A pair of gloves was bought at Thirlwall; Jenny Hitchcock's
pony was sent for; and, after that, every day, when the
weather would at all do, they took a long ride. By degrees,
reading, and drawing, and all her studies, were added to the
history, till Ellen's time was well filled with business
again. Alice had endeavoured to bring this about before, but
fruitlessly. What she asked of her, Ellen indeed _tried_ to do;
what John told her, _was done_. She grew a different creature.
Appetite came back; the colour sprang again to her cheek; hope
— meek and sober as it was — re-lighted her eye. In her
eagerness to please and satisfy her teacher, her whole soul
was given to the performance of whatever he wished her to do.
The effect was all that he looked for.
The second evening after he came, John called Ellen to his
side, saying he had something he wanted to read to her. It was
before candles were brought, but the room was full of light
from the blazing wood fire. Ellen glanced at his book as she
came to the sofa; it was a largish volume, in a black leather
cover, a good deal worn; it did not look at all interesting.
"What is it?" she asked.
"It is called," said John, "_The Pilgrim's Progress from this
World to a better_."
Ellen thought it did not _sound_ at all interesting. She had
never been more mistaken in her life, and that she found
almost as soon as he begun.
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