’Taksmarlboocket，andbaleunout；wad’ewastesichstoofasthicherebe？’SoBettysetmetofeedthepigs，whilesheheldthelanthorn；andknowingwhatshewas，Isawthatshewouldnottellmeanotherworduntilallthepigswereserved。Andintruthnomancouldwelllookatthem，anddelaytoservethem，theywereallexpressingappetiteinsoforcibleamanner；
somerunningtoandfro，andrubbing，andsquealingasiffromstarvation，somerushingdowntotheoakentroughs，andpokingeachotherawayfromthem；andthekindestofallputtinguptheirfore-feetonthetop-railonthehog-pound，andblinkingtheirlittleeyes，andgruntingprettilytocoaxus；aswhowouldsay，’Itrustyounow；youwillbekind，Iknow，andgivemethefirstandtheverybestofit。’
’Oppenge-atnow，wull’e，Jan？Maind，youngsowwi’
thebaiblebackarlwayhathfirsttoornofit，’cosI
broughtheruponmylap，Idid。Zuck，zuck，zuck!Howherstickthhertailup；domegoodtozeeun!Nowthiccytrough，theezany，andtaktheegirtlegsouto’
thewai。Wishtheywudgietheeagoodbaite，maktheehopabitvaster，Ireckon。Hitthattheregirtozebirdover’sbackwi’thebroomstick，heberobbingofmyyoungzow。Choog，choog，choog!andadrapmoreleftinthedripping-pail。’
’Comenow，Betty，’Isaid，whenallthepigswereatitsucking，swilling，munching，guzzling，thrusting，andousting，andspillingthefooduponthebacksoftheirbrethrenasgreatmendowiththeircharity，’comenow，Betty，howmuchlongeramItowaitforyourmessage？SurelyIamasgoodasapig。’
’Dunnoastheebe，Jan。Nostraikinessinthybakkon。
AndnowIcometothinkofit，Jan，theezed，awakeagonelastVriday，ashowIhadgotagirtbe-ard。
Wull’esticktothatnow，MaisterJan？’
’No，no，Betty，certainlynot；Imadeamistakeaboutit。Ishouldhavesaidabecomingmustachio，suchasyoumaywellbeproudof。’
’Thentheebealaiar，JanRidd。Zayso，laikeaman，lad。’
’Notexactlythat，Betty；butImadeagreatmistake；
andIhumblyaskyourpardon；andifsuchathingasacrown-piece，Betty’——
’Nofai，nofai!’saidBetty，howeversheputitintoherpocket；’nowtakmyadvice，Jan；theemarryZallySnowe。’
’NotwithallEnglandforherdowry。Oh，Betty，youknowbetter。’
’Ah’sme!Iknowmuchworse，Jan。Breakthypoormother’sheartitwill。Andtothinkofarlthedanger!DostloveLarnanowsomuch？’
’Withallthestrengthofmyheartandsoul。Iwillhaveher，orIwilldie，Betty。’
’Wull。Theewilldieineithercase。Butitbaintformetoargify。Anddoherlovetheetoo，Jan？’
’Ihopeshedoes，BettyIhopeshedoes。Whatdoyouthinkaboutit？’
’Ah，thenImayholdmytonguetoit。Knawwhatboysandmaidensbe，aswellasIknewyoungpegs。Imyzellbeeno’thatzortonetaimeeverybitsowellasyoube。’AndBettyheldthelanthornup，anddefiedmetodenyit；andthelightthroughthehornshowedagleaminhereyes，suchasIhadneverseertherebefore。
’Noodds，nooddsaboutthat，’shecontinued；’makafoolofmyzelltospakeofit。Arlgoneintochurchyard。Butitbealuckyfooleryforthee，myboy，Icantull’ee。ForIlovetoseetheloveinthee。Coom’thovermeasthespringdo，thoughIbenaighthreescore。Now，Jan，Iwilltelltheeonething，can’tabeartozeetheevrettingso。Houldtheeheaddown，sameastheypegsdo。’
SoIbentmyheadquiteclosetoher；andshewhisperedinmyear，’Gooofamarning，theegirtsoft。Hercan’tgetoutofanaveningnow，herhathzentwordtome，totull’ee。’
Inthegloryofmydelightatthis，IbestoweduponBettyachastesalute，withallthepigsforwitnesses；
andshetookitnotamiss，consideringhowlongshehadbeenoutofpractice。Butthenshefellback，likeabroomonitshandle，andstaredatme，feigninganger。
’Ohfai，ohfai!Lunnonimpudence，Idoubt。Iveartheehastgoneonzadly，Jan。’
