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indeed。〃
He faced suddenly towards her 〃Meta； Meta！ is it possible？ Do you
know what you are saying？〃
〃I think I do。〃
〃You must understand me；〃 said Norman； striving to speak calmly。 〃You
have beenwords will not express what you have been to me for years
past； but I thought you too far beyond my hopes。 I knew I ought to
be removed from youI believed that those who are debarred from
earthly happiness are marked for especial tasks。 I never intended
you to know what actuated me； and now the work is undertaken； and
and I cannot turn back；〃 he added quickly； as if fearing himself。
〃No indeed；〃 was her steady reply。
〃Then I may believe it！〃 cried Norman。 〃You doyou willyou
deliberately choose to share it with me？〃
〃I will try not to be a weight on you；〃 answered the young girl； with
a sweet mixture of resolution and humility。 〃It would be the
greatest possible privilege。 I really do not think I am a fine lady
ingrain； and you will teach me not to be too unworthy。〃
〃I？ Oh； Meta； you know not what I am！ Yet with you； with you to
inspire； to strengthen； to cheerMeta； Meta； life is so much changed
before me； that I cannot understand it yetafter the long dreary
hopelessness〃
〃I can't think why〃 Meta had half said； when feminine dignity
checked the words； consciousness and confusion suddenly assailed her；
dyed her cheeks crimson； and stifled her voice。
It was the same with Norman； and bashfulness making a sudden prey of
bothon they went under its dominion； in a condition partaking
equally of discomfort and felicity； dreading the sound of their own
voices； afraid of each other's faces； feeling they were treating each
other very strangely and ungratefully； yet without an idea what to
say next； or the power of speaking first； and therefore pacing
onwards； looking gravely straight along the path； as if to prevent
the rabbits and foxgloves from guessing that anything had been
passing between them。
Dr。 May had made his call at Drydale； and was driving up a rough
lane； between furzy banks； leading to Cocksmoor； when he was aware of
a tall gentleman on one side of the road and a little lady on the
other； with the whole space of the cart…track between them； advancing
soberly towards him。
〃Hallo！ Why； Meta！ Norman！ what brings you here？ Where are you
going？〃
Norman perceived that he had turned to the left instead of to the
right； and was covered with shame。
〃That is all your wits are good for。 It is well I met you； or you
would have led poor Meta a pretty dance！ You will know better than
to trust yourself to the mercies of a scholar another time。 Let me
give you a lift。〃
The courteous doctor sprang out to hand Meta in； but something made
him suddenly desire Adams to drive on； and then turning round to the
two young people； he said； 〃Oh！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Norman； taking her hand； and drawing her towards him。
〃What； Meta； my pretty one； is it really so？ Is he to be happy after
all？ Are you to be a Daisy of my own？〃
〃If you will let me；〃 murmured Meta； clinging to her kind old friend。
〃No flower on earth could come so naturally to us；〃 said Dr。 May。
〃And； dear child； at last I may venture to tell you that you have a
sanction that you will value more than mine。 Yes； my dear； on the
last day of your dear father's life； when some foreboding hung upon
him； he spoke to me of your prospects； and singled out this very
Norman as such as he would prefer。〃
Meta's tears prevented all； save the two little words； 〃thank you；〃
but she put out her hand to Norman； as she still rested on the
doctor's arm； more as if he had been her mother than Norman's father。
〃Did he？〃 from Norman； was equally inexpressive of the almost
incredulous gratitude and tenderness of his feeling。
It would not bear talking over at that moment； and Dr。 May presently
broke the silence in a playful tone。 〃So； Meta； good men don't like
heiresses？〃
〃Quite true；〃 said Meta； 〃it was very much against me。〃
〃Or it may be the other way；〃 said Norman。
〃Eh？ Good men don't like heiresseshere's a man who likes an
heiresstherefore here's a man that is not good？ Ah； ha！ Meta； you
can see that is false logic； though I've forgotten mine。 And pray；
miss； what are we to say to your uncle？〃
〃He cannot help it；〃 said Meta quickly。
〃Ha！〃 said the doctor； laughing； 〃we remember our twenty…one years；
do we？〃
〃I did not meanI hope I said nothing wrong；〃 said Meta； in blushing
distress。 〃Only after what you said； I can care for nothing else。〃
