do，andnevershallknowmuchofit，this，Isay，sobroughtherround，thatallherfearwasnowforme，andhowtogetmesafelyoff，withoutmischancetoanyone。Andsoothtosay，inspiteoflongingjusttoseeifMasterCarvercouldhaveservedmesuchatrick——asitgrewtowardsthedusk，Iwasnotbestpleasedtobethere；foritseemedalawlessplace，andsomeofLorna’sfrightstayedwithmeasItalkeditawayfromher。
AfterhearingthattalefromLorna，Iwenthomeinsorryspirits，havingaddedfearforher，andmiseryabout，toallmyotherailments。Andwasitnotquitecertainnowthatshe，beingownedfullcousintoapeerandlordofScotlandalthoughhewasadeadone，musthavenoughttodowithme，ayeoman’sson，andboundtobethefatherofmoreyeomen？IhadbeenverysorrywhenfirstIheardaboutthatpooryoungpopinjay，andwouldgladlyhavefoughthardforhim；butnowitstruckmethatafterallhehadnorighttobethere，prowlingasitwereforLorna，withoutanyinvitation：andwefarmerslovenottrespass。Still，ifIhadseenthething，Imusthavetriedtosavehim。
Moreover，Iwasgreatlyvexedwithmyownhesitation，stupidity，orshyness，orwhateverelseitwas，whichhadheldmebackfromsaying，ereshetoldherstory，whatwasinmyhearttosay，videlicet，thatImustdieunlesssheletmeloveher。NotthatIwasfoolenoughtothinkthatshewouldanswermeaccordingtomyliking，orbegintocareaboutmeforalongtimeyet；
ifindeedsheevershould，whichIhardlydaredtohope。ButthatIhadheardfrommenmoreskillfulinthematterthatitiswisetobeintime，thatsothemaidsmaybegintothink，whentheyknowthattheyarethoughtof。And，totellthetruth，Ihadbitterfears，onaccountofherwondrousbeauty，lestsomeyoungfellowofhigherbirthandfinerparts，andfinish，mightstealinbeforepoorme，andcutmeoutaltogether。Thinkingofwhich，Iusedtodoublemygreatfist，withoutknowingit，andkeepitinmypocketready。
Buttheworstofallwasthis，thatinmygreatdismayandanguishtoseeLornaweepingso，Ihadpromisednottocauseheranyfurthertroublefromanxietyandfearofharm。Andthis，beingbroughttopractice，meantthatIwasnottoshowmyselfwithintheprecinctsofGlenDoone，foratleastanothermonth。UnlessindeedasIcontrivedtoedgeintotheagreementanythingshouldhappentoincreaseherpresenttroubleandeveryday’suneasiness。Inthatcase，shewastothrowadarkmantle，orcoveringofsomesort，overalargewhitestonewhichhungwithintheentrancetoherretreat——Imeantheouterentrance——andwhich，thoughunseenfromthevalleyitself，wasasIhadobserved
conspicuousfromtheheightwhereIstoodwithUncleReuben。
Nowcominghomesosadandweary，yettryingtoconsolemyselfwiththethoughtthatloveo’erleapethrank，andmuststillbelordofall，Ifoundashamefulthinggoingon，whichmademeveryangry。ForitneedsmusthappenthatyoungMarwooddeWhichehalse，onlysonoftheBaron，ridinghomethatveryevening，fromchasingoftheExmoorbustards，withhishoundsandserving-
men，shouldtaketheshortcutthroughourfarmyard，andbeingdryfromhisexercise，shouldcomeandaskfordrink。AnditneedsmusthappenalsothatthereshouldbenonetogiveittohimbutmysisterAnnie。
ImorethansuspectthathehadheardsomereportofourAnnie’scomeliness，andhadamindtosatisfyhimselfuponthesubject。Now，ashetookthelargeox-hornofourquarantine-appleciderwhichwealwayskeepapartfromtherest，beingtoogoodexceptforthequality，helethisfingersdwellonAnnie’s，bysomesortofaccident，whileheliftedhisbeavergallantly，andgazedonherfaceinthelightfromthewest。ThenwhatdidAnniedoassheherselftoldmeafterwards
butmakeherverybestcurtseytohim，beingpleasedthathewaspleasedwithher，whileshethoughtwhatafineyoungmanhewasandsomuchbreedingabouthim!
