And it may be that he was only surprised and
bored. Had he been as sincere in his conduct as his only sister he would
have probably taken himself off at the end of the second day. But
perhaps he was afraid of appearing brutal. I am not far removed from the
conviction that between the sincerities of his sister and of his dear
nieces, Captain Anthony of the _Ferndale_ must have had his loneliness
brought home to his bosom for the first time of his life, at an age,
thirty-five or thereabouts, when one is mature enough to feel the pang of
such a discovery. Angry or simply sad but certainly disillusioned he
wanders about and meets the girl one afternoon and under the sway of a
strong feeling forgets his shyness. This is no supposition. It is a
fact. There was such a meeting in which the shyness must have perished
before we don't know what encouragement, or in the community of mood made
apparent by some casual word. You remember that Mrs. Fyne saw them one
afternoon coming back to the cottage together. Don't you think that I
have hit on the psychology of the situation? .
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