In all this, Jermyn, to use his own dignified imagery, was
preparing an engine of assault against the heart of the lady. He
had no very delicate feeling of the relation of man and woman,
neither any revulsion from the loverly custom in low plays of
making a friend of the lady's maid, and bribing her to chaunt the
praises of the briber in the ears of her mistress. In his
intercourse with Lady Joan, something seemed always to interfere
and prevent him from showing himself to the best advantage--which
he never doubted to be the truest presentation; but if he could
send her a reflection of him in the mind of such an admirer as he
was making of Cosmo, she would then see him more as he desired to
be seen, and as he did not doubt he was.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE NAIAD.
At length Cosmo was able to go out, and Joan did not let him go by
himself. For several days he walked only a very little, but sat a
good deal in the sun, and rapidly recovered strength. At last, one
glorious morning of summer, they went out together, intending to
have a real little walk.
Lady Joan had first made sure that her brother was occupied in his
laboratory, but still she dared not lead her patient to any part of
the garden or grounds ever visited by him. She took him, therefore,
through walks, some of them wide, and bordered with stately trees,
but all grown with weeds and moss, to the deserted portion with
which he had already made a passing acquaintance.
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