It was a Lover and His LassOliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
General
It was a Lover and His Lass
Oliphant, Mrs. (Margaret)
Scotland -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
And perhaps it was not exactly accident which led to the
discovery of Lewis when they neared the end of their walk, the great
white mass of New Murkley--about which the young man was wandering,
as he so often was, thinking many an undivined thought. He was there
so often that, had any one thought on the subject, it might have been
with the express object of finding him that the party strayed that
way; but Lilias, at least, was entirely innocent of either knowledge
or calculation, so that, so far as she was concerned, it was pure
accident. He was walking with his back to them, gazing up at the
eyeless sockets of the windows, when they came in sight. Lilias had
been reduced to an embarrassed silence since the appearance of Philip.
Her knowledge of their secret overwhelmed her in their presence. She
thought they must be embarrassed too. She thought they must wish to get
rid of her. She had not the least idea that to both these young persons
she was a defence and protection, under cover of which they could
enjoy each other's company, yet confront the world. While they talked
undaunted--or rather, while Katie talked, for Philip was of a silent
nature--Lilias walked softly on, on the other side, getting as far
apart as she dared, drooping her head, wondering what opportunity there
might be to steal away. She was not displeased, but somewhat startled
at the outcry of pleasure Katie made on perceiving the other--the
fourth who made the group complete.
"Oh, Mr. Murray--there is Mr. Murray; but I might have known it, for
he is always about New Murkley," Katie cried. And Lewis turned round
with friendly looks, which glowed into wondering delight when he
saw the shyer figure lingering a little behind, the blue veil thrown
back. Just thus, attended by her faithful guardians, he had seen her
first. He recollected every circumstance in a moment, as his eyes
went beyond Katie to her companion in the background. He remembered
how Miss Margaret had stepped forth to the rescue; how he had been
marched away, and his thoughts led to other matters. He had but just
glimpsed then, and he had not comprehended, that type of beautiful
youth in the shadow of the past. He had asked himself since how it
was possible that he had passed it over? It had been like a picture
seen for an instant. When he saw her now again, he felt like a man
who has dreamed of some happiness, and awoke to find that he had lost
it: but the dream had returned, and this time he should not lose
it. He received, with smiling delight, the salutations of Katie,
who hailed him from afar, and stood with his hat in his hand, while
Lilias responded shyly but brightly to his greeting. She was pleased
too. It was deliverance to her from the restraint which she felt she
was imposing upon the lovers. And the friendly countenance of the
stranger, and his confused looks, and the aspect of Jean at her own
appearance before him, and of Margaret when he followed her into the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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