Reade_Love_Me_Little_Love_Me_Long.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
engaged ones--for
such they had become in those two miles--mounted the cart, and the two
men sat in front, and and intertwined at the back, and opened
their hearts to each other.
. you have taken the paper off again?
. paper? was no longer applicable.
.
already noticed that , after capitulation, laid down her
arms gracefully and sensibly. she was asked to name a very early
day for the wedding, she opposed no childish delay to 's
happiness, for the __ was to sail in six weeks and separate
them. the license was got, and the wedding-day came; and all 's
previous study of the contract did not prevent her from being deeply
affected by the solemn words that joined her to in holy
matrimony.
bore up, though, stoutly; for her sense of propriety and courtesy
forbade her to cloud a festivity. , when the post-chaise came to
convey bride and bridegroom on their little tour, and she had to leave
. and for a whole week, the tears would not be denied;
and, to show how perilous a road matrimony is, these two risked a
misunderstanding on their wedding-day, thus: , all alone in the
post-chaise with , dissolved--a perfect --gushing at short
intervals. a faint explanation gurgled out with the tears:
" ! her dear little face was working so not to cry. ! oh!
should not have minded so much if she had cried right out." ,
again, it was " . ! was only a week with her, for all
her love. have made a c--at's p--paw of her--oh!"
, again, " has never noticed us; he thinks me a
h--h--ypocrite." quite as often they flowed without any
accompanying reason.
if had been a poetaster, he would have said: " these
tears? she has got me. not more than an equivalent to these puny
considerations?" and all this salt water would have burned into his
vanity like liquid caustic. he had been a poet, he would have said:
"! make her unhappy whom hoped to make happy"; and with this
he would have been sad, and so prolonged her sadness, and perhaps
ended by sulking. had two good things--a kind heart and a
skin not too thin: and such are the men that make women happy, in
spite of their weak nerves and craven spirits.
gave her time; soothed her kindly; but did not check her weakness
dead short.
last my said to him, penitently, " is a poor
compliment to you, . "; and then again, partly,
believe, with regret that she was behaving so discourteously.
" is very natural," said , kindly, "but we shall soon see them
all again, you know."
she looked in his radiant face, with wet eyes, but a
half-smile. " amaze me; you don't seem the least terrified at what
we have done."
" a bit," cried , like a cheerful horn: " have been in worse
peril than this, and so have you. troubles are all over; see
nothing but happiness ahead." then drew a sunny picture of their
future life, to all which she listened demurely; and, in short, he
treated her little feminine distress as the summer sun treats a mist
that tries to vie with it. soon dried her up, and when they reached
their journey's end she was as bright as himself.
.
had been married a week. slight change, but quite distinct to
an observer of her sex, bloomed in 's face and manner. new
beauty was in her face--the blossom of wifehood. eyes, though not
less modest, were less timid than before; and now they often met
's full, and seemed to sip affection at them. he came near
her, her lovely frame showed itself conscious of his approach.
queen, though he did not know it, was his vassal. sat at table at
a little inn, twenty miles from , for they were on their
return to . . went to the window while settled the
bill. the window it is probable she had her own thoughts, for she
glided up behind , and, fanning his hair with her cool, honeyed
breath, she said, in the tone of a humble inquirer seeking historical
or antiquarian information, " want to ask you a question, : are
you happy _too?"_
answered promptly, but inarticulately; so his reply is lost to
posterity. alone survives.
disappointment awaited at . 's. were several
letters for both and her, but none from . . knew
by that she had lost his respect. could not blame him, for she saw
how like disingenuousness and hypocrisy her conduct must look to him.
" must trust to time and opportunity," she said, with a sigh.
proposed to to read all her letters, and she would read all his.
thought this a droll idea; but nothing that identified him with his
royal vassal came amiss. first letter of 's that opened
was from . .
" -- have heard of your marriage with . , and desire
to offer both you and him my cordial congratulations.
