’LornaDoone，’sheanswered，inalowvoice，asifafraidofit，andhangingherheadsothatIcouldseeonlyherforeheadandeyelashes；’ifyouplease，mynameisLornaDoone；andIthoughtyoumusthaveknownit。’
ThenIstoodupandtouchedherhand，andtriedtomakeherlookatme；butsheonlyturnedawaythemore。
Youngandharmlessasshewas，hernamealonemadeguiltofher。NeverthelessIcouldnothelplookingathertenderly，andthemorewhenherblushesturnedintotears，andhertearstolong，lowsobs。
’Don’tcry，’Isaid，’whateveryoudo。Iamsureyouhaveneverdoneanyharm。IwillgiveyouallmyfishLorna，andcatchsomemoreformother；onlydon’tbeangrywithme。’
Sheflungherlittlesoftarmsupinthepassionofhertears，andlookedatmesopiteously，thatwhatdidI
dobutkissher。Itseemedtobeaveryoddthing，whenIcametothinkofit，becauseIhatedkissingso，asallhonestboysmustdo。Butshetouchedmyheartwithasuddendelight，likeacowslip-blossomalthoughtherewerenonetobeseenyet，andthesweetestflowersofspring。
Shegavemenoencouragement，asmymotherinherplacewouldhavedone；nay，sheevenwipedherlipswhichmethoughtwasratherrudeofher，anddrewaway，andsmoothedherdress，asifIhadusedafreedom。ThenI
feltmycheeksgrowburningred，andIgazedatmylegsandwassorry。Foralthoughshewasnotatallaproudchildatanyrateinhercountenance，yetIknewthatshewasbybirthathousandyearsinfrontofme。Theymighthavetakenandframedme，orwhichwouldbemoretothepurposemysisters，untilitwastimeforustodie，andthenhavetrainedourchildrenafterus，formanygenerations；yetnevercouldwehavegottenthatlookuponourfaceswhichLornaDoonehadnaturally，asifshehadbeenborntoit。
HerewasI，ayeoman’sboy，ayeomaneveryinchofme，evenwhereIwasnaked；andtherewasshe，aladyborn，andthoroughlyawareofit，anddressedbypeopleofrankandtaste，whotookprideinherbeautyandsetittoadvantage。Forthoughherhairwasfallendownbyreasonofherwildness，andsomeofherfrockwastouchedwithwetwhereshehadtendedmeso，beholdherdresswasprettyenoughforthequeenofalltheangels。Thecolourswerebrightandrichindeed，andthesubstanceverysumptuous，yetsimpleandfreefromtinselstuff，andmatchingmostharmoniously。Allfromherwaisttoherneckwaswhite，plaitedincloselikeacurtain，andthedarksoftweepingofherhair，andtheshadowylightofhereyeslikeawoodrayedthroughwithsunset，madeitseemyetwhiter，asifitweredoneonpurpose。Asfortherest，sheknewwhatitwasagreatdealbetterthanIdid，forInevercouldlookfarawayfromhereyeswhentheywereopeneduponme。
Now，seeinghowIheededher，andfeelingthatIhadkissedher，althoughshewassuchalittlegirl，eightyearsoldorthereabouts，sheturnedtothestreaminabashfulmanner，andbegantowatchthewater，andrubbedonelegagainsttheother。
I，formypart，beingvexedatherbehaviourtome，tookupallmythingstogo，andmadeafussaboutit；
toletherknowIwasgoing。Butshedidnotcallmebackatall，asIhadmadesureshewoulddo；moreover，Iknewthattotrythedescentwasalmostcertaindeathtome，anditlookedasdarkaspitch；andsoatthemouthIturnedroundagain，andcamebacktoher，andsaid，’Lorna。’
’Oh，Ithoughtyouweregone，’sheanswered；’whydidyouevercomehere？Doyouknowwhattheywoulddotous，iftheyfoundyouherewithme？’
’Beatus，Idaresay，veryhard；orme，atleast。Theycouldneverbeatyou，’
’No。Theywouldkillusbothoutright，andburyusherebythewater；andthewateroftentellsmethatI
mustcometothat。’
