"You have said that before," said Fleda still keeping her head down.
"What?"
"About my being a help to you!"
"It will not be the first time," said he smiling,--"nor the second. Your little hand first held up a glass to gather the scattered rays of truth that could not warm me into a centre where they must burn."
"Very innocently," said Fleda with a little unsteady feeling of voice.
"Very innocently," said Mr. Carleton smiling. "A veritable lens could hardly have been more unconscious of its work or more pure of design."
"I do not think that was quite so either, Mr. Carleton," said Fleda.
"It was so, my dear Elfie, and your present speech is nothing against it. This power of example is always unconsciously wielded; the medium ceases to be clear so soon as it is made anything but a medium. The bits of truth you aimed at me wittingly would have been nothing if they had not come through that medium."
"Then apparently one's prime efforts ought to be directed to oneself."
"One's first efforts, certainly. Your silent example was the first thing that moved me."