erstanding
it, looked forth, to be taught about it. For it was strange to note that
lately my dear mother had lost her quickness, and was never quite brisk,
unless the question were about myself. She had seen a great deal of
trouble; and grief begins to close on people, as their power of life
declines. We said that she was hard of hearing; but my opinion was,
that seeing me inclined for marriage made her think of my father, and
so perhaps a little too much, to dwell on the courting of thirty years
agone. Anyhow, she was the very best of mothers; and would smile and
command herself; and be (or try to believe herself) as happy as could
be, in the doings of the younger folk, and her own skill in detecting
them. Yet, with the wisdom of age, renouncing any opinion upon the
matter; since none could see the end of it.

But Lorna in her bright young beauty, and her knowledge of my heart, was
not to be checked by any thoughts of haply coming evil. In the morning
she was up, even sooner than I was, and through all the corners of the
hens, remembering every one of them. I caught her and saluted her with
such warmth (being now none to look at us), that she vowed she would
never come out again; and yet she came the next morning.

These things ought not to be chronicled. Yet I am of such nature, that
finding many parts of life adverse to our wishes, I must now and then
draw pleasure from the blessed portions. And what portion can be more
blessed than with youth, and health, and strength, to be loved by a
virtuous maid, and to love her with all one's heart? Neither was my
pride diminished, when I found what she had done, only from her love of
me.

Earl Brandir's ancient steward, in whose charge she had travelled, with
a proper escort, looked upon her as a lovely maniac; and the mixture of
pity and admiration wherewith he regarded her, was a strange thing to
observe; especially after he had seen our simple house and manners. On
the other hand, Lorna considered him a worthy but foolish old gentleman;
to whom true happiness meant no more than money and high position.

These two last she had been ready to abandon wholly, and had in part
escaped from them, as the enemies of her happiness. And she took
advantage of the times, in a truly clever manner. For that happened
to be a time--as indeed all times hitherto (so far as my knowledge
extends), have, somehow, or other, happened to be--when everybody
was only too glad to take money for d