Sybil Berners

And the reason of all this was, that Miss Berners of Black Hall loved a
poor, briefless young lawyer, who had nothing but his handsome person,
his brilliant mind, and his noble heart to recommend him. When, or
where, or how her love for him began, she herself could never have told.
Since his return from the university she had seen him every Sunday at
church, and had grown to look and to long for his appearance there,
until it came to this pass with her soul, that the very house of God
seemed empty until his place was filled. And besides this, she often
saw him and heard him speak at political and other public meetings,
which she always attended only to beam in the sunshine of his presence,
only to drink in the music of his voice. She took in all the local
papers only to read his leaders and dream over his thoughts.

Moreover, she felt by a sure instinct that he passionately adored her,
even while ignorant of her love for him, and silent upon the subject of
his own passion.

This state of affairs exasperated the fiery and self-willed little
beauty almost to phrensy. She had never in her life been contradicted or
opposed. No desire of her heart had ever been left for a moment
unsatisfied. She never knew until now the meaning of suspense or
disappointment. And now here was a man whom she wildly loved, and who
worshipped her, but who, from some delicate pride in his poverty,
would not speak, while she, of course, could not.