Here my darling had wept again, by the tokens on the
paper; and then there followed some sweet words, too
sweet for me to chatter them. But she finished
with these noble lines, which (being common to all
humanity, in a case of steadfast love) I do no harm,
but rather help all true love by repeating. “Of
one thing rest you well assured—and I do
hope that it may prove of service to your rest, love,
else would my own be broken—no difference
of rank, or fortune, or of life itself, shall ever
make me swerve from truth to you. We have passed
through many troubles, dangers, and dispartments,
but never yet was doubt between us; neither ever shall
be. Each has trusted well the other; and still
each must do so. Though they tell you I am false,
though your own mind harbours it, from the sense of
things around, and your own undervaluing, yet take
counsel of your heart, and cast such thoughts away
from you; being unworthy of itself they must be unworthy
also of the one who dwells there; and that one is,
and ever shall be, your own Lorna Dugal.”
Some people cannot understand that tears should come
from pleasure; but whether from pleasure or from sorrow
(mixed as they are in the twisted strings of a man’s
heart, or a woman’s), great tears fell from my
stupid eyes, even on the blots of Lorna’s.
“No doubt it is all over,” my mind said
to me bitterly; “trust me, all shall yet be
right,” my heart replied very sweetly.
CHAPTER LX
ANNIE LUCKIER THAN JOHN
[Illustration: 559.jpg Illustrated Capital]
Some people may look down upon us for our slavish
ways (as they may choose to call them), but in our
part of the country, we do love to mention title,
and to roll it on our tongues, with a conscience and
a comfort. Even if a man knows not, through fault
of education, who the Duke of this is, or the Earl
of that, it will never do for him to say so, lest
the room look down on him. Therefore he must nod
his head, and say, “Ah, to be sure! I know
him as well as ever I know my own good woman’s
brother. He married Lord Flipflap’s second
daughter, and a precious life she led him.”
Whereupon the room looks up at him. But I, being
quite unable to carry all this in my head, as I ought,
was speedily put down by people of a noble tendency,
apt at Lords, and pat with Dukes, and knowing more
about the King than His Majesty would have requested.
Therefore, I fell back in thought, not daring in words
to do so, upon the titles of our horses. And
all these horses deserved their names, not having
merely inherited, but by their own doing earned them.
Smiler, for instance, had been so called, not so much
from a habit of smiling, as from his general geniality,
white nose, and white ankle. This worthy horse
was now in years, but hale and gay as ever; and when
you let him out of the stable, he could neigh and whinny,
and make men and horses know it. On the other
