It was impossible that such an influence 
should not  a girl of my age and dispo- 
sition  suddenly, decisively, overwhelmingly. 
I still recall, with an  of , 
that soft spring morning, that sunny spring 
afternoon  for, luncheon over, we went wan- 
dering about the house again  when I followed 
her like a dog from room to room, growing 
every hour more fascinated, and attaching my- 
self to her with that dog-like faithfulness which 
some one (whom I need not now refer to, but 
who knows me pretty well by this time) says is 
a part of my nature. Well, well, never mind ! 
It might be better, and it might be worse  for 
me and for others  that I have this quality. I 
do not think it was the worse, at any rate, for 
her  my dear Lady de Bougainville. 

I  she rather liked having even a dog- 
like creature tracking her steps, and looking 
up in her face  she had been alone so long. 
Old as she was, and sad as her life must have 
been, by nature she was certainly a cheerful- 
minded person. There was still a curious vi- 
tality and elasticity about her, as if in her  
she liked being happy, and seeing other people 
the same. 

She especially enjoyed