am the worst person in the world to make plans, even for myself, I find
it so troublesome. What do you say? Suppose you try Wales or Scotland, and
climb up some of those fine mountains that look so well in winter?'

'I should much prefer Feltram. I so wish you would recommend _it_. What is
this pretty plant?'

'We call that Maud's myrtle. She planted it, and it's very pretty when it's
full in blow,' said Milly.

Our visit to Elverston had been of immense use to us both.

'Oh! planted by _you?_' he said, very softly, with a momentary
corresponding glance. 'May I--ever so little--just a leaf?'

And without waiting for permission, he held a sprig of it next his
waistcoat.

'Yes, it goes very prettily with those buttons. They are _very_ pretty
buttons; are not they, Milly? A present, a souvenir, I dare say?'

This was a terrible hit at the button-maker, and I thought he looked a
little oddly at me, but my countenance was so 'bewitchingly simple' that I
suppose his suspicions were allayed.

Now, it was very odd of me, I must confess, to talk in this way, and to
receive all those tender allusions from a gentleman about whom I had spoken
and felt so sharply only the evening before. But Bartram was abominably
lonely. A civilised person was a valuable waif or stray in that region of
the picturesque and the brutal; and to my lady reader especially, because
she will probably be hardest upon me, I put it--can you not recollect any
such folly in your own past life? Can you not in as many minutes call to
mind at least six similar inconsistencies of your own practising? For my
part, I really can't see the advantage of being the weaker sex if we are
always to be as strong as our masculine neighbours.

There was, indeed, no revival of the little sentiment which I had once
experienced. When these things once expire, I do believe they are as hard
to revive as our dead lap-dogs, guinea-pigs, and parrots. It was my perfect
coolness which enabled me to chat, I flatter myself, so agreeably with the
refined Captain, who plainly thought me his captive, and was probably
now and then thinking what was to be done to utilise that little bit of
Bartram, or to beautify some other, when he should see fit to become its
master, as we rambled over these wild but beautiful grounds.

It was just about then that Milly nudged me rather vehemently, and
whispered 'Look there!'

I followed with mine the direction of her eyes, and saw my odious cousin