"
By contrast, the hall looked almost light, and Aurelia could see the
skip of joy with which Jumbo hurried to fetch a candle. As he gave
it to her, he made his teeth flash from ear to ear, as he exclaimed:
"Pretty missy bring new life to mas'r!"
Thus did a new element come into Aurelia's life. She carefully
prepared Harriet's favourite song, a French _romance_, but Mr.
Belamour did not like it equally well with the Nightingale, which
he made her repeat, rewarding her by telling her of the charming
looks and manners of her mother, so that she positively enjoyed
her visit. The next night he made inquiries into her walks at
Bowstead, asking after the favourite nooks of his childhood, and
directing her to the glades where grew the largest dewberries and
sweetest blackberries. This led to her recital of a portion of
_Midsummer Night's Dream_, for he drew her on with thanks at every
pause: "I have enjoyed no such treat for many years," he said.
"There are other pieces that I can recite another time," said
Aurelia timidly.
"You will confer a great favour on me," he answered.
So she refreshed her memory by a mental review of _Paradise Lost_ over
her embroidery frame, and was ready with Adam's morning hymn, which
was much relished. Compliments on her elocution soon were turned by
her into the praise of "sister," and as she became more at ease, the
strange man in the dark listened with evident delight to her pretty
fresh prattle about sister and brother, and father and home.
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