Simon Dale

rations shall surely repeat so long as the world may last, found no better rule for a man's life than t

is a counsel too high and therefore dangerous, what comes before should surely be graven by each of us on the walls of our hearts. For any man who lived in the days that I have s

good or bad, was none of my doing, nor indeed, folks whispered, much of my parents' either, seeing that destiny overruled the affair, and Betty Nasroth, the wise woman, announced its imminence more than a year beforehand. For she predicted the birth, on the very day whereon I came into the world, within a mile of the parish church, of a male child who-and the utterance certainly had a lofty sound about it-should love where the King loved, know what the King hid, and drink of the King's cup. Now, inasmuch as none lived within the limits named by Betty Nasroth, save on the one side sundry humble labourers, whose progeny could expect no such fate, and on the other my Lord and Lady Quinton, who were wedded but a month before my birthday, the prophecy was fully as pointed as it had any need to be, and caused to my parents no small questioni

thing which, as every woman in the parish knew, a person absolutely possessed by the Evil One can by no means accomplish (unless, indeed, a bare three drops squeezed from the left eye may usurp the name of tears). But my mother shrank away from her and would not allow her to touch me; nor was it until I had grown older and ran about the village alone that the old woman, having tracked me to a lonely spot, took me in her arms, mumbled over my head some words I did not understand, and kissed me. That a mole grows on the spot she kissed is but a fable (for how do the women know where her kiss fell save by where the mole grows?-and

to my father, "a

ign of grace,"

know whether he spoke perversely or

e age of eighteen years. My dear father was then in Heaven, and old Betty had found, as was believed, another billet. But my mother lived, and the Vicar, like the King, had come to his own again: and I was five feet eleven in my stockings, and

it was in moments of perplexity, "Betty Nasroth's prophecy is of small service. For the doi

ed," said my mother gentl

ooked a lit

urite way out of an argument. In truth the Vicar loved the prophecy, as a qu

e what the King says to yo

mischievously, "that it shou

e answered, pinching my e

wholesome thing to hang round a young man's neck. The dreams of youth grow rank enough without such watering. The prediction was always in my mind, alluring and tantalising as a teasing girl who puts her pretty face near yours, safe that you dare

"with a certain cook-maid of my sister's. It

ried the Vicar, with

aid my mother, "seeking the likeliest m

her first service," said

had a wife," retorted

ce myself," s

ur to learn from my aunt's cook-maid, and wait patiently on fate. But what avails an argument, be it ever so sound, ag

ustice Barnard, a young squire of good family and high repute, but

ster Mary, who was to wed a saintly cler

"nothing of such matters i

granted, dear boy,"

r rubbed

earing only dimly and, as it were, from afar-off of that great calamity, and of the horrors that beset the city. For the disease did not come our way, and we moralised on the sins of the townsfolk with sound bodies and contented minds. We were happy in our health and in our virtue, and not disinclined to applaud God's judgment that smote our erring brethren; for too often the chastisement

wn. Barbara was pleased to hold herself haughtily towards me, for she was an heiress, and of a house that had not fallen in the world as mine had. Yet we were friends; for we sparred and rallied, she giving offence and I taking it, she pardoning my ruden

n his cup, and to love where he loves--"; but at this point the Vicar, who chanced to be by, twinkled also, but

er damsel, of lower stature and plumper figure, dressed full as prettily as Barbara herself, and laughing with most merry lips and under eyes that half hid themselves in an eclipse of mirth. When Barbara saw me, she did not, as her cust

rer is of divine make?" I was young then, and did not know that to complimen

," said Barbar

ondon, and she lodges with her mother in your gardener's c

" said Barbara. Then she added abruptl

ng at the stranger, and on Barbar

em so to you, Mistress Barbara?" And, simple tho

And pray what do you know o

at Quinton Manor," I

her pretty," retor

k a step towards the visitor, who stood some ten yards from us,

ou?" asked Barbara, p

y that," sai

wn, the best of girls will set her pretty foot on his neck, and also from my love of a thing that is new, I was thoroughly resolve

to ask after her health, for, coming from Lon

again, declaring plainly

re me to walk wi

of less," she interrupted.

a truce to that. What passed is enough; with what might have, my story would stretch to the world's end. I smothered my remorse, and went up to the stranger, bidding her good-day in my most polite and courtly manner; she smiled, but at what I knew n

faith; a man i

be called a ma

ed, "what will be one,

t growing wrinkled," said I, s

repartee in him!

d I, simpering as I supposed the Court gallants to s

ed in mock admiration. "Do they t

mockery, I was, as I remember, much pleased with this speech. It had come from some

ughing up at me with

"you must be Simon Dale, of wh

he gardener has played me a trick; for now I h

in your hand," said she. "I might b

Quinton, and I still meant to use it as a peace-offering. But Barbara h

d with his flowers," she

wavering in my purpose, "the n

h. "Nothing gives flowers such a perfume." And she

" I asked, holding the fl

ver, indeed, there is a man to gather flowers

ay is yours at the price,"

t, you desire t

my own choosing," said I, with a glan

tress Barbara there? No, I'll give you a n

a! A fi

carelessly, "as

e no other t

to head his sonnet? And surel

, Cydaria

d is not Cydaria as

ound," said I, "but

w-the n

" I sighed; but since a bargain i

Barbara's. She looked up and, finding my gaze on her, made a little grimace as though it were only what she had expected and gave her no more concern than pleasure. Yet at such a look Barbara would have turned cold and distant for an hour or more. Cydaria, smiling in

" said she. "But, indeed, it's of

ckward to ta

a guide no

a guide, Simon," she

ay, Cydaria, and your

-" She paused, drooping the corners

what

tress Barbara

ed towards the house

t she wished to

did she

that as we go along," said