His restless and passionate nature was at once satisfied and kept in check by the freshness and moderation of hers.

She received his devotion very quietly, made no demonstrations, but grew to him, laid up his confidences in her heart, and let him discover--though she never said it--that all the rest of the world was becoming as nothing for his sake.

Accordingly it did not occur to him, excepting on Valentine's own account, to consider how he might feel during this interview.

He noticed that he was a little sulky and perhaps rather out of countenance; he did not wonder at these things; but being absolutely secure of his wife's love, he never even said to himself how impossible it was that her affection should revert to Valentine; but this was for the simple reason that he had never thought about that matter at all.

He talked to Valentine on indifferent subjects, and felt that he should be glad when he had got over the awkwardness he was then evidently enduring, for they had been accustomed, far more than most brothers, to live together on terms of familiar intimacy, and only one of them at present was aware that this could never be again.
Valentine also never forgot, but often saw that picture again with the fresh fulness of the leaves for a background to the girlish figure; and the fair face so innocent and candid and so obviously content.