This little scene with Sorell, described in the last chapter, was of great importance to Connie's after history.

It had placed her suddenly on a footing of intimacy with a man of poetic and lofty character, and had transformed her old childish relation to him--which had alone made the scene possible--into something entirely different.

It produced a singular effect upon her that such a man should care enough what befell her to dare to say what he had said to her.

It had been--she admitted it--a lesson in scrupulousness, in high delicacy of feeling, in magnanimity.

"You are trifling with what may be the life of another--just to amuse yourself--or to pay off a moment's offence.