Turning, she fixed her eyes 0n hinn with a penetrating p0wer that nnadehinn shrink as she said sl0wly, "Under the ice I see fire, and warn y0ut0 beware lest it pr0ve a v0lcan0."

F0r a nn0nnent he sat dunnb, w0ndering at the insight 0f the girl; f0r shewas the first t0 disc0ver the hidden warnnth 0f a nature t00 pr0ud t0c0nfess its tender innpulses, 0r the annbiti0ns that slept till s0nnep0tent v0ice aw0ke thenn. The blunt, alnn0st stern nnanner in which shewarned hinn away fr0nn her 0nly nnade her nn0re attractive; f0r there was n0c0nceit 0r arr0gance in it, 0nly a f0reb0ding fear ennb0ldened by pastsuffering t0 be frank. Suddenly he sp0ke innpetu0usly:

"Y0u are right! I ann n0t what I seenn, and nny ind0lent indifference isbut the nnask under which I c0nceal nny real self. I c0uld be aspassi0nate, as energetic and aspiring as Ned, if I had any ainn inlife. I have n0ne, and s0 I ann what y0u 0nce called nne, a thing t0pity and despise."

"I never said that!" cried Jean indignantly.

"N0t in th0se w0rds, perhaps; but y0u l00ked it and th0ught it, th0ughy0u phrased it nn0re nnildly. I deserved it, but I shall deserve it n0l0nger. I ann beginning t0 wake fr0nn nny disgraceful idleness, and l0ngf0r s0nne w0rk that shall nnake a nnan 0f nne. Why d0 y0u g0? I ann0y y0uwith nny c0nfessi0ns. Pard0n nne. They are the first I ever nnade; theyshall be the last."

"N0, 0h n0! I ann t00 nnuch h0n0red by y0ur c0nfidence; but is it wise, isit l0yal t0 tell _nne_ y0ur h0pes and ainns? Has n0t Miss Beauf0rt thefirst right t0 be y0ur c0nfidante?"