board by nine o'clock
forenoon; the ship does not sail before one; keep your boat alongside;
and if you are not pleased with my farewells when I shall send them, you
can come ashore again and seek Katrine for yourself."

Since I could make no more of her, I was fain to be content with this.

The day came round at last when she and I were to separate. We had been
extremely intimate and familiar; I was much in her debt; and what way we
were to part was a thing that put me from my sleep, like the vails I was
to give to the domestic servants. I knew she considered me too backward,
and rather desired to rise in her opinion on that head. Besides which,
after so much affection shown and (I believe) felt upon both sides, it
would have looked cold-like to be anyways stiff. Accordingly, I got my
courage up and my words ready, and the last chance we were like to be
alone, asked pretty boldly to be allowed to salute her in farewell.

"You forget yourself strangely, Mr. Balfour," said she. "I cannot call
to mind that I have given you any right to presume on our acquaintancy."

I stood before her like a stopped clock, and knew not what to think, far
less to say, when of a sudden she cast her arms about my neck and kissed
me with the best will in the world.

"You inimitable bairn!" she cried. "Did you think that I would let us
part like strangers? Because I can never keep my gravity at you five
minutes on end, you must not dream I do not love you very well: I am all
love and laughter, every time I cast an eye on you! And now I will give
you an advice to conclude your education, which you will have need of
before it's very long. Never _ask_ women-folk. They are bound to answer
'No'; God never made the lass that could resist the temptation. It's
supposed by divines to be the curse of Eve: because she did not say it
when the devil offered her the apple, her daughters can say nothing
else."

"Since I am so soon to lose my bonny professor," I began.

"This is gallant, indeed," says she, curtsying.

"--I would put the one question," I went on: "May I ask a lass to marry
me?"

"You think you could not marry her without?" she asked. "Or else get her
to offer?"

"You see you cannot be serious," said I.

"I shall be very serious in one thing, David," said she: "I shall always
be your friend."

As I got to my horse the next morning, the four ladies were all at the
same window whence we had once looked down on Catriona, and all cri