Bysomestrangechanceshesawme。Orwasitthroughourdestiny？Whilewitheyeskeptsedulouslyonthemarblefloor，toshuntheweightofadmirationthrusttooboldlyonthem，whilewithshyquickstepsshepassed，someoneperhapswithpurposetrodontheskirtofherclearwhitedress，——withthequicknesstaughtherbymanyasceneofdanger，shelookedup，andhereyesmetmine。
　　AsIgazeduponher，steadfastly，yearningly，yetwithsomereproach，andmoreofpridethanhumility，shemademeoneofthecourtlybowswhichIdosomuchdetest；yeteventhatwassweetandgraceful，whenmyLornadidit。Butthecolourofherpureclearcheekswasnearlyasdeepasthatofmyown，whenshewentonforthereligiouswork。Andtheshiningofhereyeswasowingtoanunpaiddebtoftears。
　　UponthewholeIwassatisfied。Lornahadseenme，andhadnotaccordingtothephraseofthehighworldtheneventriedto’cut’me。Whetherthislowphraseisbornoftheirownstupidmeanness，orwhetheritcomesofnecessityexercisedonamanwithoutmoney，I
　　knownot，andIcarenot。ButonethingIknowrightwell；anymanwho’cuts’amanexceptforviceormeannessshouldbequarteredwithoutquarter。
　　AlltheseproudthoughtsrosewithinmeasthelovelyformofLornawentinside，andwasnomoreseen。AndthenIfelthowcoarseIwas；howapttothinkstrongthoughts，andsoon；withoutbrainstobearmeout：
　　evenasahen’segg，laidwithoutenoughoflime，andlookingonlyapoorjelly。
　　Nevertheless，Iwaitedon；asmyusualmanneris。Fortobebeaten，whilerunningaway，istentimesworsethantofaceitout，andtakeit，andhavedonewithit。SoatleastIhavealwaysfound，becauseofreproachofconscience：andallthethingsthosecleverpeoplecarriedoninside，atlarge，mademelongforourParsonBowdenthathemightknowhowtoact。
　　WhileIstoredup，inmymemory，enoughtokeepourparsongoingthroughsixpipesonaSaturdaynight——tohaveitasrightascouldbenextday——aleanmanwithayellowbeard，toothinforagoodCatholicwhichreligionalwaysfattens，cameuptome，workingsideways，inthemannerofafemalecrab。
　　’Thisisnottomyliking，’Isaid：’ifaughtthouhast，speakplainly；whiletheymakethathorriblenoiseinside。’
　　Nothinghadthismantosay；butwithmanysighs，becauseIwasnotoftheproperfaith，hetookmyreprobatehandtosaveme：andwithseveralreligioustears，lookedupatme，andwinkedwithoneeye。
　　Althoughtheskinofmypalmswasthick，Ifeltalittlesuggestionthere，asofagentleleafinspring，fearingtoseemtooforward。Ipaidtheman，andhewenthappy；forthestandardofhereticalsilverispurerthanthatoftheCatholics。
　　ThenIliftedupmylittlebillet；andinthatdarkcornerreadit，withastrongrainbowofcolourscomingfromtheangledlight。Andinmineeyestherewasenoughtomakerainbowofstrongestsun，asmyangercloudedoff。
　　Notthatitbegansowell；butthatinmyheartIknewerethreelineswerethroughmethatIwaswithallheartloved——andbeyondthat，whomayneed？Thedarlingofmylifewenton，asifIwereofherownrank，orevenbetterthanshewas；andshedottedher’i’s，’andcrossedher’t’s，’asifIwereatleastaschoolmaster。Allofitwasdoneinpencil；butasplainasplaincouldbe。Inmycoffinitshalllie，withmyringandsomethingelse。ThereforewillInotexposeittoeverymanwhobuysthisbook，andhaplythinksthathehasboughtmetothebottomofmyheart。
　　Enoughformenofgentlebirthwhoneverareinquisitivethatmylovetoldme，inherletter，justtocomeandseeher。
　　Iranaway，andcouldnotstop。Tobeholdevenher，atthemoment，wouldhavedashedmyfancy’sjoy。Yetmybrainwassoamiss，thatImustdosomething。
　　ThereforetotheriverThames，withallspeed，I
