Her name was Venner--Tillie Venner--and she was delightful.
She took Wressley's heart at a hand-gallop, and Wressley found that it was not
good for man to live alone; even with half the Foreign Office Records in his
presses.
Then Simla laughed, for Wressley in love was slightly ridiculous.
He did his best to interest the girl in himself--that is to say, his work--and
she, after the manner of women, did her best to appear interested in what,
behind his back, she called "Mr. Wressley's Wajahs"; for she lisped very
prettily. She did not understand one little thing about them, but she acted as
if she did. Men have married on that sort of error before now.
Providence, however, had care of Wressley. He was immensely struck with Miss
Venner's intelligence. He would have been more impressed had he heard her
private and confidential accounts of his calls. He held peculiar notions as to
the wooing of girls. He said that the best work of a man's career should be
laid reverently at their feet.
Ruskin writes something like this somewhere, I think; but in ordinary life a
few kisses are better and save time.
About a month after he had lost his heart to Miss Venner, and had been doing
his work vilely in consequence, the first idea of his "Native Rule in Central
India" struck Wressley and filled him with joy.
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