Another Intermission

She was too clear-headed to regret having awaked, for she saw that he
regretted it. And, because he did not venture, she being awake, to take
the kiss, she knew he was no brother, and knew not what it was to be
one. So she put on a look of annoyance, and told him petulantly to go
about his business. Off he went, and passed his hour with Sophie, who
was as lovely, as fresh, and as purely transparent as ever. But some
turbid element had been stirred in Bressant's depths, which spoiled his
enjoyment for that day, making him moody and silent.

Such little incidents--there were many of them--were far too simple and
natural to be the work of deliberation and forethought. But Cornelia was
disposed to use them, when they did occur, to her best possible
advantage, and therefore they acquired potency to affect Bressant. She
wished that to be, which he had not stamina enough to oppose: thus a
subtle bond was established between them, lending a significance to the
most ordinary actions, such as could never have been recognized between
indifferent persons.

This was all progress for Cornelia, and she well knew it, and yet she
was not at ease nor satisfied. She began to find out that it was no such
light matter to usurp the place of such a woman as Sophie, though the
latter was laboring under the great disadvantage of being ignorant of
the plot against her. In most cases, indeed, the attempt would have been
wellnigh hopeless, but Cornelia had two exceptionally powerful
allies--her own supreme beauty, and Bressant's untrained and
ill-regulated animal nature, which he had not yet learned to understand
and provide against. And there was another thing in her favor, too,
although she knew it not--the demoralizing effect upon the young man's
character--of his failure to fulfil his agreement with the professor.
The evils that are in us link themselves together to drag us down, their
essential quality being identical, whatever their particular
application.