have passed through many
troubles, dangers, and dispartments, but never yet was doubt between us;
neither ever shall be. Each has trusted well the other; and still
each must do so. Though they tell you I am false, though your own mind
harbours it, from the sense of things around, and your own undervaluing,
yet take counsel of your heart, and cast such thoughts away from you;
being unworthy of itself they must be unworthy also of the one who
dwells there; and that one is, and ever shall be, your own Lorna Dugal.'

Some people cannot understand that tears should come from pleasure; but
whether from pleasure or from sorrow (mixed as they are in the twisted
strings of a man's heart, or a woman's), great tears fell from my stupid
eyes, even on the blots of Lorna's.

'No doubt it is all over,' my mind said to me bitterly; 'trust me, all
shall yet be right,' my heart replied very sweetly.

CHAPTER LX

ANNIE LUCKIER THAN JOHN

Some people may look down upon us for our slavish ways (as they may
choose to call them), but in our part of the country, we do love to
mention title, and to roll it on our tongues, with a conscience and a
comfort. Even if a man knows not, through fault of education, who the
Duke of this is, or the Earl of that, it will never do for him to say
so, lest the room look down on him. Therefore he must nod his head,
and say, 'Ah, to be sure! I know him as well as ever I know my own
good woman's brother. He married Lord Flipflap's second daughter, and a
precious life she led him.' Whereupon the room looks up at him. But
I, being quite unable to carry all this in my head, as I ought, was
speedily put down by people of a noble tendency, apt at Lords, and pat
with Dukes, and knowing more about the King than His Majesty would have
requested. Therefore, I fell back in thought, not daring in words to do
so, upon the titles of our horses. And all these horses deserved their
names, not having merely inherited, but by their own doing earned them.
Smiler, for instance, had been so called, not so much from a habit of
smiling, as from his general geniality, white nose, and white ankle.
This worthy horse was now in years, but hale and gay as ever; and when
you let him out of the stable, he could neigh and whinny, and make men
and horses know it. On the other hand, Kickums was a horse of morose
and surly order; harbouring up revenge, and leading a rider to false
confidence. Very smoothly he would go, and as gentle as