　　hurried；andkeepingallmybestclothesoninduedforsakeofLorna，intothequietstreamIleaped，andswamasfarasLondonBridge，andatenoblerdinnerafterwards。
　　Althoughamanmaybeassimpleastheflowersofthefield；knowingwhen，butscarcelywhy，heclosestothebitterwind；andfeelingwhy，butscarcelywhen，heopenstothegenialsun；yetwithouthisquestingmuchintothecapsuleofhimself——todowhichisamisery——hemayhaveageneralnotionhowhehappenstobegettingon。
　　Ifeltmyselftobegettingonbetterthanatanytimesincethelastwheat-harvest，asItookthelanetoKensingtonupontheMondayevening。ForalthoughnotimewasgiveninmyLorna’sletter，Iwasnotinclinedtowaitmorethandecencyrequired。AndthoughIwentandwatchedthehouse，decencywouldnotallowmetoknockontheSundayevening，especiallywhenIfoundatthecornerthathislordshipwasathome。
　　ThelanesandfieldsbetweenCharingCrossandthevillageofKensington，are，orwereatthattime，morethanreasonablyinfestedwithfootpadsandwithhighwaymen。However，mystatureandhollyclubkeptthesefellowsfromdoingmorethancastingsheep’seyesatme。Foritwasstillbroaddaylight，andtheviewofthedistantvillages，Chelsea，Battersea，Tyburn，andothers，aswellasafewlargehouses，amongthehamsandtowardstheriver，madeitseemlesslonely。
　　ThereforeIsangasonginthebroadestExmoordialect，whichcausednolittleamazementinthemindsofallwhometme。
　　WhenIcametoEarlBrandir’shouse，mynaturalmodestyforbademetoappearatthedoorforguests；thereforeIwenttotheentranceforservantsandretainers。
　　Here，tomygreatsurprise，whoshouldcomeandletmeinbutlittleGwennyCarfax，whoseveryexistencehadalmostescapedmyrecollection。Hermistress，nodoubt，hadseenmecoming，andsenthertosavetrouble。ButwhenIofferedtokissGwenny，inmyjoyandcomforttoseeafarm-housefaceagain，shelookedashamed，andturnedaway，andwouldhardlyspeaktome。
　　Ifollowedhertoalittleroom，furnishedverydaintily；andtheresheorderedmetowait，inamostungraciousmanner。’Well，’thoughtI，’ifthemistressandthemaidarealikeintemper，betterithadbeenformetoabideatMasterRamsack’s。’Butalmosteremythoughtwasdone，IheardthelightquickstepwhichIknewaswellas’Watch，’mydog，knewmine；andmybreastbegantotremble，likethetremblingofanarcherethekeystoneisputin。
　　AlmostereIhoped——forfearandhopeweresoentangledthattheyhinderedoneanother——thevelvethangingsofthedoorwayparted，withalittledoubt，andthenagoodfaceputonit。Lorna，inherperfectbeauty，stoodbeforethecrimsonfolds，andherdresswasallpurewhite，andhercheekswererosypink，andherlipswerescarlet。
　　Likeamaiden，withskillandsensecheckingviolentimpulse，shestayedthereforonemomentonly，justtobeadmired；andthenlikeawoman，shecametome，seeinghowalarmedIwas。ThehandsheofferedmeI
　　took，andraisedittomylipswithfear，asathingtoogoodforme。’Isthatall？’shewhispered；andthenhereyesgleamedupatme；andinanotherinstant，shewasweepingonmybreast。
　　’DarlingLorna，LadyLorna，’Icried，inastonishment，yetunablebuttokeepherclosertome，andcloser；
　　’surely，thoughIloveyouso，thisisnotasitshouldbe。’
　　’Yes，itis，John。Yes，itis。Nothingelseshouldeverbe。Oh，whyhaveyoubehavedso？’
　　’Iambehaving。’Ireplied，’totheverybestofmyability。Thereisnoothermanintheworldcouldholdyouso，withoutkissingyou。’
　　’Thenwhydon’tyoudoit，John？’askedLorna，lookingupatme，withaflashofheroldfun。
　　Nowthismatter，proverbially，isnotfordiscussion，andrepetition。Enoughthatwesaidnothingmorethan，’Oh，John，howgladIam!’and’Lorna，LornaLorna!’