OfcourseIwasuptheverynextmorningbeforetheOctobersunrise，andawaythroughthewildandthewoodlandtowardstheBagworthywater，atthefootofthelongcascade。Therisingofthesunwasnobleinthecoldandwarmthofit；peepingdownthespreadoflight，heraisedhisshoulderheavilyovertheedgeofgreymountain，andwaveringlengthofupland。Beneathhisgazethedew-fogsdipped，andcrepttothehollowplaces；thenstoleawayinlineandcolumn，holdingskirts，andclingingsubtlyattheshelteringcorners，whererockhungovergrass-land；whilethebravelinesofthehillscameforth，onebeyondothergliding。
Thenthewoodsaroseinfolds，likedraperyofawakenedmountains，statelywithadepthofawe，andmemoryofthetempests。Autumn’smellowhandwasonthem，astheyownedalready，touchedwithgold，andred，andolive；andtheirjoytowardsthesunwaslesstoabridegroomthanafather。
Yetbeforethefloatingimpressofthewoodscouldclearitself，suddenlythegladsomelightleapedoverhillandvalley，castingamber，blue，andpurple，andatintofrichredrose；accordingtothescenetheyliton，andthecurtainflungaround；yetallalikedispellingfearandtheclovenhoofofdarkness，allonthewingsofhopeadvancing，andproclaiming，’Godishere。’Thenlifeandjoysprangreassuredfromeverycrouchinghollow；everyflower，andbud，andbird，hadaflutteringsenseofthem；andalltheflashingofGod’sgazemergedintosoftbeneficence。
Soperhapsshallbreakuponusthateternalmorning，whencragandchasmshallbenomore，neitherhillandvalley，norgreatunvintagedocean；whengloryshallnotscarehappiness，neitherhappinessenvyglory；butallthingsshallariseandshineinthelightoftheFather’scountenance，becauseitselfisrisen。
WhomakethHissuntoriseuponboththejustandtheunjust。Andsurelybutforthesavingclause，DooneGlenhadbeenindarkness。Now，asIstoodwithscantybreath——forfewmencouldhavewonthatclimb——atthetopofthelongdefile，andthebottomofthemountaingorgeallofmyself，andthepainofit，andthecarkofmydiscontentfellawayintowonderandrapture。ForIcannothelpseeingthingsnowandthen，slow-wittedasIhavearighttobe；andperhapsbecauseitcomessorarely，thesightdwellswithmelikeapicture。
Thebarofrock，withthewater-cleftbreakingsteeplythroughit，stoodboldandbare，anddarkinshadow，greywithredgulliesdownit。Butthesunwasbeginningtoglistenoverthecomboftheeasternhighland，andthroughanarchwayofthewoodhungwitholdnestsandivy。Thelinesofmanyaleaningtreewerethrown，fromthecliffsoftheforeland，downuponthesparklinggrassatthefootofthewesterncrags。
Andthroughthedewymeadow’sbreast，fringedwithshade，buttouchedononesidewiththesun-smile，ranthecrystalwater，curvinginitsbrightnesslikedivertedhope。
Oneitherbank，thebladesofgrass，makingtheirlastautumngrowth，prickedtheirspearsandcrispedtheirtuftingswiththepearlypurity。Thetendernessoftheirgreenappearedundertheglaucousmantle；whilethatgreysuffusion，whichistheblushofgreenlife，spreaditsdamaskchastity。Eventhenmysoulwaslifted，worriedthoughmymindwas：whocanseesuchlargekinddoings，andnotbeashamedofhumangrief？
Notonlyunashamedofgrief，butmuchabashedwithjoy，wasI，whenIsawmyLornacoming，purerthanthemorningdew，thanthesunmorebrightandclear。Thatwhichmademeloveherso，thatwhichliftedmyhearttoher，astheSpringwindliftstheclouds，wasthegaynessofhernature，anditsinbornplayfulness。Andyetallthiswithmaidenshame，aconsciousdreamofthingsunknown，andasenseoffateaboutthem。
Downthevalleystillshecame，notwittingthatI
lookedather，havingceasedthroughmyownmisprison
toexpectmeyetawhile；oratleastshetoldherselfso。Inthejoyofawakenedlifeandbrightnessofthemorning，shehadcastallcareaway，andseemedtofloatuponthesunrise，likeabuoyantsilverwave。
