FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76  
77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>   >|  
did order it for him." Well, at this we all laughed, and _Alice_ turned the talk aside to other matter, for I think she saw that _Blanche's_ temper (which is ne'er that of an angel) were giving way. I cannot help to be somewhat diseaseful, for it seemeth me as though _Blanche_ might hint at Sir _Edwin_. And I do trust he hath not been a-flattering of her. She is metely well-looking,--good of stature, and a fair fresh face, grey eyen, and fair hair, as have the greater part of maids about here, but her nose turns up too much for beauty. She is not for to compare with me nor _Edith_. I must ask at Sir _Edwin_ to-morrow if he wist aught of _Blanche_. If I find him double-tongued--good lack! but methinks I would ne'er see him no more, though it should break mine heart--as I cast no doubt it should. SELWICK HALL, NOVEMBER YE XXV. 'Tis all well, and _Blanche_ could not have meant to hint at my _Protection_. I asked at him if he knew one _Blanche Lewthwaite_, and he seemed fair astonied, and said he knew no such an one, nor that any of that name dwelt in all the vale. Then I told him wherefore I had asked it. And he said that to think I was jealous of any for him did him uttermost honour and pleasance, but did his fairest _Amiability_ (quo' he) think he could so much as look on any other face at after hers? Then I asked at him (as I had often desired to wit) where he were of a _Sunday_, for that he never came to church. And he told me that he had an old friend, a parson, dwelling on _Winander-side_, and he did alway abide with him o'er the _Sunday_. Moreover he was something feared (saith he) to be seen at _Keswick_ church, lest _Father_ should get scent of him, wherefore he did deny himself the delight it had been (quoth he) to feast his eyes on the fair face of his most sweet _Amiability_. "Then," said I, laughing, "you did not desire for to see _Father_ at the first?" "Soft you now!" saith he, and laughed too. "`All is fair in love and war.'" "I doubt if _Father_ should say the same," said I. "Well, see you," quoth he, "Sir _Aubrey_ is a right excellent gentleman, yet hath he some precise notions which obtain not at Court and in such like company. A man cannot square all his dealings by the Bible and the parsons, without he go out of the world. And here away in the country, where every man hath known you from your cradle, it is easier to ride of an
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76  
77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Blanche

 

Father

 

church

 
Sunday
 
wherefore
 

Amiability

 
laughed
 

parson

 

dwelling

 

friend


Moreover
 

Winander

 

precise

 

desired

 

notions

 
easier
 

cradle

 

feared

 

country

 
excellent

desire

 
square
 

laughing

 

gentleman

 

company

 

obtain

 

Keswick

 
parsons
 

dealings

 

delight


Aubrey

 

NOVEMBER

 

stature

 

metely

 

flattering

 

greater

 

beauty

 

compare

 

seemeth

 

matter


turned

 

diseaseful

 

giving

 

temper

 

Lewthwaite

 

astonied

 
Protection
 

fairest

 

pleasance

 

honour