Fiction > Book editions > New York, 1893 - David Balfour

320 DAVID BALFOUR
were. I was thinking, the one moment, it was the
most stupid tiling on eartli she should not have per-
ceived my love ; and the next, that she had certainly
perceived it long ago, and (being a wise girl with the
tine female instinct of propriety) concealed her knowl-
edge.
We had our walk daily. Out in the streets I felt
moi-e safe ; I relaxed a little in my guardedness ; and
for one thing, there was no Heineccius. This made
these periods not only a relief to myself, but a particu-
lar pleasure to my poor child. When I came back
about the hour appointed, I would generally find her
ready dressed and glowing with anticipation. She
would prolong their duration to tlie extreme, seeming
to dread (as I did myself) the hour of the return ; and
there is scarce a field or waterside near Leyden, scarce a
street or lane there, where we have not lingered. Out-
side of these, I bade her confine herself entirely to our
lodgings ; this in the fear of her cnconntering any
acquaintance, which would have rendered our position
very difficult. From the same apprehension I would
never suffer her to attend church, nor even go myself ;
but made some kind of shift to hold worship privately
in our own chamber — T hope with an honest, but I am
quite sure with a very much divided mind. Indeed,
there was scarce anything that more affected me, than
thus to kneel down alone with her before God like man
and wife.