Thus the lovers had opportunity to study each other's characters. The
maiden's pure heart knew no distrust, and Jean was faithful and
chivalrous as Sir Galahad. They spoke not always of love: words were
unnecessary to explain what every look betokened. Jean found her skilled
in strange, mystical, lore, but ignorant of all that sways and rules
mankind. The history of the selfish struggles of human interests and
passions was to her a sealed book. She had been carefully shrouded from
the knowledge of evil; but, in order to protect her in the rough
turbulent little world in which she lived, it had been necessary to keep
her from association with her countrymen, and so she had never mingled
with them except under the charge of her mother, in whose presence the
fiercest were submissive. Jean, therefore, in speaking to her of family
intercourse, of the intermingling of members of the household, of
bright chat with friends, opened up to her views of life of which she
had formed no conception. Then he told her of his own people; described
the three generations living under one roof; depicted the daily round,
the care of the old and the young, the work, the return of the workers
to their wives, sisters, and children, the love of the mothers for their
infants, the reverence for age, the strong mutual affection of husband
and wife, brother and sister.
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