Rotha stood looking at him, and the young man on his part regarded her with more attention than usual. He was suddenly touched with compassion for the girl. She stood, half doubtful, half proud, dimly conscious of her enormous ignorance, and with an inward monition of a whole world of knowledge to be acquired, yet beyond her reach; at the same time her look shewed capacity enough both to understand and to feel. Rotha was now nearly fourteen, with mental powers just opening and personal gifts just beginning to dawn. The child's complexion told of poor feeding and want of air and exercise; it was sallow, and her features were sharp; but her hair was beautiful in its lustrous, dark abundance; the eyes shewed the fire of native passion and intelligence; the mouth was finely cut and expressed half a dozen things in as many minutes. "Poor child!" thought the visiter; "what is to become of her, with all this latent power and possibility?" "A gentleman, Rotha," he said aloud, "may be defined as a person who in all manner of little things keeps the golden rule--does to everybody as he would be done by; and knows how." "In little things? Not in great things?" "One may do it in great things, and not be a gentleman in manner; though certainly in heart." "Then it is manner?" "Very much." "And a lady the same way?" "Of course." "What sort of little things?" said Rotha curiously. "A lady in the first place will be always careful and delicate about her own person and dress; it does not depend upon what she wears, but how she wears it; a lady might wear patches, but never could be untidy. Then, in all her moving, speaking, and acting, she will be gentle, quiet, and polite. And in her behaviour to others, she will give everybody the respect that is due, and never put herself forward. 'In honour preferring one another,' is the Bible rule, and it is the law of good breeding. And the Bible says, 'Honour all men;' and, 'Be courteous.'--Have I spoken according to your mind, Mrs. Carpenter?" "Beautifully," said the silent, pale seamstress, never stopping her needle. "Better than I could have done it. Now you know, Rotha." Rotha stood considering, uneasy. "What is the next question?" said Mr. Digby smiling. "I was thinking--" said Rotha. "Mustn't one know a good deal, to do all that?" "To do what, for instance?" "To give everybody the respect that is due; it is not the same to everybody, is it?" "No, certainly." "How can one know?" "There _is_ a good deal to be learned in this world, before one can hold the balance scales to weigh out to each one exactly what belongs to him," Mr. Digby admitted. "That is one of my troubles," said Mrs. Carpenter looking up. "I cannot give my child an education. I do a little at home; it is better than nothing; but I feel that my power grows less and less; and Rotha's needs are more and more." "What do you know, Rotha?" said Mr. Digby.