she
said to him, faltering, that she knew not what to say, for she could
not read her daughter's heart--"and I think, Sir Paul," she added,
"that she hath no thought of love--love of the sort of which you
speak. Nay, the maiden loves you well, like a dear brother; she smiles
at your approach, and runs to meet you when she hears your step at the
door"; and then seeing a look of pain and terror in the face of Paul,
she said, "Nay, dear Paul, I know not. God knows how gladly I would
have it so, but hearts are very strangely made; yet you shall speak if
you will, and I will give you my prayers." And then she stooped to
Paul, and kissed his brow, and said, "There is a mother's kiss, for
you are the son of my heart, whatever befall."

So presently the maiden came in, and Paul asked her to walk a little
with him in the garden, and she went smiling; and then he could find
no words at all to tell her what was in his heart, till she said,
laughing, that he looked strangely, and that it seemed he had nought
to say. So Paul took her hand, and told her all his love; and she
looked upon him, smiling very quietly, neither trembling nor amazed,
and said that she would be his wife if so he willed it, and that it
was a great honour; "and then," she added, "you need not go from us,
but you can sing to Helen every day." Then he kissed her; and there
came into his heart a great wave of tenderness, and he thanked God
very humbly for so great a gift. Yet he somehow felt in his heart that
he was not yet content, and that this was not how he had thought it
would fall out; but he also told himself that he would yet win the
maiden's closer love, for he saw that she loved not as he loved. Then
after a little talk they went together and told the Lady Beckwith, and
she blessed them; but Paul could see that neither was she content, but
that she looked at Margaret with a questioning and wondering look.

Then there followed very sweet days. It was soon in the springtime of
the year; the earth was awaking softly from her long sleep, and was by
gentle degrees arraying herself for her summer pomp. The primroses put
out yellow stars about the tree roots; the hyacinths carpeted the
woods with blue, and sent their sweet breath down the glade; and Paul
felt strange desires stir in his heart, and rise like birds upon the
air; and when he walked with the Lady Margaret among the copses, or
rested awhile upon green banks, where the birds sang hidden in the
thic