ThesightofLondonwarmedmyheartwithvariousemotions，suchasacordialmanmustdrawfromtheheartofallhumanity。Heretherearequickwaysandmanners，andtherapidsenseofknowledge，andthepowerofunderstanding，ereawordbespoken。WhereasatOare，youmustsayathingthreetimes，veryslowly，beforeitgetsinsidetheskullofthegoodmanyouareaddressing。Andyetwearefarmoreclevertherethaninanyparishforfifteenmiles。
Butwhatmovedmemost，whenIsawagainthenobleoilandtallowoftheLondonlights，andthedrippingtorchesatalmosteverycorner，andthehandsomesignboards，wasthethoughtthatheremyLornalived，andwalked，andtooktheair，andperhapsthoughtnowandthenoftheolddaysinthegoodfarm-house。
AlthoughIwouldmakenoapproachtoher，anymorethanshehaddonetomeuponwhichgriefIhavenotdwelt，forfearofseemingselfish，yettheremustbesomelargechance，orthelittlechancemightbeenlarged，offallinginwiththemaidensomehow，andlearninghowhermindwasset。Ifagainstme，allshouldbeover。
Iwasnotthemantosighandcryforlove，likeaRomeo：noneshouldevenguessmygrief，exceptmysisterAnnie。
ButifLornalovedmestill——asinmyheartofheartsI
hoped——thenwouldIfornoonecare，exceptherowndeliciousself。Rankandtitle，wealthandgrandeur，allshouldgotothewinds，beforetheyscaredmefrommyowntruelove。
Thinkingthus，IwenttobedinthecentreofLondontown，andwasbittensogrievouslybycreatureswhosenameis’legion，’madwiththedelightofgettingawholesomefarmeramongthem，thatverilyIwasashamedtowalkinthecourtlypartsofthetownnextday，havinglumpsuponmyfaceofthesizeofapicklingwalnut。Thelandlordsaidthatthiswasnothing；andthatheexpected，intwodaysattheutmost，averyfreshyoungIrishman，forwhomtheywouldallforsakeme。Nevertheless，Ideclinedtowait，unlesshecouldfindmeahayricktosleepin；fortheinsectsofgrassonlytickle。HeassuredmethatnohayrickcouldnowbefoundinLondon；uponwhichIwasforcedtoleavehim，andwithmutualesteemweparted。
ThenextnightIhadbetterluck，beingintroducedtoadecentwidow，ofveryhighScotchorigin。Thathousewassweptandgarnishedso，thatnotabitwaslefttoeat，foreithermanorinsect。Thechangeofairhavingmademehungry，Iwantedsomethingaftersupper；
beingquitereadytopayforit，andshowingmypurseasasymptom。ButthefaceofWidowMacAlister，whenI
proposedtohavesomemorefood，wasathingtobedrawnifitcouldbedrawnfurtherbyournewcaricaturist。
ThereforeIleftheralso；forlieferwouldIbeeatenmyselfthanhavenothingtoeat；andsoIcamebacktomyoldfurrier；thewhichwasathoroughlyheartyman，andwelcomedmetomyroomagain，withtwoshillingsaddedtotherent，inthejoyofhisheartatseeingme。BeingunderparoletoMasterStickles，Ionlywentoutbetwixtcertainhours；becauseIwasaccountedasliabletobecalledupon；forwhatpurposeIknewnot，buthopeditmightbeagoodone。Ifeltitaloss，andahindrancetome，thatIwassoboundtoremainathomeduringthesessionofthecourtsoflaw；fortherebythechanceofeverbeholdingLornawasverygreatlycontracted，ifnotaltogetherannihilated。Fortheseweretheveryhoursinwhichthepeopleoffashion，andthehighworld，werewonttoappeartotherestofmankind，soastoencouragethem。Andofcoursebythistime，theLadyLornawashighamongpeopleoffashion，andwasnotlikelytobeseenoutoffashionablehours。Itistruethatthereweresomeplacesofexpensiveentertainment，atwhichthebettersortofmankindmightbeseenandstudied，intheirhoursofrelaxation，bythoseofthelowerorder，whocouldpaysufficiently。Butalas，mymoneywasgettinglow；andtheprivilegeofseeingmybetterswasmoreandmoredeniedtome，asmycashdrewshorter。Foramanmusthaveagoodcoatatleast，andthepocketsnotwhollyempty，beforehecanlookatthosewhomGodhascreatedforhisensample。
