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interested in the circumstance that the unseen sender was somebody
breathing his own atmosphere； possibly the very writer herselfthe
book being too new to be knownthat he again passed through the
blue shadow of the spire which stretched across the street to…day；
and went towards the post…office； animated by a bright intentionto
ask the postmaster if he knew the handwriting in which the packet
was addressed。
Now the postmaster was an acquaintance of Christopher's； but； as
regarded putting that question to him； there was a difficulty。
Everything turned upon whether the postmaster at the moment of
asking would be in his under…government manner； or in the manner
with which mere nature had endowed him。 In the latter case his
reply would be all that could be wished； in the former； a man who
had sunk in society might as well put his tongue into a mousetrap as
make an inquiry so obviously outside the pale of legality as was
this。
So he postponed his business for the present； and refrained from
entering till he passed by after dinner； when pleasant malt liquor；
of that capacity for cheering which is expressed by four large
letter X's marching in a row； had refilled the globular trunk of the
postmaster and neutralized some of the effects of officiality。 The
time was well chosen； but the inquiry threatened to prove fruitless：
the postmaster had never； to his knowledge； seen the writing before。
Christopher was turning away when a clerk in the background looked
up and stated that some young lady had brought a packet with such an
address upon it into the office two days earlier to get it stamped。
'Do you know her？' said Christopher。
'I have seen her about the neighbourhood。 She goes by every
morning； I think she comes into the town from beyond the common； and
returns again between four and five in the afternoon。'
'What does she wear？'
'A white wool jacket with zigzags of black braid。'
Christopher left the post…office and went his way。 Among his other
pupils there were two who lived at some distance from Sandbourne
one of them in the direction indicated as that habitually taken by
the young person； and in the afternoon； as he returned homeward；
Christopher loitered and looked around。 At first he could see
nobody； but when about a mile from the outskirts of the town he
discerned a light spot ahead of him； which actually turned out to be
the jacket alluded to。 In due time he met the wearer face to face；
she was not Ethelberta Petherwinquite a different sort of
individual。 He had long made up his mind that this would be the
case； yet he was in some indescribable way disappointed。
Of the two classes into which gentle young women naturally divide；
those who grow red at their weddings； and those who grow pale； the
present one belonged to the former class。 She was an April…natured；
pink…cheeked girl； with eyes that would have made any jeweller in
England think of his tradeone who evidently took her day in the
daytime； frequently caught the early worm； and had little to do with
yawns or candlelight。 She came and passed him； he fancied that her
countenance changed。 But one may fancy anything； and the pair
receded each from each without turning their heads。 He could not
speak to her； plain and simple as she seemed。
It is rarely that a man who can be entered and made to throb by the
channel of his ears is not open to a similar attack through the
channel of his eyesfor many doors will admit to one mansion
allowance being made for the readier capacity of chosen and
practised organs。 Hence the beauties； concords； and eloquences of
the female form were never without their effect upon Christopher； a
born musician； artist； poet； seer； mouthpiecewhichever a
translator of Nature's oracles into simple speech may be called。
The young girl who had gone by was fresh and pleasant； moreover； she
was a sort of mysterious link between himself and the past； which
these things were vividly reviving in him。
The following week Christopher met her again。 She had not much
dignity； he had not much reserve； and the sudden resolution to have
a holiday which sometimes impels a plump heart to rise up against a
brain that overweights it was not to be resisted。 He just lifted
his hat； and put the only question he could think of as a beginning：
'Have I the pleasure of addressing the author of a book of very
melodious poems that was sent me the other day？'
The girl's forefinger twirled rapidly the loop of braid that it had
previously been twirling slowly； and drawing in her breath； she
said； 'No； sir。'
'The sender； then？'
'Yes。'
She somehow presented herself as so insignificant by the combined
effect of the manner and the words that Christopher lowered his
method of address to her level at once。 'Ah；' he said； 'such an
atmosphere as the writer of 〃Metres by E。〃 seems to breathe would
soon spoil cheeks that are fresh and round as lady…appleseh；
little girl？ But are you disposed to tell me that writer's name？'
By applying a general idea to a particular case a person with the
best of intentions may find himself immediately landed in a
quandary。 In saying to the country girl before him what would have
suited the mass of country lasses well enough； Christopher had
offended her beyond the cure of compliment。
'I am not disposed to tell the writer's name；' she replied； with a
dudgeon that was very great for one whose whole stock of it was a
trifle。 And she passed on and left him standing alone。
Thus further conversation was checked； but； through having
rearranged the hours of his country lessons； Christopher met her the
next Wednesday； and the next Friday； and throughout the following
weekno further words passing between them。 For a while she went
by very demurely； apparently mindful of his offence。 But effrontery
is not proved to be part of a man's nature till he has been guilty
of a second act： the best of men may commit a first through
accident or ignorancemay even be betrayed into it by over…zeal for
experiment。 Some such conclusion may or may not have been arrived
at by the girl with the lady…apple cheeks； at any rate； after the
lapse of another week a new spectacle presented itself； her redness
deepened whenever Christopher passed her by； and embarrassment
pervaded her from the lowest stitch to the tip of her feather。 She
had little chance of escaping him by diverging from the road； for a
figure could be seen across the open ground to the distance of half
a mile on either side。 One day as he drew near as usual； she met
him as women meet a cloud of dustshe turned and looked backwards
till he had passed。
This would have been disconcerting but for one reason： Christopher
was ceasing to notice her。 He was a man who often； when walking
abroad； and looking as it were at the scene before his eyes；
discerned successes and failures； friends and relations； episodes of
childhood； wedding feasts and funerals； the landscape suffering
greatly by these visions； until it became no more than the patterned
wall…tints about the paintings in a gallery； something necessary to
the tone； yet not regarded。 Nothing but a special concentra