" feel under considerable obligation to . ; and, should my
house ever have a mistress, hope she will be able to tempt you both
to renew our acquaintance under my roof, and so give me once more that
opportunity have too little improved of showing you both the sincere
respect and gratitude with which am,
" very faithful servant,
" ."
was delighted with this note. " says it was nothing to have
been born a gentleman?"
second letter was from . 2; and, if only give the
reader a fragment of it, still expect his gratitude, all one as if
had disinterred a fragment of or .
lucy.
is very ungust of you to go and
other peeple wen you
me. but it is mr. dod.
i dont so much mind i like
. dod. he is a duc. and they all
i am too litle and jane says
always end by been
so it is only put off.
you reely must keep your
to me. wen i am biger
mr. is drouned. my
pigs--
a white hand drew the pleasing composition out of 's hand,
and dropped it on the floor; two piteous, tearful eyes were bent on
him, and a white arm went tenderly round his neck to save him from the
threatened fate.
this sight pounced on the horrid scroll, and hurled it, with
general acclamation, into the flames.
that sweet infant revenged himself, and, like , hit
hardest of all at parting--in tears and flame vanished from written
fiction, and, conclude, went back to .
was a letter from . --all fire and fury. was never
to write or speak to him any more. was now looking out for a youth
of good family to adopt and to make a of by act of
, etc., etc. fusillade of written thunderbolts.
was another from . , written with cream--of tartar
and oil--of vitriol. forgave her niece and wished her every
happiness it was possible for a young person to enjoy who had deceived
her relations and married beneath her. felt pity rather than
anger; and there was no reason why . and . should not visit
her house, as far as she was concerned; but . was a man
of very stern rectitude, and, as she could not make sure that he would
treat them with common courtesy after what had passed, she thought a
temporary separation might be the better course for all parties.
may as well take this opportunity of saying that these two egotists
carried out the promise of their respective letters. .
blustered for a year or two, and then showed manifest signs of
relenting.
. kept cool, and wrote, in oils, twice a year to .
:
" ."
had to answer these letters. signing one of them, she took a
look at her new signature and smiled. " a dear, quaint little name
mine is!" said she. " ;" and she kissed the signature.
after .
took a house in and came up to them. was
nearly all day superintending the ship, but spent the whole evening
with his wife at home. always produces irritation. servant
that is anxious for his employer's interest is sure to get into a
passion or two with the deadness, indifference and heartless injustice
of the genuine hireling. was often irritated and worried, and
in hot water, while superintending the _,_ but the moment he
saw his own door, away he threw it all, and came into the house like a
jocund sunbeam. wins a woman more than this, provided she is
already inclined in the man's favor. the hour that brought
approached, 's spirits and 's used both to rise by
anticipation, and that anticipation his hearty, genial temper never
disappointed.
day came to for information. ", there is a
singular change in me. is since we came to . used to be a
placid girl; now am a fidget."
" don't see it, love."
"; how should you, dear? always goes away when you come.
listen. five o'clock comes near, turn hot and restless, and can
hardly keep from the window; and if you are five minutes after your
time, really cannot keep from the window; and my nerves _se
crispent,_ and cannot sit still. is very foolish. does it
mean? you tell me?"
" course can. am just the same when people are unpunctual. is
inexcusable, and nothing is so vexing. ought to be--"
" , what nonsense! it is not that. ever be vexed with
my ?"
", then, there is ; we'll ask her."
" you dare, sir!" and . was carnation.
years after the above events
ladies were gossiping.
1st . " like about . is that she is so truthful."
2d . ", is she?"
1st . ", she is indeed. she is not a woman that
blurts out unpleasant things without any necessity; she is kind and
considerate in word and deed, but she is always true. has got an
eye that meets you like a little lion's eye, and a tongue without
guile. do love . dearly."
his were talking in .
1st hi. ", so you are going out again."
2d hi. "; they have offered me a commissionership. must make
another lac for the children."
1st hi. " do you sail?"
2d hi. " the first good ship. should like a good ship."
1st hi. ", then, you had better go out with ."
2d hi. " ? should prefer . don't want
to founder off the ."
1st hi. ", but this is a first-rate sailor, and a first-rate
fellow altogether."
2d hi. " why do you call him ' '?"
1st hi. ", because he is so polite. won't stand an oath
within hearing of his quarter-deck, and is particularly kind and
courteous to the passengers, especially to the ladies. ship is
always full."
2d hi. " it? 'll go out with ' .'"