But his eyes told the truth.

Then I saw what I had been doing and was frightened.

He did not speak, so I believed, what is quite true, that he felt I was not a fit wife for him and would never ask me.
It was right I was glad of it, yet I was proud and, though I did not ask or hope for anything, I did want him to see that I respected myself, remembered my duty, and could do right as well as he.

I kept away.

I planned to go as soon as possible and resolved that at this concert I would do so well, he should not be ashamed of poor Phebe and her one gift." "It was this that made you so strange, then, preferring to go alone and refusing every little favor at our hands ?" asked Rose, feeling very sure now about the state of Phebe's heart.
"Yes, I wanted to do everything myself and not owe one jot of my success, if I had any, to even the dearest friend I've got.