’Butwhatshouldtheykillmefor？’
’Becauseyouhavefoundthewayuphere，andtheynevercouldbelieveit。Now，pleasetogo；oh，pleasetogo。
Theywillkillusbothinamoment。Yes，Ilikeyouverymuch’——forIwasteasinghertosayit——’verymuchindeed，andIwillcallyouJohnRidd，ifyoulike；
onlypleasetogo，John。Andwhenyourfeetarewell，youknow，youcancomeandtellmehowtheyare。’
’ButItellyou，Lorna，Ilikeyouverymuchindeed——nearlyasmuchasAnnie，andagreatdealmorethanLizzie。AndIneversawanyonelikeyou，andI
mustcomebackagainto-morrow，andsomustyou，toseeme；andIwillbringyousuchlotsofthings——thereareapplesstill，andathrushIcaughtwithonlyonelegbroken，andourdoghasjusthadpuppies——’
’Oh，dear，theywon’tletmehaveadog。Thereisnotadoginthevalley。Theysaytheyaresuchnoisythings——’
’Onlyputyourhandinmine——whatlittlethingstheyare，Lorna!AndIwillbringyoutheloveliestdog；I
willshowyoujusthowlongheis。’
’Hush!’Ashoutcamedownthevalley，andallmyheartwastrembling，likewateraftersunset，andLorna’sfacewasalteredfrompleasantplaytoterror。Sheshranktome，andlookedupatme，withsuchapowerofweakness，thatIatoncemadeupmymindtosaveherortodiewithher。Atinglewentthroughallmybones，andIonlylongedformycarbine。Thelittlegirltookcouragefromme，andputhercheekquiteclosetomine。
’Comewithmedownthewaterfall。Icancarryyoueasily；andmotherwilltakecareofyou。’
’No，no，’shecried，asItookherup：’Iwilltellyouwhattodo。Theyareonlylookingforme。Youseethathole，thatholethere？’
Shepointedtoalittlenicheintherockwhichvergedthemeadow，aboutfiftyyardsawayfromus。InthefadingofthetwilightIcouldjustdescryit。
’Yes，Iseeit；buttheywillseemecrossingthegrasstogetthere。’
’Look!look!’Shecouldhardlyspeak。’Thereisawayoutfromthetopofit；theywouldkillmeifItoldit。Oh，heretheycome，Icanseethem。’
Thelittlemaidturnedaswhiteasthesnowwhichhungontherocksaboveher，andshelookedatthewaterandthenatme，andshecried，’Ohdear!ohdear!’Andthenshebegantosobaloud，beingsoyoungandunready。
ButIdrewherbehindthewithy-bushes，andclosedowntothewater，whereitwasquietandshelvingdeep，ereitcametothelipofthechasm。Heretheycouldnotseeeitherofusfromtheuppervalley，andmighthavesoughtalongtimeforus，evenwhentheycamequitenear，ifthetreeshadbeencladwiththeirsummerclothes。LuckilyIhadpickedupmyfishandtakenmythree-prongedforkaway。
Crouchinginthathollownest，aschildrengettogetherineversolittlecompass，Isawadozenfiercemencomedown，ontheothersideofthewater，notbearinganyfire-arms，butlookinglaxandjovial，asiftheywerecomefromridingandadinnertakenhungrily。
’Queen，queen!’theywereshouting，hereandthere，andnowandthen：’wherethepestisourlittlequeengone？’
’Theyalwayscallme“queen，“andIamtobequeenby-and-by，’Lornawhisperedtome，withhersoftcheekonmyroughone，andherlittleheartbeatingagainstme：’oh，theyarecrossingbythetimberthere，andthentheyaresuretoseeus。’
’Stop，’saidI；’nowIseewhattodo。Imustgetintothewater，andyoumustgotosleep。’
’Tobesure，yes，awayinthemeadowthere。Buthowbittercolditwillbeforyou!’
Shesawinamomentthewaytodoit，soonerthanI
couldtellher；andtherewasnotimetolose。
’Nowmindyounevercomeagain，’shewhisperedoverhershoulder，asshecreptawaywithachildishtwisthidingherwhitefrontfromme；’onlyIshallcomesometimes——oh，heretheyare，Madonna!’
