ucation
than you have, John Ridd; nay, and not so much. My birth and ancestry
are not one whit more pure than yours, although they may be better
known. Your descent from ancient freeholders, for five-and-twenty
generations of good, honest men, although you bear no coat of arms, is
better than the lineage of nine proud English noblemen out of every ten
I meet with. In manners, though your mighty strength, and hatred of any
meanness, sometimes break out in violence--of which I must try to cure
you, dear--in manners, if kindness, and gentleness, and modesty are
the true things wanted, you are immeasurably above any of our
Court-gallants; who indeed have very little. As for difference of
religion, we allow for one another, neither having been brought up in a
bitterly pious manner.'

Here, though the tears were in my eyes, at the loving things love said
of me, I could not help a little laugh at the notion of any bitter piety
being found among the Doones, or even in mother, for that matter. Lorna
smiled, in her slyest manner, and went on again:--

'Now, you see, I have proved my point; there is nothing between us but
worldly position--if you can defend me against the Doones, for which, I
trow, I may trust you. And worldly position means wealth, and title,
and the right to be in great houses, and the pleasure of being envied.
I have not been here for a year, John, without learning something. Oh,
I hate it; how I hate it! Of all the people I know, there are but two,
besides my uncle, who do not either covet, or detest me. And who are
those two, think you?'

'Gwenny, for one,' I answered.

'Yes, Gwenny, for one. And the queen, for the other. The one is too far
below me (I mean, in her own opinion), and the other too high above.
As for the women who dislike me, without having even heard my voice, I
simply have nothing to do with them. As for the men who covet me, for
my land and money, I merely compare them with you, John Ridd; and all
thought of them is over. Oh, John, you must never forsake me, however
cross I am to you. I thought you would have gone, just now; and though I
would not move to stop you, my heart would have broken.'

'You don't catch me go in a hurry,' I answered very sensibly, 'when the
loveliest maiden in all the world, and the best, and the dearest, loves
me. All my fear of you is gone, darling Lorna, all my fear--'

'Is it possible you could fear me, John, after all we have been through
together? Now yo