In spite of ceaseless endeavour, she could not yet spell
words of the least difficulty; she could not do the easiest sums
with accuracy; geographical names were her despair. The second point
in which she had suffered harm was of more serious nature. She was
subject to fits of hysteria, preceded and followed by the most
painful collapse of that buoyant courage which was her supreme charm
and the source of her influence. Without warning, an inexplicable
terror would fall upon her; like the weakest child, she craved
protection from a dread inspired solely by her imagination, and
solace for an anguish of wretchedness to which she could give no
form in words. Happily this illness afflicted her only at long
intervals, and her steadily improving health gave warrant for hoping
that in time it would altogether pass away.
Whenever an opportunity had offered for struggling successfully with
some form of evil--were it poor Pennyloaf's dangerous despair, or
the very human difficulties between Bessie and her husband--Jane
lived at her highest reach of spiritual joy. For all that there was
a disappointment on her mind, she felt this joy to-night, and went
about her pursuits in happy self-absorption.
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