　　foraboutfiveminutes。Thenmydarlingdrewbackproudly，withblushingcheeks，andtear-brighteyes，shebegantocross-examineme。
　　’MasterJohnRidd，youshalltellthetruth，thewholetruth，andnothingbutthetruth。IhavebeeninChancery，sir；andcandetectastory。Nowwhyhaveyounever，formorethanatwelvemonth，takenthesmallestnoticeofyouroldfriend，MistressLornaDoone？’Althoughshespokeinthislightsomemanner，asifitmadenodifference，Isawthatherquickheartwasmoving，andtheflashofhereyescontrolled。
　　’Simplyforthiscause，Ianswered，’thatmyoldfriendandtruelove，tooknotthesmallestheedofme。NorknewIwheretofindher。’
　　’What!’criedLorna；andnothingmore；beingovercomewithwondering；andmuchinclinedtofallaway，butformyassistance。Itoldher，overandoveragain，thatnotasinglesyllableofanymessagefromher，ortidingsofherwelfare，hadreachedme，oranyoneofus，sincethelettersheleftbehind；exceptbysoldier’sgossip。
　　’Oh，youpoordearJohn!’saidLorna，sighingatthoughtofmymisery：’howwonderfullygoodofyou，thinkingofmeasyoumusthavedone，nottomarrythatlittleplainthingorperhapsIshouldsaythatlovelycreature，forIhaveneverseenher，MistressRuth——I
　　forgethername；butsomethinglikeatowel。’
　　’RuthHuckabackisaworthymaid，’Iansweredwithsomedignity；’andshealoneofallourworld，exceptindeedpoorAnnie，haskeptherconfidenceinyou，andtoldmenottodreadyourrank，buttrustyourheart，LadyLorna。’
　　’ThenRuthismybestfriend，’sheanswered，’andisworthyofyou，dearJohn。Andnowrememberonething，dear；ifGodshouldpartus，asmaybebynothingshortofdeath，trytomarrythatlittleRuth，whenyouceasetorememberme。Andnowforthehead-traitor。Ihaveoftensuspectedit：butshelooksmeintheface，andwishes——fearfulthings，whichIcannotrepeat。’
　　Withthesewords，shemovedanimplementsuchasIhadnotseenbefore，andwhichmadearingingnoiseataseriousdistance。AndbeforeIhadceasedwondering——forifsuchthingsgoon，wemightringthechurchbells，whilesittinginourback-kitchen——littleGwennyCarfaxcame，withagraveandsullenface。
　　’Gwenny，’beganmyLorna，inatoneofhighrankanddignity，’goandfetchtheletterswhichIgaveyouatvarioustimesfordespatchtoMistressRidd。’
　　’HowcanIfetchthem，whentheyaregone？Itbenouseforhimtotellnolies——’
　　’Now，Gwenny，canyoulookatme？’Iasked，verysternly；forthematterwasnojoketome，afterayear’sunhappiness。
　　’Idon’twanttolookat’ee。WhatshouldIlookatayoungmanfor，althoughhedidoffertokissme？’
　　Isawthespiteandimpudenceofthislastremark，andsodidLorna，althoughshecouldnotquiterefrainfromsmiling。
　　’Now，Gwenny，nottospeakofthat，’saidLorna，verydemurely，’ifyouthoughtithonesttokeeptheletters，wasithonesttokeepthemoney？’
　　AtthistheCornishmaidenbrokeintoarageofhonesty：’Aputtthemoneybyfor’ee。’Eeshallhaveeveryfardenofit。’Andsosheflungoutoftheroom。
　　’And，Gwenny，’saidLornaverysoftly，followingunderthedoor-hangings；’ifitisnothonesttokeepthemoney，itisnothonesttokeeptheletters，whichwouldhavebeenworthmorethananygoldtothosewhoweresokindtoyou。Yourfathershallknowthewhole，Gwenny，unlessyoutellthetruth。’
　　’Now，awilltellallthetruth，’thisstrangemaidenanswered，talkingtoherselfatleastasmuchastohermistress，whileshewentoutofsightandhearing。AndthenIwassogladathavingmyownLornaonceagain，clearedofallcontemptforus，andtruetomethroughallofit，thatIwouldhaveforgivenGwennyfortreason，orevenforgery。
　　’Itrustedhersomuch，’saidLorna，inheroldill-fortunedway；’andlookhowshehasdeceivedme!
　　ThatiswhyIloveyou，Johnsettingotherthingsaside，becauseyounevertoldmefalsehood；andyounevercould，youknow。’
　　’Well，Iamnotsosureofthat。IthinkIcouldtellanylie，tohaveyou，darling，allmyown。’
　　’Yes。Andperhapsitmightberight。Tootherpeoplebesidesustwo。Butyoucouldnotdoittome，John。
　　Younevercoulddoittome，youknow。’
　　BeforeIquiteperceivedmywaytothebottomofthedistinction——althoughbeyonddoubtavalidone——Gwennycamebackwithaleathernbag，andtossedituponthetable。Notaworddidshevouchsafetous；butstoodthere，lookinginjured。
　　’Go，andgetyourletters，John，’saidLornaverygravely；’oratleastyourmother’sletters，madeofmessagestoyou。AsforGwenny，sheshallgobeforeLordJusticeJeffreys。’IknewthatLornameantitnot；
　　butthoughtthatthegirldeservedafrightening；asindeedshedid。ButwebothmistookthecourageofthischildofCornwall。Shesteppeduponalittleroundthing，inthenatureofastool，suchasIneverhadseenbefore，andthusdeliveredhersentiments。