Justthisfinedishonestyofhereyes，moreover——thelightofaparttoplay，theexcitement（heavenknowswhatitstruckmeasbeing！）ofahappyduplicity——maywellhavebeenwhatcontributedmosttoherpresentgrandair。
Itwasinanycasewhatevokedformemostthecontrastedimage，sofreshwithme，oftheother，thetragiclady——theimagethathadsoembodiedtheunutterableoppositeofeverythingactuallybeforeme。Whatwasactuallybeforemewasthepositiveprideoflifeandexpansion，theamplitudeofconsciousactionanddesign；notthearidchannelforsakenbythestream，butthefull—fedriversweepingtothesea，thevolumeofwater，thestatelycurrent，thefloodedbanksintowhichthesourcehadswelled。TherewasnothingMrs。Serverhadbeenabletorisk，buttherewasarichindifferencetoriskinthemerecarriageofGraceBrissenden’shead。Herreference，forthatmatter，toourdiscussedsubjecthadtheeffectofrelegatingtotherealmofdimshadestheladyrepresentingit，andtherewassmallsoundnessinherglanceatthepossibilityonthepartofthispersonofananxiousprowlback。Therewasindeed——therecouldbe——smallsincerityinanyimmediatedemonstrationfromawomansomarkedlygainingtimeandgettingheradvantagesinhand。Theconnectionsbetweenthetwo，certainly，wereindirectandintricate，butitwaspositivetomethat，forthespiritualear，mycompanion’swordshadthesoundofahardbump，acontactfromtheforceofwhichtheweakervesselmighthavebeenfelttocrack。Atlast，mercifulpowers，itwasinpieces！Theshockofthebrasshadtoldupontheporcelain，andIfanciedmyselfforaninstantfacingMrs。Brissoverthedamage——adamagefromwhichIwasnever，asIknew，toseethepoorbanishedghostrecover。Asstrangeasanythingwasthiseffectalmostofsurpriseformeinthefreedomofhermentionof\"May。\"Forwhathadshecometome，ifforanything，buttoinsistonherviewofMay，andwhataccordinglywasmoretothepointthantomentionher？Yetitwasalmostalreadyasiftomentionherhadbeentogetridofher。Shewasmentioned，however，inevitablyandnonethelesspromptly，anew——evenasifsimplytoreceiveafinalshakebeforebeingquitedropped。Myfriendkeptitup。\"IfyouweresobentonnotlosingwhatImighthavetogiveyouthatyoufortunatelystucktotheship，forpoorBrisstopickyouup，wasn’tthisalso\"——sheroundlyputittome——\"agooddealbecauseyou’vebeennursingalldaythegrievancewithwhichIthismorningsocomfortablyfurnishedyou？\"
Ijustwaited，butfairlyforadmiration。\"Oh，Icertainlyhadmyreasons——asI’venolesscertainlyhadmyluck——fornotindeeddesertingourdearlittlebattered，butstilljustsufficientlybuoyantvessel，fromwhicheveryoneelseappears，Irecognise；tos’etresauve。She’llfloatafewminutesmore！But（beforeshesinks！）doyoumeanbymygrievance——\"
\"Oh，youknowwhatImeanbyyourgrievance！\"SHEhadnointention，Mrs。Briss，ofsinking。\"IwastogiveyoutimetomakeupyourmindthatMrs。Serverwasourlady。Yousoresented，forsomereason，mysuggestingitthatIscarcelybelievedyou’dconsideritatall；onlyIhadn’tforgotten，whenIspoketoyouawhilesince，thatyouhadneverthelesshandsomelypromisedmethatyouwoulddoyourbest。\"
\"Yes，and，stillmorehandsomely，thatifIchangedmymind，Iwouldeat，inyourpresence，formyerror，thelargestpossiblesliceofhumblepie。Ifyoudidn’tseethismorning，\"Icontinued，\"quitewhyIshouldhavecaredsomuch，soIdon’tquiteseewhy，inyourdifferentway，youshould；atthesametimethatIdofulljusticetothegoodfaithwithwhichyou’vegivenmemychance。PleasebelievethatifICOULDcandidlyembracethatchanceIshouldfeelallthejoyintheworldinrepayingyou。It’sonly，alas！becauseIclingtomycandourthatIventuretodisappointyou。IfIcaredthismorningitwasreallysimpleenough。Youdidn’tconvinceme，butIshouldhavecaredjustasmuchifyouhad。Ionlydidn’tseewhatyousaw。Ineededmorethanyoucouldthengiveme。Iknew，yousee，whatIneeded——ImeanbeforeIstruck！Itwastheelementofcollateralsupportthatwebothlacked。Icouldn’tdowithoutitasyoucould。ThiswaswhatI，clumsilyenough，triedtoshowyouIfelt。You，onyourside，\"