ny does; for she even
wanted to eat me."

"And shall, afore I have done, young man," Gwenny answered laughing;
"you come in here with they red chakes, and make us think o' sirloin."

"Eat up your bit of brown bread, Gwenny. It is not good enough for
your mistress. Bless her heart, I have something here such as she never
tasted the like of, being in such appetite. Look here, Lorna; smell it
first. I have had it ever since Twelfth Day, and kept it all the time
for you. Annie made it. That is enough to warrant it good cooking."

And then I showed my great mince-pie in a bag of tissue paper, and I
told them how the mince-meat was made of golden pippins finely shred,
with the undercut of the sirloin, and spice and fruit accordingly and
far beyond my knowledge. But Lorna would not touch a morsel until she
had thanked God for it, and given me the kindest kiss, and put a piece
in Gwenny's mouth.

I have eaten many things myself, with very great enjoyment, and keen
perception of their merits, and some thanks to God for them. But I never
did enjoy a thing, that had found its way between my own lips, half, or
even a quarter as much as I now enjoyed beholding Lorna, sitting
proudly upwards (to show that she was faint no more) entering into
that mince-pie, and moving all her pearls of teeth (inside her little
mouth-place) exactly as I told her. For I was afraid lest she should be
too fast in going through it, and cause herself more damage so, than she
got of nourishment. But I had no need to fear at all, and Lorna could
not help laughing at me for thinking that she had no self-control.

Some creatures require a deal of food (I myself among the number), and
some can do with a very little; making, no doubt, the best of it. And I
have often noticed that the plumpest and most perfect women never eat so
hard and fast as the skinny and three-cornered ones. These last be often
ashamed of it, and eat most when the men be absent. Hence it came to
pass that Lorna, being the loveliest of all maidens, had as much as she
could do to finish her own half of pie; whereas Gwenny Carfax (though
generous more than greedy), ate up hers without winking, after finishing
the brown loaf; and then I begged to know the meaning of this state of
things.

"The meaning is sad enough," said Lorna; "and I see no way out of it. We
are both to be starved until I let them do what they like with me.

"That is to say until you choose to marry Carver Doone, and b