Hence，andfrommanyothercauses——partofwhichwasmyownpride——ithappenedthatIabodeinLondonbetwixtamonthandfiveweeks’time，ereeverIsawLorna。ItseemedunfitthatIshouldgo，andwaylayher，andspyonher，andsayormeantosay，’Lo，hereisyourpoorfaithfulfarmer，amanwhoisunworthyofyou，bymeansofhiscommonbirth；andyetwhodarestocrawlacrossyourpath，thatyoumaypityhim。ForGod’ssakeshowalittlepity，thoughyoumaynotfeelit。’
Suchbehaviourmightbecomelyinalove-lornboy，apagetosomegrandprincess；butI，JohnRidd，wouldneverstooptotheloweringofloveso。
NeverthelessIheardofLorna，frommyworthyfurrier，almosteveryday，andwithafineexaggeration。Thishonestmanwasoneofthosewhoinvirtueoftheirtrade，andnicetyofbehaviour，areadmittedintonoblelife，totakemeasurements，andshowpatterns。Andwhilesodoing，theycontrivetoacquirewhatistotheEnglishmindatoncethemostimportantandmostinterestingofallknowledge，——thescienceofbeingabletotalkaboutthetitledpeople。SomyfurrierwhosenamewasRamsack，havingtomakerobesforpeers，andcloaksfortheirwivesandotherwise，knewthegreatfolk，shamorreal，aswellasheknewafoxorskunkfromawolverineskin。
Andwhen，withsomefencingandfoilsofinquiry，I
hintedaboutLadyLornaDugal，theoldman’sfacebecamesopleasantthatIknewherbirthmustbewondroushigh。Atthismyowncountenancefell，I
suppose，——forthebettershewasborn，thehardershewouldbetomarry——andmistakingmyobject，hetookmeup：——
’Perhapsyouthink，MasterRidd，thatbecauseherladyship，LadyLornaDugal，isofScottishorigin，thereforeherbirthisnotashighasofourEnglishnobility。Ifyouthinksoyouarewrong，sir。ShecomesnotofthesandyScotchrace，withhighcheek-bones，andrawshoulder-blades，whosetuppillarsintheircourtyards。ButshecomesoftheverybestScotchblood，descendedfromtheNorsemen。Hermotherwasoftheverynoblestrace，theLordsofLorne；highereventhanthegreatArgyle，whohaslatelymadeasadmistake，andpaidforitmostsadly。
AndherfatherwasdescendedfromtheKingDugal，whofoughtagainstAlexandertheGreat。No，no，MasterRidd；noneofyourpromiscuousblood，suchasrunsintheveinsofhalfourmodernpeerage。’
’Whyshouldyoutroubleyourselfaboutit，MasterRamsack？’Ireplied：’letthemallgotheirownways：
andletusalllookuptothem，whethertheycomebyhookorcrook。’
’Notatall，notatall，mylad。Thatisnotthewaytoregardit。Welookupatthewell-bornmen，andside-waysatthebase-born。’
’Thenweareallbase-bornourselves。Iwilllookuptonoman，exceptforwhathimselfhasdone。’
’Come，MasterRidd，youmightbelashedfromNew-gatetoTyburnandbackagain，onceaweek，foratwelvemonth，ifsomepeopleheardyou。Keepyourtonguemoreclose，youngman；orhereyoulodgenolonger；albeitIloveyourcompany，whichsmellstomeofthehayfield。Ah，Ihavenotseenahayfieldfornine-and-twentyyears，JohnRidd。Thecursedmothskeepmeathome，everydayofthesummer。’
’Spreadyourfursonthehaycocks，’Iansweredveryboldly：’theindoormothcannotabidethepresenceoftheoutdoorones。’
’Isitso？’heanswered：’Ineverthoughtofthatbefore。AndyetIhaveknownsuchstrangethingshappeninthewayoffur，thatIcanwellbelieveit。
Ifyouonlyknew，John，thewayinwhichtheylaytheireggs，andhowtheyworktail-foremost——’
’Tellmenothingofthekind，’Ireplied，withequalconfidence：’theycannotworktail-foremost；andtheyhavenotailstoworkwith。’ForIknewalittleaboutgrubs，andtheignoranceconcerningthem，whichwehavenorighttoputupwith。However，nottogointothatfortheargumentlastedafortnight；andthenwasonlycomesofarastobeginagain，MasterRamsacksoonconvincedmeofthethingsIknewalready；theexcellenceofLorna’sbirth，aswellasherloftyplaceatCourt，andbeauty，andwealth，andelegance。Butalltheseonlymademesigh，andwishthatIwereborntothem。
