ToConnie，Cliffordseemedtobecomingoutinhistruecolours：alittlevulgar，alittlecommon，anduninspired；ratherfat。IvyBolton’stricksandhumblebossinesswerealsoonlytootransparent。ButConniedidwonderatthegenuinethrillwhichthewomangotoutofClifford。Tosayshewasinlovewithhimwouldbeputtingitwrongly。Shewasthrilledbyhercontactwithamanoftheupperclass，thistitledgentleman，thisauthorwhocouldwritebooksandpoems，andwhosephotographappearedintheillustratednewspapers。Shewasthrilledtoaweirdpassion。Andhis`educating’herrousedinherapassionofexcitementandresponsemuchdeeperthananyloveaffaircouldhavedone。Intruth，theveryfactthattherecouldbenoloveaffairleftherfreetothrilltoherverymarrowwiththisotherpassion，thepeculiarpassionofknowing，knowingasheknew。
Therewasnomistakethatthewomanwasinsomewayinlovewithhim：
whateverforcewegivetothewordlove。Shelookedsohandsomeandsoyoung，andhergreyeyesweresometimesmarvellous。Atthesametime，therewasalurkingsoftsatisfactionabouther，evenoftriumph，andprivatesatisfaction。Ugh，thatprivatesatisfaction。HowConnieloathedit!
ButnowonderCliffordwascaughtbythewoman!Sheabsolutelyadoredhim，inherpersistentfashion，andputherselfabsolutelyathisservice，forhimtouseasheliked。Nowonderhewasflattered!
Connieheardlongconversationsgoingonbetweenthetwo。Orrather，itbasmostlyMrsBoltontalking。ShehadunloosedtohimthestreamofgossipaboutTevershallvillage。Itwasmorethangossip。ItwasMrsGaskellandGeorgeEliotandMissMitfordallrolledinone，withagreatdealmore，thatthesewomenleftout。’Oncestarted，MrsBoltonwasbetterthananybook，aboutthelivesofthepeople。Sheknewthemallsointimately，andhadsuchapeculiar，flameyzestinalltheiraffairs，itwaswonderful，ifjustatriflehumiliatingtolistentoher。Atfirstshehadnotventuredto`talkTevershall’，asshecalledit，toClifford。Butoncestarted，itwenton。Cliffordwaslisteningfor`material’，andhefounditinplenty。Connierealizedthathisso-calledgeniuswasjustthis：