〃If I could only thank him；〃 said Norman fervently。
〃I believe you know how to do that； my boy；〃 said Dr。 May； looking
tenderly at the fairy figure between them； and ending with a sigh；
remembering； perhaps； the sense of protection with which he had felt
another Margaret lean on his arm。
The clatter of horses' hoofs caused Meta to withdraw her hand； and
Norman to retreat to his own side of the lane； as Sir Henry
Walkinghame and his servant overtook them。
〃We will be in good time for the proceedings；〃 called out the doctor。
〃Tell them we are coming。〃
〃I did not know you were walking；〃 said Sir Henry to Meta。
〃It is pleasant in the plantations；〃 Dr。 May answered for her； 〃but I
am afraid we are late； and our punctual friends will be in despair。
Will you kindly say we are at hand？〃
Sir Henry rode on； finding that he was not to be allowed to walk his
horse with them； and that Miss Rivers had never looked up。
〃Poor Sir Henry！〃 said Dr。 May。
〃He has no right to be surprised；〃 said Meta； very low。
〃And so you were marching right upon Drydale！〃 continued Dr。 May； not
able to help laughing。 〃It was a happy dispensation that I met you。〃
〃Oh； I am so glad of it！〃 said Meta。
〃Though to be sure you were disarming suspicion by so cautiously
keeping the road between you。 I should never have guessed what you
had been at。〃
There was a little pause； then Meta said； rather tremulously；
〃PleaseI think it should be known at once。〃
〃Our idle deeds confessed without loss of time； miss？〃
Norman came across the path； saying； 〃Meta is rightit should be
known。〃
〃I don't think Uncle Cosham would object； especially hearing it while
he is here；〃 said Meta 〃and if he knew what you told us。〃
〃He goes to…morrow； does he not？〃 said Dr。 May。
A silence of perplexity ensued。 Meta； brave as she was； hardly knew
her uncle enough to volunteer； and Norman was privately devising a
beginning by the way of George； when Dr。 May said； 〃Well； since it is
not a case for putting Ethel in the forefront； I must e'en get it
over for you； I suppose。〃
〃Oh； thank you；〃 they cried both at once； feeling that he was the
proper person in every way； and Norman added； 〃The sooner the better；
if Meta〃
〃Oh； yes； yes； the sooner the better；〃 exclaimed Meta。 〃And let me
tell Florapoor dear Florashe is always so kind。〃
A testimony that was welcome to Dr。 May； who had once； at least； been
under the impression that Flora courted Sir Henry's attentions to her
sister…in…law。
Further consultation was hindered by Tom and Blanche bursting upon
them from the common； both echoing Norman's former reproach of 〃A
pretty guide！〃 and while Blanche explained the sufferings of all the
assembly at their tardiness； Tom； without knowing it； elucidated what
had been a mystery to the doctor； namely； how they ever met； by his
indignation at Norman's having assumed the guidance for which he was
so unfit。
〃A shocking leader； Meta will never trust him again；〃 said Dr。 May。
Still Blanche thought them not nearly sufficiently sensible of their
enormities； and preached eagerly about their danger of losing
standing…room； when they emerged on the moor； and beheld a crowd；
above whose heads rose the apex of a triangle； formed by three poles；
sustaining a rope and huge stone。
〃Here comes Dr。 Spencer；〃 she said。 〃I hope he will scold you。〃
Whatever Dr。 Spencer might have suffered； he was far too polite to
scold； and a glance between the two physicians ended in a merry
twinkle of his bright eyes。
〃This way；〃 he said； 〃we are all ready。〃
〃But where's my little Daisy？〃 said Dr。 May。
〃You'll see her in a minute。 She is as good as gold。〃
He drew them on up the bankpeople making way for themtill he had
stationed them among the others of their own party； beside the deep
trench that traced the foundation； around a space that seemed far too
small。
Nearly at the same moment began the soft clear sound of chanting
wafted upon the wind； then dying awaycarried off by some eddying
breeze； then clear； and coming nearer and nearer。
I will not suffer mine eyes to sleep；
Nor mine eye…lids to slumber：
Neither the temples of my head to take any rest；
Until I find out a place for the temple of the Lord：
An habitation for the mighty God of Jacob。
Few； who knew the history of Cocksmoor； could help glancing towards
the slight girl； who stood； with bent head； her hand clasped over
little Aubrey's； while； all that was not prayer and thanksgiving in
her mind； was applying the words to him； whose head rested in the
Pacific isle； while； in the place whi