“A frank announcement of your intent, and beyond doubt a true one; but surely unusual at this stage, and a little premature, John.  However, what must be, must be.”  And with tears springing out of smiles, she fell on my breast, and cried a bit.

When I came to smoke a pipe over it (after the rest were gone to bed), I could hardly believe in my good luck.  For here was I, without any merit, except of bodily power, and the absence of any falsehood (which surely is no commendation), so placed that the noblest man in England might envy me, and be vexed with me.  For the noblest lady in all the land, and the purest, and the sweetest—­hung upon my heart, as if there was none to equal it.

I dwelled upon this matter, long and very severely, while I smoked a new tobacco, brought by my own Lorna for me, and next to herself most delicious; and as the smoke curled away, I thought, “Surely this is too fine to last, for a man who never deserved it.”

Seeing no way out of this, I resolved to place my faith in God; and so went to bed and dreamed of it.  And having no presence of mind to pray for anything, under the circumstances, I thought it best to fall asleep, and trust myself to the future.  Yet ere I fell asleep the roof above me swarmed with angels, having Lorna under it.

In the morning Lorna was ready to tell her story, and we to hearken; and she wore a dress of most simple stuff; and yet perfectly wonderful, by means of the shape and her figure.  Lizzie was wild with jealousy, as might be expected (though never would Annie have been so, but have praised it, and craved for the pattern), and mother not understanding it, looked forth, to be taught about it.  For it was strange to note that lately my dear mother had lost her quickness, and was never quite brisk, unless the question were about myself.  She had seen a great deal of trouble; and grief begins to close on people, as their power of life declines.  We said that she was hard of hearing; but my opinion was, that seeing me inclined for marriage made her think of my father, and so perhaps a little too much, to dwell on the courting of thirty years agone.  Anyhow, she was the very best of mothers; and would smile and command herself; and be (or try to believe herself) as happy as could be, in the doings of the younger folk, and her own skill in detecting them.  Yet, with the wisdom of age, renouncing any opinion upon the matter; since none could see the end of it.

But Lorna in her bright young beauty, and her knowledge of my heart, was not to be checked by any thoughts of haply coming evil.  In the morning she was up, even sooner than I was, and through all the corners of the hens, remembering every one of them.  I caught her and saluted her with such warmth (being now none to look at us), that she vowed she would never come out again; and yet she came the next morning.

These things ought not to be chronicled.  Yet I am of such nature, that finding many parts of life adverse to our wishes, I must now and then draw pleasure from the blessed portions.  And what portion can be more blessed than with youth, and health, and strength, to be loved by a virtuous maid, and to love her with all one’s heart?  Neither was my pride diminished, when I found what she had done, only from her love of me.