Gerald found her quiet comments and criticisms very illuminating, not only of his theme, but of his own comparative ignorance.

'But, Miss Jakes, how did you come to understand all this ?' he ejaculated; and she said, laughing a little at the impression she had made, that she had only read, gone to a few courses of lectures, and had a master for one winter in Boston.

Gerald looked at her with new interest.

It impressed him that an unprofessional woman should take anything so seriously.

'Have you gone into other profound things like this ?' he asked; and, still laughing, Althea said that she supposed she had.
Her sympathy for those old plans of his, based on such understanding, was really inspiring.