“Certainly not--certainly not,” repeated Lady Davenant; “but let us see our way before us; never gallop, my dear, much less leap; never move, till you see your way;--once it is ascertained that General Clarendon does not wish you to be here, nor approve of you for the chosen companion of his wife, I, as your best friend, would say, begone, and speed you on your way; then as much pride, as much spirit as you will; but those who are conscious of possessing real spirit, should never be--seldom are--in a hurry to show it; that kind of ostentatious haste is undignified in man, and ungraceful in woman.” Helen promised that she would be patience itself: “But tell me exactly,” said she, “what you would have me do.” “Nothing,” said Lady Davenant. “Nothing! that is easy at least,” said Helen, smiling. “No, not so easy as you imagine; it requires sometimes no small share of strength of mind.” “Strength of mind!” said Helen, “I am afraid I have not any.” “Acquire it then, my dear,” said her friend. “But can I?” “Certainly; strength of mind, like strength of body, is improved by exercise.” “If I had any to begin with--” said Helen. “You have some, Helen, a great deal in one particular, else why should I have any more regard for you, or more hope of you, than of any other well-dressed, well-taught beauty, any of the tribe of young ladies who pass before me without ever fixing my mind’s eye for one moment?” “But in what particular, my dear Lady Davenant, do you mean?” said Helen, anxiously; “I am afraid you are mistaken; in what do you think I ever showed strength of mind? Tell me, and I will tell you the truth.” “That you will, and there is the point that I mean. Ever since I have known you, you have always, as at this moment, coward as you are, been brave enough to speak the truth; and truth I believe to be the only real lasting foundation for friendship; in all but truth there is a principle of decay and dissolution. Now good bye, my dear;--stay, one word more--there is a line in some classic poet, which says ‘the suspicion of ill-will never fails to produce it’--Remember this in your intercourse with General Clarendon; show no suspicion of his bearing you ill-will, and to show none, you must feel none. Put absolutely out of your head all that you may have heard or imagined about Miss Clarendon, or her brother’s prejudices on her account.” “I will--I will indeed,” said Helen, and so they parted. A few words have sometimes a material influence on events in human life. Perhaps even among those who hold in general that advice never does good, there is no individual who cannot recollect some few words--some conversation which has altered the future colour of their lives.