FromMasterRamsackIdiscoveredthatthenoblemantowhosechargeLadyLornahadbeencommitted，bytheCourtofChancery，wasEarlBrandirofLochawe，herpoormother’suncle。FortheCountessofDugalwasdaughter，andonlychild，ofthelastLordLorne，whosesisterhadmarriedSirEnsorDoone；whilehehimselfhadmarriedthesisterofEarlBrandir。ThisnoblemanhadacountryhousenearthevillageofKensington；andherehisniecedwelledwithhim，whenshewasnotinattendanceonHerMajestytheQueen，whohadtakenalikingtoher。NowsincetheKinghadbeguntoattendthecelebrationofmass，inthechapelatWhitehall——andnotatWestminsterAbbey，asourgossipshadaverred——hehadgivenorderthatthedoorsshouldbethrownopen，sothatallwhocouldmakeinteresttogetintotheantechamber，mightseethisformofworship。MasterRamsacktoldmethatLornawastherealmosteverySunday；theirMajestiesbeingmostanxioustohavethepresenceofallthenobilityoftheCatholicpersuasion，soastomakeagoodlyshow。Andtheworthyfurrier，havinginfluencewiththedoor-keepers，kindlyobtainedadmittanceforme，oneSunday，intotheantechamber。
HereItookcaretobeinwaiting，beforetheRoyalprocessionentered；butbeingunknown，andofnohighrank，Iwasnotallowedtostandforwardamongthebetterpeople，butorderedbackintoacornerverydarkanddismal；thevergerremarking，withagrin，thatI
couldseeoverallotherheads，andmustnotsetmyownsohigh。Beingfrightenedtofindmyselfamongsomanypeopleofgreatrankandgorgeousapparel，Iblushedatthenoticedrawnuponmebythisuncourteousfellow；
andsilentlyfellbackintothecornerbythehangings。
Youmaysupposethatmyheartbeathigh，whentheKingandQueenappeared，andentered，followedbytheDukeofNorfolk，bearingtheswordofstate，andbyseveralothernoblemen，andpeopleofrepute。Thenthedoorsofthechapelwerethrownwideopen；andthoughIcouldonlyseealittle，beinginthecornerso，Ithoughtthatitwasbeautiful。Bowersofrichsilkwerethere，andplentyofmetalshining，andpolishedwoodwithlovelycarving；flowerstooofthenoblestkind，andcandlesmadebysomebodywhohadlearnedhowtoclarifytallow。Thislastthingamazedmemorethanall，forourdipsneverwillcomeclear，meltthemutton-fathowyouwill。Andmethoughtthatthishangingofflowersaboutwasaprettything；forifamancanworshipGodbestofallbeneathatree，asthenaturalinstinctis，surelywhenbyfaultofclimatethetreewouldbetooapttodrip，theverybestmake-believeistohaveenoughandtospareofflowers；whichtothedwellersinLondonseemtohavegrownonthetreedeniedthem。
Bethatasitmay，whentheKingandQueencrossedthethreshold，amightyflourishoftrumpetsarose，andawavingofbanners。TheKnightsoftheGarterwhoevertheybeweretoattendthatdayinstate；andsomewentin，andsomestayedout，anditmademethinkofthedifferencebetwixttheewesandthewethers。Fortheeweswillgowhereveryouleadthem；butthewetherswillnot，havingstrongopinions，andmeaningtoabidebythem。AndonemanInoticedwasofthewethers，towittheDukeofNorfolk；whostoppedoutsidewiththeswordofstate，likeabeadlewitharapping-rod。Thishastakenmoretotellthanthetimeithappenedin。Forafterallthemenweregone，sometothisside，sometothat，accordingtotheirfeelings，anumberofladies，beautifullydressed，beingoftheQueen’sretinue，begantoenter，andwerestaredatthreetimesasmuchasthemenhadbeen。Andindeedtheywereworthlookingatwhichmenneveraretomyideas，whentheytrickthemselveswithgewgaws，butnonewassowellwortheye-serviceasmyownbelovedLorna。Sheenteredmodestlyandshyly，withhereyesupontheground，knowingtherudenessofthegallants，andthelargesumshewaspricedat。Herdresswasofthepurestwhite，verysweetandsimple，withoutalineofornament，forsheherselfadornedit。
Thewayshewalked。andtouchedherskirtratherthanseemedtoholditupwithawhitehandbeamingoneredrose，thisandherstatelysuppleneck，andtheflowingofherhairwouldshow，atadistanceofahundredyards，thatshecouldbenonebutLornaDoone。LornaDooneofmyearlylove；inthedayswhensheblushedforhernamebeforemebyreasonofdishonesty；butnowtheLadyLornaDugalasfarbeyondreproachasabovemypooraffection。Allmyheart，andallmymind，gatheredthemselvesuponher。Wouldsheseeme，orwouldshepass？Wasthereinstinctinourlove？