The Duchess of Rosemary Lane

ut even in sleep the foxglove lights up the underwood, and the clover retains the sunset's

loor o

with patines o

ry whisperings--are reflected in the stream which reflects also the shadow of Nelly Marston, who is bending low to look at her fair face in the depths made luminous by stars. As with spark

hers, blotting the fairer vision, and

re you about to play Ophelia

em, but unseen by either, stands the gardener's son, watching them. Their breasts are stirr

th burning blushes in her face, "

s for lac

ple ass

as a spirit might. Labour thrown away, Miss Marston, and

be that sh

but a shad

n regains he

ect you to-nigh

re welcome," he answers gail

ks him b

m starving with hunger. I have not had a mo

anner; "but Lady Temple must not know you are here. 'Miss Marston,' she said to me this afternoon, my nephew will be absent for som

, not less than thirty-five years of

ship three hours ago, twe

Marston seriously, "why she should

by, "Now, my dear Mother Hubbard

etful"--this with a little weary sigh--"and the doctor says it is most important she should not be ann

melt away into such airy distances that, though my limbs were quickened with mercury, I s

ng, Nelly finds stren

rant of the reason why your aunt sent you away--for

sent away. I am sure

now what my position is. I am a dependent, without parents, without friends, without money. Sometimes when I lo

mutters, not in the most amiable tone; but in a

though her strong will were about to desert her

to be strong. And now I will leave you, please. No; do not walk w

lk!" he crie

im steadily

Temple, who will

lly when no one is by to hear!--I will answer for their

th of his nature. He not only loves her; he respects her. The very ground she walks upon is sacred in his eyes. Until lately he had fed hopefully upon small crumbs of comfort which the girl, wittingly or unwittingly, had given him. Nelly had spoken pleasantly to him; Nelly had smiled

re starving of hunger. You had best bribe one of the servants, and get something to ea

yet beseechingly. "Advice is a cheap gif

right s

I have another kind of hunger upon m

ims, with a pretty

ee that I am starving of love fo

ung by her avoidance of him, steps swiftly after her, and before she is aware of h

hout question of its worth: the measure of difficulty gauges that--the more ardent is he in its pursuit, and t

more because of his persistence, and because of the v

itated, "how can you so compromise me?

is voice to the pitch of hers; "that you m

-anything!

romise

es--I p

ple moves restlessly, and opens her eyes. He has barely time to slip b

you, Miss

Lady T

t I heard

his momen

medicine, Miss Marston. Why did y

Lady Temple, and I though

it to

e replaces the bottle, Mr. Temple, with unthinking and cruel audacity, seizes her hand, and kisses it. Lady Temple, wi

ady Temple. "What makes your

hand being released--about

strangely. You are full of f

candle, so that I may see

sees nothing to verify her suspicions, Mr. Tem

urmurs. "It is true I see shadows; I hear voices: I am not certain at times whether I am awake or

on for you to repea

end to be misunderstood. I tell you now, plainly, that I sen

" cries Nelly

ge me by holding this glass while I speak. I

the girl scornfully; "knowing my position. If I had any

e a home here while I live, and I will not turn you away. If you go, you go of your own accord. I tell you again I know perfectly well what is stirring within that bus

oken slightingly of her more than once because s

ught at last, an

n. She would not have changed h

es hears what I say. I had a pretty face once, and I knew its power, and used it as you wish to do. But not with my nephew, Miss Marston, mark that! You have all the world to choose from, with the exc

errupts Nelly, with a curl

attempt to soften the effect of her words. "There's the gardener's son. You can't do better than marry him. His father has been all h

words are reaching other ears than her o

lting me, Lady Temple, I sha

you like except my nephew. If he marries you he is a begg

is an opiate, but even while she yields to its influence, she cont

s if, meaning it even, he dared to thwart m

owers her, and she takes her theme

eals from his

ders, and drawing her to him. "I was very nearly coming forward and spoiling everyth

embrace for a mome

now. Go, for my sake,

Do not forget. In an

t not t

sed," he says,

he entreats. "Y

then, does he see in their place? Do the floating reflections bear a deeper meaning to his senses than they would convey under ordinary conditions? Does he see any foreshadowing of the future there? No. His thoughts are all upon the present, and what he beholds is merely tinged with such poetry as springs from animal sentiment. He may trick himself into a finer belief, but h

says the young man, "can

ok of curiosity at the young fel

s,

ntruder attentively, and

d a singular time

eak to you

us

please

by will

may be too

the gardener's son s

young man. You have lived all you

born he

o who will be the next

s,

sh to cont

s it may

rded as to have an indirect bearing upon it. The answer to the last, spoken with manly independence, conveys to Mr. Temple the knowledge tha

masterful wave of his hand, "to choose

some one, pe

ds that have passed, the battle has been fairl

and consulting it, "to force yourself upon me, I will

sadvantage by his abrupt method; but, being a lawyer,

n," says the gardener's

that yo

ether I have a r

candid

w misses

young fellow, "that I have, fo

but his earnestness

atching for Nelly Marston as he speaks, "unsolicited as it is. A

ke," quickly retort

ir philosop

serous. It stands in this way, sir

Mr. Temple, with malicious reli

have got mixed up together in a m

with an ominous frown on his face, "that Miss Marston is a

r's son quietly and simply, "I am thinking of her. A young

of gossip. I cannot acknowledge your right to address me on this matter, and this conversation must come to an end. Young ladies nowadays are perfectly well able to take care of themselves, and as a rule choose for themselves. We rougher creatures are often more sensi

e gardener's son, with sad s

tituted you her champion and had authorised you to speak, I should be willing t

tation, it would have fared ill with him, smarting as the man is with passionate j

uestion, sir. Do you

or weeks. Ah, I perceive that answer is satisfactory to

rm, walks slowly away, and his shadow is soon swallowed up

tells the oft-told tale flows sweetly and tenderly. They stand beneath the stars, and he calls upon them to witness his love, his truth, his honour. Every word that falls from his lips sinks into her soul, and her heart is like a garden filled with unfading flowers. Humiliation and unrest melt into oblivion, never more to rise and agonise her. He loves her; he tells her so a hundred times and in a hundred ways. He will be true to her; he swears it by all the beautiful signs around them. Fairer and more lovely grows the night as he kisses away her tears. The moon rises higher in the heavens and bathes them in light. Softly, more tenderly he speaks, and she, like a

and vows again. "Put your arms about my neck--

as she gazes into the immeasurable distances of the stars, she sees, with the eyes