdomandstillbenotaltogetherwise，andtheimaginationstillfunctionsactivelyenoughincreatingglamoursandeffectingtheimpossible。Hecamebeforehereyesasaverycentralman，andthatalwayscounts，andhehadpowers，uniquepowersasitseemed，atanyrateintheair。Theperformancewiththemodelhadjustatouchofthequalityofapotentincantation，andwomenhaveeverdisplayedanunreasonabledispositiontoimaginethatwhenamanhaspowershemustnecessarilyhavePower。Givensomuch，andwhatwasnotgoodinFilmer’smannerandappearancebecameanaddedmerit。Hewasmodest，hehateddisplay，butgivenanoccasionwhereTRUEqualitiesareneeded，then——thenonewouldsee！
ThelateMrs。BamptonthoughtitwisetoconveytoLadyMaryheropinionthatFilmer，allthingsconsidered，wasrathera“grub。““He’scertainlynotasortofmanIhaveevermetbefore，“saidtheLadyMary，withaquiteunruffledserenity。AndMrs。Bampton，afteraswift，imperceptibleglanceatthatserenity，decidedthatsofarassayinganythingtoLadyMarywent，shehaddoneasmuchascouldbeexpectedofher。Butshesaidagreatdealtootherpeople。