It was a delightful day, sun shining, not too hot, air balmy, birds singing, all nature gay; and the happy influence was quickly felt by the riding party. Unpleasant thoughts of the past or future, if any such had been, were now lost in present enjoyment. The general, twice a man on horseback, as he always felt himself, managed his own and Helen’s horse to admiration, and Cecilia, riding on with Beauclerc, was well pleased to hear his first observation, that he had been quite wrong last night, in not acknowledging that Miss Stanley was beautiful. “People look so different by daylight and by candlelight,” said he; “and so different when one does not know them at all, and when one begins to know something of them.” “But what can you know yet of Helen?” “One forms some idea of character from trifles light as air. How delightful this day is!” “And now you really allow she may be called beautiful?” “Yes, that is, with some expression of mind, heart, soul, which is what I look for in general,” said Beauclerc. “In general, what can you mean by in general?” “Not in particular; in particular cases I might think--I--I might feel--otherwise.” “In particular, then, do you like fools that have no mind, heart, or soul, Granville?--Answer me.” “Take care,” said he, “that horse is too spirited for a lady.” “Not for me,” said Lady Cecilia; “but do not think you shall get off so; what did you mean?” “My meaning lies too deep for the present occasion.” “For the present company--eh?” Beauclerc half smiled and answered--“You know you used to tell me that you hated long discussions on words and nice distinctions.” “Well, well, but let me have the nice distinction now.” “Between love and friendship, then, there is a vast difference in what one wishes for in a woman’s face; there are, ‘faces which pale passion loves.’” “To the right, turn,” the general’s voice far behind was heard to say. To the right they turned, into a glade of the park, which opened to a favourite view of the general’s, to which Cecilia knew that all attention must be paid. He came up, and they proceeded through a wood which had been planted by his father, and which seemed destined to stand for ever secure from sacrilegious axe. The road led them next into a village, one of the prettiest of that sort of scattered English villages, where each habitation seems to have been suited to the fancy as well as to the convenience of each proprietor; giving an idea at once of comfort and liberty, such as can be seen only in England. Happy England, how blest, would she but know her bliss!