You said yesterday you never would be." "Oh, no, indeed! I am not," said Mercy.

"I am very glad you care so much for me." "Perhaps you have discovered that you do not care so much for me as you yesterday thought you did." "Oh, no, no!" replied poor Mercy, in a low tone.
Again Stephen was silent for a long time.

Then he said,-- "Ever since I can remember, I have longed for a perfect and absorbing friendship.

The peculiar relations of my life have prevented my even hoping for it.

My father's and my mother's friends never could be my friends.