"You're o'er thoughtful," Burns laughed back at her, and Nancy began rhyming to an old tune the thought they had passed between them, with Burns ready with his rhymes before her lines were entirely spoken: _Nancy_ "At break o' day, one morn o' May, While dew lay silverin' all the lea"; _Burns_ "A lassie fair, wi' gowden hair Came laughing up the glen to me." _Nancy_ "Her face was like the hawthorn bloom, Her eyes twa violets in a mist," _Burns_ "Her lips were roses of the June, The sweetest lip's that e'er were kissed." _Nancy_ "'O, what's your name and where's your hame? My sweetest lassie, tell me true.'" _Burns_ "'My name is Pleasure,' sir, she said, 'And I hae come to live with you.'" _Nancy_ "She took my face between her hands, And sat her down upon my knee." _Burns_ "She put her glowing lips to mine, And oh, but life was sweet to me." _Nancy_ "Wi' mony a song we roved along My arm all warm about her waist." _Burns_ "The hours drunk wi' love's golden wine Unheeded ane anither chased." "Ah!" Nancy cried here, "That's the Burns touch! I could never have done that!" _Nancy_ "Her hair's gay gold, in many a fold, Unheeded on my shoulder lay." _Burns_ "Her heart beat on my very own, And life and love were one that day." _Nancy_ "When noon was highest up in air, An ancient man came on the road." _Burns_ "And when he saw my loving fair, His eyes wi' fiercest anger glowed." _Nancy_ "'And who is this,' he cried to me, 'That you have ta'en wi' you to dwell?'" _Burns_ "'Her name is Pleasure,' sir, said I, 'And oh, I'm sure she loves me well.'" _Nancy_ "'Rise up,' he cried, 'no more defer To leave a wench not over nice.'" _Burns_ "'She's Pleasure till ye wed wi' her, Her name she changes then to Vice.'" _Nancy_ "I got me up from where I lay, And turned me toward the darkened land." _Burns_ "'Adieu,' she said, wi' no dismay, And waved toward me her lily hand." * * * * * _Nancy_ "The time was set, and then we met, Old Wisdom came, and now we part." _Burns_ "'Ye gang your gate, ye'll soon forget, Nor think,' said she, 'twill break my heart.'" _Nancy_ "'There's something strong within ye both, That's makes ye tire of such as me." _Burns_ "'But I'm as I was made,' she quoth, 'And how much better, sirs, are ye?'" "There's a deal of philosophy in that," cried Hamilton. "I must have a copy." And it was from his paper that I got the lines as I set them above. CHAPTER XVIII I GO DOWN TO MAUCHLINE