language), and yet I should never have clasped her in my arms, or have
shown any further amorous desires to her than what the deference I all
along paid her could give her room to surmise. Nay, I can affirm that
I did not even then know that the covering she wore was not the work of
art, but the work of nature, for I really took it for silk; though it
must be premised that I had never seen it by any other light than of my
lamp. Indeed the modesty of her carriage and sweetness of her behaviour
to me had struck into me such a dread of offending her, that though
nothing upon earth could be more capable of exciting passion than her
charms, I could have died rather than have attempted only to salute her
without actual invitation.

When the weather cleared up a little by the lengthening of daylight, I
took courage one afternoon to invite her to walk with me to the lake;
but she sweetly excused herself from it, whilst there was such a
frightful glare of light, as she said; but looking out at the door,
told me, if I would not go out of the wood she would accompany me: so we
agreed to take a turn only there. I first went myself over the stile of
the door, and thinking it rather too high for her, I took her in my arms
and lifted her over. But even when I had her in this manner, I knew not
what to make of her clothing, it sat so true and close; but seeing by a
steadier and truer light in the grove, though a heavy gloomy one, than
my lamp had afforded, I begged she would let me know of what silk or
other composition her garment was made. She smiled, and asked me if mine
was not the same under my jacket "No, lady," says I, "I have nothing
but my skin under my clothes."--"Why, what do you mean?" replies she,
somewhat tartly; "but indeed I was afraid that something was the matter
by that nasty covering you wear, that you might not be seen. Are you
not a glumm?"*--"Yes,"says I, "fair creature." (Here, though you may
conceive she spoke part English, part her own tongue, and I the same, as
we best understood each other, yet I shall give you our discourse, word
for word, in plain English.) "Then," says she, "I am afraid you must
have been a very bad man, and have been crashee,** which I should be
very sorry to hear."

* A man.

** Slit.

I told her I believed we were none of us so good as we might be, but I
hoped my faults had not at most exceeded other men's; but I had suffered
abundance of hardships in my time; and that