Fiction > Book editions > London, 1893 - Catriona

294 CATRIOXA.
" I will not be doing without my walk," she cried.
" You are never a good boy, Davie, in the house ; I
will never be caring for you only in the open air. I
think we two will better turn Egyptian and dwell by
the roadside."
That was the best walk yet of all of them; she
clung near to me in the falling snow ; it beat about
and melted on us, and the drops stood upon her
bright cheeks like tears and ran mto her smiling
mouth. Strength seemed to come upon me with the
sight like a giant's ; I thought I could have caught
her up and run with her into the uttermost places in
the earth ; and we spoke together all that time
beyond belief for freedom and sweetness.
It was the dark night when we came to the house
door. She pressed my arm upon her bosom. " Thank
you kindly for these same good hours,^' said she, on a
deep note of her voice.
The concern in which I fell instantly on this
address, put me with the same swiftness on my guard ;
and we were no sooner in the chamber, and the light
made, than she beheld the old, dour, stubborn
countenance of the student of Heineccius. Doubtless
she was more than usually hurt; and I know for
myself, I found it more than usually difficult to
maintain my strangeness. Even at the meal, I durst
scarce unbuckle and scarce lift my eyes to her ; and
it was no sooner over than I fell again to my civilian,
wdth more seeming abstraction and less understanding
than before. Methought, as I read, I could hear my
heart strike Hke an eight-day clock. Hard as I
feigned to study, there was still some of my eyesight