Amostunnecessarypreamble，nodoubt，andofdoubtfulefficacyinsmoothinghiswaytoacorrectunderstandingwiththedeeplybereavedfather。Buthelookedsohandsomeashethusassertedhimselfandmadesomuchofhisinchesandthenoblepoiseofhishead-thoughcoldofeyeandalwayscoldofmanner-thatthosewhosaw，aswellasheardhim，forgavethisdisplayofegotisminconsiderationofitshonestyandthedignityitimpartedtohisperson。”IfirstmetMissChallonerintheBerkshires，”hebegan，afteramomentofquietlisteningforanypossiblesoundfromtheotherroom。”Ihadbeenonthetramp，andhadstoppedatoneofthegreathotelsforasevendays’rest。IwillacknowledgethatIchosethisspotattheinstigationofarelativewhoknewmytastesandhowperfectlytheymightbegratifiedthere。ThatIshouldminglewiththeguestsmaynothavebeeninhisthought，anymorethanitwasinmineatthebeginningofmystay。Thepanoramaofbeautyspreadoutbeforemeoneverysidewassufficientinitselfformyenjoyment，andmighthavecontinuedsototheendifmyattentionhadnotbeenveryforciblydrawnononememorablemorningtoayounglady-MissChalloner-bytheveryearnestlookshegavemeasIwascrossingtheofficefromoneverandahtoanother。Imustinsistonthislook，evenifitshockthedelicacyofmylisteners，forwithouttheinterestitawakenedinme，Imightnothavenoticedtheblushwithwhichsheturnedasidetojoinherfriendsontheverandah。Itwasanoverwhelmingblushwhichcouldnothavesprungfromanyslightembarrassment，and，thoughIhatethepretensionsofthoseegotistswhoseeinawoman’ssmilemorethanitbyrightconveys，Icouldnothelpbeingmovedbythisdisplayoffeelinginonesogiftedwitheverygraceandattributeoftheperfectwoman。WithlesscautionthanIusuallydisplay，Iapproachedthedeskwhereshehadbeenstandingand，meetingtheeyesoftheclerk，askedtheyounglady’sname。Hegaveit，andwaitedformetoexpressthesurpriseheexpectedittoevoke。ButIfeltnoneandshowednone。Otherfeelingshadseizedme。Ihadheardofthisgraciouswomanfrommanysources，inmylifeamongthesufferingmassesofNewYork，andnowthatIhadseenherandfoundhertobenotonlymyidealofpersonallovelinessbutseeminglyapproachableandnotuninterestedinmyself，Iallowedmyfancytosoarandmyhearttobecometouched。
Afactwhichtheclerknowconfidedtomenaturallydeepenedtheimpression。MissChallonerhadseenmynameintheguest-bookandaskedtohavemepointedouttoher。PerhapsshehadheardmynamespokeninthesamequarterwhereIhadheardhers。Wehaveneverexchangedconfidencesonthesubject，andIcannotsay。IcanonlygiveyoumyreasonfortheinterestIfeltinMissChallonerandwhyIforgot，intheglamourofthisepisode，theaimsandpurposesofanotunambitiouslifeandthedistancewhichtheworldandtheso-calledaristocraticclassputbetweenawomanofherwealthandstandingandasimpleworkerlikemyself。”Imustbepardoned。Shehadsmileduponmeonce，andshesmiledagain。Daysbeforewewereformallypresented，Icaughthersoftenedlookturnedmyway，aswepassedeachotherinhallorcorridor。Wewerefriends，orsoitappearedtome，beforeeverawordpassedbetweenus，andwhenfortunefavouredusandweweredulyintroduced，ourmindsmetinastrangesympathywhichmadethisoneinterviewamemorableonetome。Unhappily，asIthenconsideredit，thiswasmylastdayatthehotel，andourconversation，interruptedfrequentlybypassingacquaintances，wasneverresumed。Iexchangedafewwordswithherbywayofgood-byebutnothingmore。IcametoNewYork，andsheremainedinLenox。
AmonthafterandshetoocametoNewYork。””Thisgood-bye-doyourememberit?Theexactlanguage，Imean?””Ido；itmadeagreatimpressiononme。’Ishallhopeforourfurtheracquaintance，’shesaid。’Wehaveoneverystronginterestincommon。Andifeverahumanfacespokeeloquently，itwashersatthatmoment。Theinterest，asIunderstoodit，wasourmutualsympathyforourtoiling，half-starved，down-troddenbrothersandsistersinthelowerstreetsofthiscity；buttheeloquence-thatIprobablymistook。Ithoughtitsprangfrompersonalinterest，anditgavemecouragetopursuetheintentionwhichhadtakentheplaceofeveryotherfeelingandambitionbywhichIhadhithertobeenmoved。Herewasawomaninathousand；onewhocouldmakeamanofmeindeed。Ifshecouldignorethesocialgulfbetweenus，Ifeltfreetotaketheleap。Cowardicehadneverbeenafaultofmine。
ButIwasnofooleventhen。IrealisedthatImustfirstletherseethemannerofmanIwasandwhatlifemeanttomeandmustmeantoheriftheunionIcontemplatedshouldbecomeanactualfact。I
wroteletterstoher，butIdidnotgivehermyaddressorevenrequestareply。Iwasnotreadyforanywordfromher。IamnotlikeothermenandIcouldwait。AndIdid，forweeks，thenI