He assured himself that had it been wholly
unpleasant for her to meet him, she would have been shrewd enough to
devise some other way of securing the purpose of her visit. She had
remained unmarried all the time of his absence, although she must have
had suitors. Perhaps--well if this conjecture sounded a little conceited,
be sure it was alternated with others self-depreciatory enough to
balance it. But I have no space or need to describe the familiar
process of architecture, by which with a perhaps for a keystone,
possibilities for pillars, and dreams for pinnacles, lovers are wont
to rear in a few idle hours, palaces outdazzling Aladdin's. I shall
more profitably give a word or two of explanation to another point.
Those familiar with the aristocratic constitution of New England
society at this period, will perhaps deem it strange that the social
gulf between the poor farmer's son, like Perez, and the daughter of one
of the most distinguished families in Berkshire, should not have sufficed
to deter the young man from indulging aspirations in that direction.
Perhaps, if he had grown up at home, such might have been the case,
despite his boyish fondness for the girl. But the army of the
revolution had been for its officers and more intelligent element, a
famous school of democratic ideas.
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