Andintruthhewasadark，handsomefellow，hasty，reckless，andchangeable，withalookofsaddestinyinhisblackeyesthatwouldmakeanywomanpityhim。
WhathewasthinkingofourAnnieisnotformetosay，althoughImaythinkthatyoucouldnothavefoundanothersuchmaidenonExmoor，exceptofcoursemyLorna。
ThoughyoungSquireMarwoodwassothirsty，hespentmuchtimeoverhiscider，oratanyrateovertheox-horn，andhemademanybowstoAnnie，anddrankhealthtoallthefamily，andspokeofmeasifIhadbeenhisverybestfriendatBlundell’s；whereasheknewwellenoughallthetimethatwehadnoughttosaytooneanother；hebeingthreeyearsolder，andthereforeofcoursedisdainingme。Butwhilehewascastingaboutperhapsforsomeexcusetostoplonger，andAnniewasbeginningtofearlestmothershouldcomeafterher，orElizabeatthewindow，orBettyupinpigs’house，suddenlytherecameuptothem，asiffromtheveryheartoftheearth，thatlong，low，hollow，mysterioussoundwhichIspokeofinwinter。
Theyoungmanstartedinhissaddle，letthehornfallonthehorse-steps，andgazedallaroundinwonder；
whileasforAnnie，sheturnedlikeaghost，andtriedtoslamthedoor，butfailedthroughtheviolenceofhertrembling；fornevertillnowhadanyonehearditsocloseathandasyoumightsayorinthemerefallofthetwilight。Andbythistimetherewasnoman，atleastinourparish，butknew——fortheParsonhimselfhadtoldusso——thatitwasthedevilgroaningbecausetheDoonesweretoomanyforhim。
MarwooddeWhichehalsewasnotsoalarmedbutwhathesawafineopportunity。Heleapedfromhishorse，andlaidholdofdearAnnieinahighlycomfortingmanner；
andsheneverwouldtellusaboutitbeingsoshyandmodest，whetherinbreathinghiscomforttoherhetriedtotakesomefromherpurelips。Ihopehedidnot，becausethattomewouldseemnotthedeedofagentleman，andhewasofgoodoldfamily。
Atthisverymoment，whoshouldcomeintotheendofthepassageuponthembuttheheavywriterofthesedoingsI，JohnRiddmyself，andwalkingthefaster，itmaybe，onaccountofthenoiseImentioned。Ienteredthehousewithsomewrathuponmeatseeingthegazehoundsintheyard；foritseemsacruelthingtometoharassthebirdsinthebreeding-time。AndtomyamazementthereIsawSquireMarwoodamongthemilk-panswithhisarmaroundourAnnie’swaist，andAnnieallblushingandcoaxinghimoff，forshewasnotcometoscoldyet。
PerhapsIwaswrong；Godknows，andifIwas，nodoubtIshallpayforit；butIgavehimtheflatofmyhandonhishead，anddownhewentinthethickofthemilk-pans。Hewouldhavehadmyfist，Idoubt，butforhavingbeenatschoolwithme；andafterthatitislikeenoughhewouldneverhavespokenanotherword。
Asitwas，helaystunned，withthecreamrunningonhim；whileItookpoorAnnieupandcarriedherintomother，whohadheardthenoiseandwasfrightened。
ConcerningthismatterIaskednomore，butheldmyselfreadytobearitoutinanyformconvenient，feelingthatIhaddonemyduty，andcarednotfortheconsequence；onlyforseveraldaysdearAnnieseemedfrightenedratherthangrateful。ButtheoddestresultofitwasthatEliza，whohadsodespisedme，andmadeveryrudeversesaboutme，nowcametryingtositonmyknee，andkissme，andgivemethebestofthepan。
However，Iwouldnotallowit，becauseIhatesuddenchanges。
Anotherthingalsoastonishedme——namely，abeautifulletterfromMarwooddeWhichehalsehimselfsentbyagroomsoonafterwards，inwhichheapologisedtome，asifIhadbeenhisequal，forhisrudenesstomysister，whichwasnotintendedintheleast，butcameoftheircommonalarmatthemoment，andhisdesiretocomforther。Alsohebeggedpermissiontocomeandseeme，asanoldschoolfellow，andseteverythingstraightbetweenus，asshouldbeamonghonestBlundellites。
Allthiswassodifferenttomyideaoffightingoutaquarrel，whenonceitisuponaman，thatIknewnotwhattomakeofit，butbowedtohigherbreeding。OnlyonethingIresolvedupon，thatcomewhenhewouldheshouldnotseeAnnie。Andtodomysisterjustice，shehadnodesiretoseehim。
However，Iamtooeasy，thereisnodoubtofthat，beingveryquicktoforgiveaman，andveryslowtosuspect，unlesshehathonceliedtome。Moreover，astoAnnie，ithadalwaysseemedtomemuchagainstmywishesthatsomeshrewdloveofawaitingsortwasbetweenherandTomFaggus：andthoughTomhadmadehisfortunenow，andeverybodyrespectedhim，ofcoursehewasnottobecompared，inthatpointofrespectability，withthosepeoplewhohangedtherobberswhenfortuneturnedagainstthem。
