"But I"m not! I was going to tell you so in the orchard yesterday, but you gave me no chance; you preferred to guess, and, of course, guessed wrong altogether. I knew it made you wretched, and I was glad of it and meant to keep you so a long, long time; but when I looked up and saw you standing there so very, very miserable, d.i.c.k, I couldn"t keep it up any longer, because I was so dreadfully wretched myself, you know."
"Can you ever forgive me?"
"That depends, d.i.c.k."
"On what?"
Lisbeth stooped, and picking up her hat, began to put it on.
"Depends on what?" I repeated.
Her hat was on now, but for a while she did not answer, her eyes upon the "fairy path." When at last she spoke her voice was very low and tender.
""Not far from the village of Down, in Kent, there is a house,"" she began, ""a very old house, with pointed gables and pannelled chambers, but empty to-night and desolate." You see I remember it all," she broke off.
"Yes, you remember it all," I repeated, wondering.
"d.i.c.k--I--I want you to--take me there. I"ve thought of it all so often. Take me there, d.i.c.k."
"Lisbeth, do you mean it?"
"It has been the dream of my life for a long time now--to work for you there, to take care of you, d.i.c.k--you need such a deal, such a great deal of taking care of--to walk with you in the old rose garden; but I"m a beggar now, you know, though I sha"n"t mind a bit if--if you want me, d.i.c.k."
"Want you!" I cried, and with the words I drew her close and kissed her. Now, from somewhere in the tree above came a sudden crack and mighty snapping of twigs.
"All right, Uncle d.i.c.k!" cried a voice; "it"s only the branch. Don"t worry."
"Imp!" I exclaimed.
"I"m coming, Uncle d.i.c.k," he answered, and with much exertion and heavy breathing he presently emerged into view and squirmed himself safely to earth. For a moment he stood looking from one to the other of us, then he turned to Lisbeth.
"Won"t you forgive me, too, Auntie Lisbeth, please?" he said.
"Forgive you!" she cried, and falling on her knees, gathered him in her arms.
"I"m glad I didn"t go to Persia, after all, Uncle d.i.c.k," he said over her shoulder.
"Persia!" repeated Lisbeth, wonderingly.
"Oh, yes; you were so angry with Uncle d.i.c.k an" me--so frightfull"
angry, you know, that I was going to try to find the "wonderful lamp"
so I could wish everything all right again an" all of us "live happy ever after"; but the blasted oak did just as well, an" was nicer, somehow, wasn"t it?"
"Infinitely nicer," I answered.
"An" you will never be angry with Uncle d.i.c.k or me any more, will you, auntie--that is, not frightfull" angry, you know?"
"Never any more, dear."
"On your honour?"
"On my honour!"
"So help you Sam?"
"So help me Sam!" she repeated, smiling, but there were tears in her voice.
Very gravely the Imp drew his "trusty sword," which she, following his instructions, obediently kissed.
"And now," cried he, "we are all happy again, aren"t we?"
"More happy than I ever hoped or dreamed to be," answered Lisbeth, still upon her knees; "and oh, Imp--dear little Imp, come and kiss me."
VIII
THE LAND OF HEART"S DELIGHT
Surely there never was and never could be such another morning as this!
Ever since the first peep of dawn a blackbird had been singing to me from the fragrant syringa-bush that blossomed just beneath my window.
Each morning I had wakened to the joyous melody of his golden song.
But to-day the order was reversed. I had sat there at my open cas.e.m.e.nt, breathing the sweet purity of the morning, watching the eastern sky turn slowly from pearl-grey to saffron and from saffron to deepest crimson, until at last the new-risen sun had filled all the world with his glory. And then this blackbird of mine had begun--very hoa.r.s.e at first, trying a note now and then in a tentative sort of fashion, as though still drowsy and not quite sure of himself, but little by little his notes had grown longer, richer, mellower, until here he was pouring out his soul in an ecstasy.
Ah! surely there never was, there never could be, such another morning as this!
Out of the green twilight of the woods a gentle wind was blowing, laden with the scent of earth and hidden flowers. Dewdrops twinkled in the gra.s.s and hung glistening from every leaf and twig, and beyond all was the sheen of the murmurous river.
The blackbird was in full song now, and by degrees others joined in--thrush, and lark, and linnet, with the humbler voices of the farmyard--until the sunny air was vibrant with the chorus.
Presently a man in a sleeved waistcoat crossed the paddock, whistling l.u.s.tily, and from somewhere below there rose a merry clatter of plates and dishes; and thus the old inn, which had seen so many mornings, woke up to yet another. But there never was, there never could be, just such another morning as this was!
And in a little while, having dressed with more than usual care, I went downstairs to find my breakfast awaiting me in the "Sanded Parlour,"
having ordered it for this early hour the night previously--ham and eggs and fragrant coffee, what mortal could wish for more?
And while I ate, waited on by the rosy-cheeked chambermaid, in came Master Amos Baggett, mine host, to pa.s.s the time of day, and likewise to a.s.sure me that my baggage should catch the early train; who when I rose, my meal at an end, paused to wipe his honest hand quite needlessly upon his snowy ap.r.o.n ere he wished me "Good-bye."
So having duly remembered the aforesaid rosy-cheeked chambermaid, the obsequious "Boots" and the grinning ostler, I sallied forth into the sunshine, and crossing the green, where stood the battered sign-post, I came to a flight of rough steps, at the foot of which my boat was moored. In I stepped, cast loose the painter, and shipping the sculls, shot out into the stream.
No, there never was, there never could be, just such another morning as this, for to-day I was to marry Lisbeth, and every stroke of the oar carried me nearer to her and happiness. Gaily the alders bent and nodded to me; joyfully the birds piped and sang; merrily the water laughed and chattered against my prow as I rowed through the golden morning.
Long before the hour appointed I reached the water-stairs at Fane Court, and tying my skiff, lighted my pipe and watched the smoke rise slowly into the still air while I tried "to possess my soul in patience." Sitting thus, I dreamed many a fair dream of the new life that was to be, and made many resolutions, as a man should upon his wedding morn.
And at last came Lisbeth herself, swiftly, lightly, as fair and sweet and fresh as the morning, who yet paused a while to lean upon the bal.u.s.trade and look down at me beneath the brim of her hat. Up I rose and stretched out my hands to her, but she still stood there, and I saw her cheeks were flushed and her eyes shy and tender. So once more we stood upon the old water-stairs, she on the top stair, I on the lower; and again I saw the little foot beneath her skirt come slowly towards me and hesitate.
"d.i.c.k," she said, "you know that Aunt Agatha has cut me off--disinherited me altogether--you have had time to think it all over?"
"Yes."