Page 251 - The snake's pass

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murdock's wooing. 239
round her lovely head. She had on her red petticoat
and chintz body, that she knew I admired so much ; and
on her breast she wore a great scarlet poppy, whose
splendid colour suited well her dark and noble beauty.
At the earliest opportunity, when tea was over, I whis-
pered to her:
" My darling, how well the poppy suits you. How
beautiful you are. You are like the Goddess of Sleep!"
She put her finger to her lips with a happy smile, as
though to forbid me to pay compliments—before others.
I suppose the woman has never yet been born—and
never shall be—who would not like to hear her praises
from the man she loves.
I had eaten potato-cakes before, but never such as
Norah had made for us possibly they seemed so good
;
to me because I knew that her hands had made them.
The honey, too, was the nicest I had tasted—for it was
made by Norah's bees. The butter was perfect—for it
was the work of her hands !
I do not think that a happier party ever assembled
round a tea-table. Joyce was now quite reconciled to
the loss of his daughter, and was beaming all over;
and Dick's loyal nature had its own reward, for he
too was happy in the happiness of those he loved—or
else I was, and am, the most obtuse fool, and he the
most consummate actor, that has been. As for Norah
and myself, I know we were happy—as happy as it
is given to mortals to be.
When tea was over, and Norah fetched her father's