without consideration ; and she now seriously regarded
herself as really a betrothed bride.
Although she confessed to herself that many new
cords of her heart had been touched by her love for
Godber, Idalia, reversing the words of her song, consid-
ered him as her creature. Had she not elevated him
above the narrow sphere of existence in which he had
once been contented to live ? Had she not opened to
him a new world, even to the portals of which, without
her, his boldest dreams could scarcely have soared ?
Must he not see in her the star which was lighting him
to a brighter, happier future than his birth and life
thus far entitled him to expect ? That she could think
all this clearly and, except in occasional moments of
self-forgetfulness, weigh so nicely her position in refer-
ence to the young man, and regulate her conduct
accordingly, shows how little her heart was accessible
to true womanly love.
Perhaps a circumstance which occurred on the ninth
day of Godber's illness, may have helped Idalia to
make a more precise estimate of her situation.
It was a cheerful afternoon. The mild autumn sun
shone warm and kindly into the little room, which was
really charming in its lively coloring and neat order.
Various occupations having taken all the other inmates
from the house, Idalia was sitting alone by Godber's
couch, and watching his peaceful slumber. His pale
face, from which every trace of the rude life of a mari-
ner had disappeared, while returning health had
breathed the first faint flush upon his cheeks, showed
in this reflected sunlight its manly beauty to the best
advantage. She had never found him so attractive,
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