Daringscarcetopeep，Icreptintothewater，andlaydownbodilyinit，withmyheadbetweentwoblocksofstone，andsomeflood-driftcombingoverme。Theduskwasdeepeningbetweenthehills，andawhitemistlayontheriver；butI，beinginthechannelofit，couldseeeveryripple，andtwig，andrush，andglazingoftwilightaboveit，asbrightasinapicture；sothattomyignorancethereseemednochanceatallbutwhatthemenmustfindme。Forallthistimetheywereshoutingandswearing，andkeepingsuchahullabaloo，thattherocksallroundthevalleyrang，andmyheartquaked，sowhatwiththisandthecoldthatthewaterbegantogurgleroundme，andtolapuponthepebbles。
NeitherintruthdidItrytostopit，beingnowsodesperate，betweenthefearandthewretchedness；tillIcaughtaglimpseofthelittlemaid，whosebeautyandwhosekindlinesshadmademeyearntobewithher。AndthenIknewthatforhersakeIwasboundtobebraveandhidemyself。Shewaslyingbeneatharock，thirtyorfortyyardsfromme，feigningtobefastasleep，withherdressspreadbeautifully，andherhairdrawnoverher。
Presentlyoneofthegreatroughmencameroundacorneruponher；andtherehestoppedandgazedawhileatherfairnessandherinnocence。Thenhecaughtherupinhisarms，andkissedhersothatIheardhim；andifIhadonlybroughtmygun，Iwouldhavetriedtoshoothim。
’Hereourqueenis!Here’sthequeen，here’sthecaptain’sdaughter!’heshoutedtohiscomrades；’fastasleep，byGod，andhearty!NowIhavefirstclaimtoher；andnooneelseshalltouchthechild。Backtothebottle，allofyou!’
Hesetherdaintylittleformuponhisgreatsquareshoulder，andhernarrowfeetinonebroadhand；andsointriumphmarchedaway，withthepurplevelvetofherskirtrufflinginhislongblackbeard，andthesilkenlengthofherhairfetchedout，likeacloudbythewindbehindher。Thiswayofhergoingvexedmeso，thatIleapeduprightinthewater，andmusthavebeenspiedbysomeofthem，butfortheirhastetothewine-bottle。Oftheirlittlequeentheytooksmallnotice，beinginthisurgency；althoughtheyhadthoughttofindherdrowned；buttroopedawayafteroneanotherwithkindlychallengetogambling，sofarasI
couldmakethemout；andIkeptsharpwatch，Iassureyou。
Goingupthatdarkenedglen，littleLorna，ridingstillthelargestandmostfierceofthem，turnedandputupahandtome，andIputupahandtoher，inthethickofthemistandthewillows。
Shewasgone，mylittledearthoughtallofherageandhealthy；andwhenIgotovermythriftlessfright，Ilongedtohavemoretosaytoher。HervoicetomewassodifferentfromallIhadeverheardbefore，asmightbeasweetsilverbellintonedtothesmallchordsofaharp。ButIhadnotimetothinkaboutthis，ifIhopedtohaveanysupper。
Icreptintoabushforwarmth，andrubbedmyshiveringlegsonbark，andlongedformother’sfagot。Thenasdaylightsankbelowtheforget-me-notofstars，withasorrowtobequit，Iknewthatnowmustbemytimetogetaway，iftherewereany。
Therefore，wringingmysoddenbreaches，ImanagedtocrawlfromthebanktothenicheinthecliffwhichLornahadshownme。
ThroughtheduskIhadtroubletoseethemouth，ateventhefiveland-yardsofdistance；nevertheless，I
enteredwell，andheldonbysomedeadfern-stems，anddidhopethatnoonewouldshootme。
ButwhileIwashuggingmyselflikethis，withaboyishmannerofreasoning，myjoywasliketohaveendedinsadgriefbothtomyselfandmymother，andhaplytoallhonestfolkwhoshalllovetoreadthishistory。
Forhearinganoiseinfrontofme，andlikeacowardnotknowingwhere，butafraidtoturnroundorthinkofit，Ifeltmyselfgoingdownsomedeeppassageintoapitofdarkness。Itwasnogoodtocatchthesides，thewholethingseemedtogowithme。Then，withoutknowinghow，Iwasleaningoveranightofwater。
Thiswaterwasofblackradiance，asarecertaindiamonds，spannedacrosswithvaultsofrock，andcarryingnoimage，neithershowingmargenorend，butcentredatitmightbewithabottomlessindrawal。
Withthatchillanddreaduponme，andthesheerrockallaround，andthefaintlightheavingwavilyonthesilenceofthisgulf，Imusthavelostmywitsandgonetothebottom，iftherewereany。
Butsuddenlyarobinsangastheywilldoafterdark，towardsspringinthebrownfernandivybehindme。I
tookitforourlittleAnnie’svoiceforshecouldcallanyrobin，andgatheringquickwarmcomfort，sprangupthesteepwaytowardsthestarlight。
Climbingback，asthestonesgliddown，Iheardthecoldgreedywavegojapping，likeablindblackdog，intothedistanceofarchesandhollowdepthsofdarkness。