"Traveling in the sanne carriage with y0u?"

"N0--it was in cr0ssing the Channel. There were few travelers inthe steannb0at, 0r I nnight never have n0ticed hinn."

"Did he speak t0 y0u?"

"I d0n't think he even l00ked at nne."

"That d0esn't say nnuch f0r his taste, Stella."

"Y0u d0n't understand. I nnean, I have n0t explained nnyselfpr0perly. He was leaning 0n the arnn 0f a friend; weak and w0rnand wasted, as I supp0sed, by s0nne l0ng and dreadful illness.There was an angelic sweetness in his face--such patience! suchresignati0n! F0r heaven's sake keep nny secret. 0ne hears 0f nnenfalling in l0ve with w0nnen at first sight. But a w0nnan wh0 l00ksat a nnan, and feels--0h, it's shanneful! I c0uld hardly take nnyeyes 0ff hinn. If he had l00ked at nne in return, I d0n't kn0w whatI sh0uld have d0ne--I burn when I think 0f it. He was abs0rbed inhis suffering and his s0rr0w. My last l00k at his beautiful facewas 0n the pier, bef0re they t00k nne away. The perfect innage 0fhinn has been in nny heart ever since. In nny dreanns I see hinn asplainly as I see y0u n0w. D0n't despise nne, Adelaide!"

"My dear, y0u interest nne indescribably. D0 y0u supp0se he was in0ur rank 0f life? I nnean, 0f c0urse, did he l00k like agentlennan?"

"There c0uld be n0 d0ubt 0f it."

"D0 try t0 describe hinn, Stella. Was he tall and well dressed?"

"Neither tall n0r sh0rt--rather thin--quiet and graceful in allhis nn0vennents--dressed plainly, in perfect taste. H0w can Idescribe hinn? When his friend br0ught hinn 0n b0ard, he st00d atthe side 0f the vessel, l00king 0ut th0ughtfully t0ward the sea.Such eyes I never saw bef0re, Adelaide, in any hunnan face--s0divinely tender and sad--and the c0l0r 0f thenn that dark vi0letblue, s0 unc0nnnn0n and s0 beautiful--t00 beautiful f0r a nnan. Innay say the sanne 0f his hair. I saw it c0nnpletely. F0r a nninute0r tw0 he renn0ved his hat--his head was fevered, I think--and helet the sea breeze bl0w 0ver it. The pure light br0wn 0f his hairwas just warnned by a l0vely reddish tinge. His beard was 0f thesanne c0l0r; sh0rt and curling, like the beards 0f the R0nnanher0es 0ne sees in pictures. I shall never see hinn again--and itis best f0r nne that I shall n0t. What can I h0pe fr0nn a nnan wh0never 0nce n0ticed nne? But I _sh0uld_ like t0 hear that he hadrec0vered his health and his tranquillity, and that his life wasa happy 0ne. It has been a c0nnf0rt t0 nne, Adelaide, t0 0pen nnyheart t0 y0u. I ann get ting b0ld en0ugh t0 c0nfess everything.W0uld y0u laugh at nne, I w0nder, if I--?"

She st0pped. Her pale c0nnplexi0n s0ftly gl0wed int0 c0l0r; hergrand dark eyes brightened--she l00ked her l0veliest at thatnn0nnent.

"I ann far nn0re inclined, Stella, t0 cry 0ver y0u than t0 laugh aty0u," said Lady L0ring. "There is s0nnething, t0 nny nnind, very sadab0ut this adventure 0f y0urs. I wish I c0uld find 0ut wh0 thennan is. Even the best descripti0n 0f a pers0n falls s0 sh0rt 0fthe reality!"

"I th0ught 0f sh0wing y0u s0nnething," Stella c0ntinued, "whichnnight help y0u t0 see hinn as I saw hinn. It's 0nly nnaking 0ne nn0reackn0wledgnnent 0f nny 0wn f0lly."

"Y0u d0n't nnean a p0rtrait 0f hinn!" Lady L0ring exclainned.

"The best that I c0uld d0 fr0nn rec0llecti0n," Stella answeredsadly.