Suddenlyatsightofme，forIleapedforthatonce，infearofseemingtowatchherunawares，thebloomuponhercheekswasdeepened，andtheradianceofhereyes；
andshecametomeetmegladly。
’Atlastthen，youarecome，John。Ithoughtyouhadforgottenme。Icouldnotmakeyouunderstand——theyhavekeptmeprisonereveryevening：butcomeintomyhouse；youareindangerhere。’
MeanwhileIcouldnotanswer，beingovercomewithjoy，butfollowedtoherlittlegrotto，whereIhadbeentwicebefore。Iknewthatthecrowningmomentofmylifewascoming——thatLornawouldownherloveforme。
Shemadeforawhileasifshedreamednotofthemeaningofmygaze，buttriedtospeakofotherthings，falteringnowandthen，andmantlingwitharicherdamaskbelowherlongeyelashes。
’ThisisnotwhatIcametoknow，’Iwhisperedverysoftly，’youknowwhatIamcometoask。’
’Ifyouarecomeonpurposetoaskanything，whydoyoudelayso？’Sheturnedawayverybravely，butIsawthatherlipsweretrembling。
’Idelaysolong，becauseIfear；becausemywholelifehangsinbalanceonasingleword；becausewhatIhavenearmenowmaynevermorebenearmeafter，thoughmorethanalltheworld，orthanathousandworlds，tome。’AsIspokethesewordsofpassioninalowsoftvoice，Lornatrembledmoreandmore；butshemadenoanswer，neitheryetlookedupatme。
’Ihavelovedyoulongandlong，’Ipursued，beingrecklessnow，’whenyouwerealittlechild，asaboyI
worshippedyou：thenwhenIsawyouacomelygirl，asastriplingIadoredyou：nowthatyouareafull-grownmaidenalltherestIdo，andmore——Iloveyoumorethantonguecantell，orheartcanholdinsilence。I
havewaitedlongandlong；andthoughIamsofarbelowyouIcanwaitnolonger；butmusthavemyanswer。’
’Youhavebeenveryfaithful，John，’shemurmuredtothefernandmoss；’IsupposeImustrewardyou。’
’Thatwillnotdoforme，’Isaid；’Iwillnothavereluctantliking，norassentforpity’ssake；whichonlymeansendurance。Imusthavealllove，ornone，I
musthaveyourheartofhearts；evenasyouhavemine，Lorna。’
WhileIspoke，sheglancedupshylythroughherflutteringlashes，toprolongmydoubtonemoment，forherowndeliciouspride。Thensheopenedwideuponmeallthegloriousdepthandsoftnessofherlovingeyes，andflungbotharmsaroundmyneck，andansweredwithherheartonmine，——
’Darling，youhavewonitall。Ishallneverbemyownagain。Iamyours，myownone，foreverandforever。’
IamsureIknownotwhatIdid，orwhatIsaidthereafter，beingovercomewithtransportbyherwordsandathergaze。OnlyonethingIremember，whensheraisedherbrightlipstome，likeachild，formetokiss，suchasmileofsweettemptationmetmethroughherflowinghair，thatIalmostforgotmymanners，givinghernotimetobreathe。
’Thatwilldo，’saidLornagently，butviolentlyblushing；’forthepresentthatwilldo，John。Andnowrememberonething，dear。Allthekindnessistobeonmyside；andyouaretobeverydistant，asbehovestoayoungmaiden；exceptwhenIinviteyou。Butyoumaykissmyhand，John；oh，yes，youmaykissmyhand，youknow。Ahtobesure!Ihadforgotten；howverystupidofme!’
ForbythistimeIhadtakenonesweethandandgazedonit，withtheprideofalltheworldtothinkthatsuchalovelythingwasmine；andthenIslippedmylittleringupontheweddingfinger；andthistimeLornakeptit，andlookedwithfondnessonitsbeauty，andclungtomewithafloodoftears。
’Everytimeyoucry，’saidI，drawingherclosertome’Ishallconsideritaninvitationnottobetoodistant。Therenow，noneshallmakeyouweep。Darling，youshallsighnomore，butliveinpeaceandhappiness，withmetoguardandcherishyou：andwhoshalldaretovexyou？’Butshedrewalongsadsigh，andlookedatthegroundwiththegreattearsrolling，andpressedonehanduponthetroubleofherpureyoungbreast。
’Itcannever，neverbe，’shemurmuredtoherselfalone：’WhoamI，todreamofit？Somethinginmyhearttellsmeitcanbesonever，never。’