Almost in spite of herself she had bestowed
upon Lilias no small share of her affection, and she would have been
more pained by her neglect if she had not partaken of that spirit
which 'thinketh no evil, but beareth all things, believeth all
things, hopeth all things, and endureth all things.'
Lilias was not satisfied with either herself, her home, her sisters,
or her school; she was far from being the fresh, happy creature that
she had been the year before. She had seen the fallacy of her
principle of love, but in her self-willed adherence to it she had
lost the strong sense and habit of duty which had once ruled her; and
in a vague and restless frame of mind, she merely sought from day to
day for pleasure and idle occupation. Lent came, but she was not
roused, she was only more uncomfortable when she saw the Rector, or
Alethea, or went to church. Alethea's unfailing gentleness she felt
almost as a rebuke; and Mr. Devereux, though always kind and good-
natured, had ceased to speak to her of those small village matters in
which she used to be prime counsellor.
The school became a burthen instead of a delight, and her attendance
there a fatigue.
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