SoyoungSquireMarwoodcameagain，asthoughIhadneversmittenhim，andspokeofitinaslightawayasifwewerestillatschooltogether。Itwasnotinmynature，ofcourse，tokeepanyangeragainsthim；andI
knewwhatacondescensionitwasforhimtovisitus。
Anditisaverygrievousthing，whichtouchessmalllandowners，toseeanancientfamilydaybydaydecaying：andwhenweheardthatLeyBartonitself，andalltheManorofLyntonwereunderaheavymortgagedebttoJohnLoveringofWeare-Gifford，therewasnotmuch，inourlittleway，thatwewouldnotgladlydoorsufferforthebenefitofDeWhichehalse。
Meanwhiletheworkofthefarmwastoward，andeverydaygaveusmoreadotodisposeofwhatitselfwasdoing。ForafterthelongdryskelteringwindofMarchandpartofApril，therehadbeenafortnightofsoftwet；andwhenthesuncameforthagain，hillandvalley，woodandmeadow，couldnotmakeenoughofhim。
ManyaspringhaveIseensincethen，butneveryettwospringsalike，andneveronesobeautiful。Orwasitthatmylovecameforthandtouchedtheworldwithbeauty？
Thespringwasinourvalleynow；creepingfirstforsheltershylyinthepauseoftheblusteringwind。
Therethelambscamebleatingtoher，andtheorchisliftedup，andthethindeadleavesofcloverlayforthenewonestospringthrough。Therethestiffestthingsthatsleep，thestubbyoak，andthesaplin’dbeech，droppedtheirbrowndefiancetoher，andpreparedforasoftreply。
Whileherover-eagerchildrenwhohadstartedforthtomeether，throughthefrostandshowerofsleet，catkin’dhazel，gold-glovedwithy，youthfulelder，andoldwoodbine，withallthetribeofgoodhedge-climberswhomusthastenwhilehastetheymay——wasthereoneofthemthatdidnotclaimthemeritofcomingfirst？
Thereshestayedandheldherrevel，assoonasthefearoffrostwasgone；alltheairwasafountoffreshness，andtheearthofgladness，andthelaughingwatersprattledofthekindnessofthesun。
Butallthismadeitmuchharderforus，plyingthehoeandrake，tokeepthefieldswithroomuponthemforthecorntotiller。Thewinterwheatwaswellenough，beingsturdyandstrong-sided；butthespringwheatandthebarleyandtheoatswereoverrunbyillweedsgrowingfaster。Therefore，astheoldsayingis，——
Farmer，thatthywifemaythrive，Letnotburrandburdockwive；
Andifthouwouldstkeepthyson，Seethatbineandgithhavenone。
Sowewerecompelledtogodownthefieldandupit，strikinginandoutwithcarewherethegreenbladeshungtogether，sothateachhadspacetomoveinandtospreaditsrootsabroad。AndIdoassureyounow，thoughyoumaynotbelieveme，itwasharderworktokeepJohnFry，BillDadds，andJemSlocomballinalineandallmovingnimblytothetuneofmyowntool，thanitwastosetoutinthemorningalone，andhoehalfanacrebydinner-time。For，insteadofkeepingthegoodashmoving，theywouldforeverbefindingsomethingtolookatortospeakof，oratanyrate，tostopwith；blamingtheshapeoftheirtoolsperhaps，ortalkingaboutotherpeople’saffairs；or，whatwasmostirksomeofalltome，takingadvantageasmarriedmen，andwhisperingjokesofnoexcellenceaboutmyhaving，orhavingnot，orbeingashamedofasweetheart。AndthiswentsofaratlastthatIwasforcedtotaketwoofthemandknocktheirheadstogether；afterwhichtheyworkedwithabetterwill。
Whenwemettogetherintheeveningroundthekitchenchimney-place，afterthemenhadhadtheirsupperandtheirheavybootsweregone，mymotherandElizawoulddotheirveryutmosttolearnwhatIwasthinkingof。
Notthatwekeptanyfirenow，afterthecrockwasemptied；butthatwelovedtoseetheashescooling，andtobetogether。AtthesetimesAnniewouldneveraskmeanycraftyquestionsasElizadid，butwouldsitwithherhairuntwined，andonehandunderneathherchin，sometimeslookingsoftlyatme，asmuchastosaythatsheknewitallandIwasnoworseoffthanshe。
Butstrangetosaymymotherdreamednot，evenforaninstant，thatitwaspossibleforAnnietobethinkingofsuchathing。Shewassoverygoodandquiet，andcarefulofthelinen，andcleveraboutthecookeryandfowlsandbacon-curing，thatpeopleusedtolaugh，andsayshewouldneverlookatabacheloruntilhermotherorderedher。ButIperhapsfrommyownconditionandthesenseofwhatitwasfeltnocertaintyaboutthis，andevenhadanotheropinion，aswassaidbefore。