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fall the deeper in it。 It is with the heart only that one captures
a heart。
'And now；' I continued； 'I will tell you what you can still do for
me。 I run a little risk just now； and you see for yourself how
unavoidable it is for any man of honour。 But if … but in case of
the worst I do not choose to enrich either my enemies or the Prince
Regent。 I have here the bulk of what my uncle gave me。 Eight
thousand odd pounds。 Will you take care of it for me？ Do not
think of it merely as money； take and keep it as a relic of your
friend or some precious piece of him。 I may have bitter need of it
ere long。 Do you know the old country story of the giant who gave
his heart to his wife to keep for him； thinking it safer to repose
on her loyalty than his own strength？ Flora； I am the giant … a
very little one： will you be the keeper of my life？ It is my heart
I offer you in this symbol。 In the sight of God； if you will have
it； I give you my name； I endow you with my money。 If the worst
come； if I may never hope to call you wife； let me at least think
that you will use my uncle's legacy as my widow。'
'No； not that；' she said。 'Never that。'
'What then？' I said。 'What else； my angel？ What are words to me？
There is but one name that I care to know you by。 Flora； my love！'
'Anne！' she said。
What sound is so full of music as one's own name uttered for the
first time in the voice of her we love！
'My darling！' said I。
The jealous bars； set at the top and bottom in stone and lime；
obstructed the rapture of the moment； but I took her to myself as
wholly as they allowed。 She did not shun my lips。 My arms were
wound round her body； which yielded itself generously to my
embrace。 As we so remained； entwined and yet severed； bruising our
faces unconsciously on the cold bars； the irony of the universe …
or as I prefer to say； envy of some of the gods … again stirred up
the elements of that stormy night。 The wind blew again in the
tree…tops； a volley of cold sea…rain deluged the garden； and； as
the deuce would have it； a gutter which had been hitherto choked up
began suddenly to play upon my head and shoulders with the vivacity
of a fountain。 We parted with a shock； I sprang to my feet； and
she to hers； as though we had been discovered。 A moment after； but
now both standing； we had again approached the window on either
side。
'Flora；' I said； 'this is but a poor offer I can make you。'
She took my hand in hers and clasped it to her bosom。
'Rich enough for a queen！' she said； with a lift in her breathing
that was more eloquent than words。 'Anne； my brave Anne！ I would
be glad to be your maidservant； I could envy that boy Rowley。 But；
no！' she broke off； 'I envy no one … I need not … I am yours。'
'Mine；' said I； 'for ever！ By this and this； mine！'
'All of me；' she repeated。 'Altogether and forever！'
And if the god were envious； he must have seen with mortification
how little he could do to mar the happiness of mortals。 I stood in
a mere waterspout； she herself was wet； not from my embrace only；
but from the splashing of the storm。 The candles had guttered out；
we were in darkness。 I could scarce see anything but the shining
of her eyes in the dark room。 To her I must have appeared as a
silhouette； haloed by rain and the spouting of the ancient Gothic
gutter above my head。
Presently we became more calm and confidential； and when that
squall； which proved to be the last of the storm； had blown by；
fell into a talk of ways and means。 It seemed she knew Mr。 Robbie；
to whom I had been so slenderly accredited by Romaine … was even
invited to his house for the evening of Monday； and gave me a
sketch of the old gentleman's character which implied a great deal
of penetration in herself； and proved of great use to me in the
immediate sequel。 It seemed he was an enthusiastic antiquary； and
in particular a fanatic of heraldry。 I heard it with delight； for
I was myself； thanks to M。 de Culemberg； fairly grounded in that
science； and acquainted with the blazons of most families of note
in Europe。 And I had made up my mind … even as she spoke； it was
my fixed determination； though I was a hundred miles from saying it
… to meet Flora on Monday night as a fellow…guest in Mr。 Robbie's
house。
I gave her my money … it was； of course； only paper I had brought。
I gave it her； to be her marriage…portion； I declared。
'Not so bad a marriage…portion for a private soldier；' I told her；
laughing； as I passed it through the bars。
'O； Anne； and where am I to keep it？' she cried。 'If my aunt
should find it！ What would I say！'
'Next your heart；' I suggested。
'Then you will always be near your treasure；' she cried； 'for you
are always there！'
We were interrupted by a sudden clearness that fell upon the night。
The clouds dispersed； the stars shone in every part of the heavens；
and； consulting my watch； I was startled to find it already hard on
five in the morning。
CHAPTER XXVII … THE SABBATH DAY
IT was indeed high time I should be gone from Swanston； but what I
was to do in the meanwhile was another question。 Rowley had
received his orders last night： he was to say that I had met a
friend； and Mrs。 McRankine was not to expect me before morning。 A
good enough tale in itself； but the dreadful pickle I was in made
it out of the question。 I could not go home till I had found
harbourage； a fire to dry my clothes at； and a bed where I might
lie till they were ready。
Fortune favoured me again。 I had scarce got to the top of the
first hill when I spied a light on my left； about a furlong away。
It might be a case of sickness； what else it was likely to be … in
so rustic a neighbourhood； and at such an ungodly time of the
morning … was beyond my fancy。 A faint sound of singing became
audible； and gradually swelled as I drew near； until at last I
could make out the words； which were singularly appropriate both to
the hour and to the condition of the singers。 'The cock may craw；
the day may daw；' they sang； and sang it with such laxity both in
time and tune； and such sentimental complaisance in the expression；
as assured me they had got far into the third bottle at least。
I found a plain rustic cottage by the wayside； of the sort called
double； with a signboard over the door； and； the lights within
streaming forth and somewhat mitigating the darkness of the
morning； I was enabled to decipher the inscription： 'The Hunters'
Tryst； by Alexander Hendry。 Porter Ales； and British Spirits。
Beds。'
My first knock put a period to the music； and a voice challenged
tipsily from within。
'Who goes there？' it said； and I replied； 'A lawful traveller。'
Immediately after； the door was unbarred by a company of the
tallest lads my eyes had ever rested on； all astonishingly drunk
and very decently dressed； and one （who was perhaps the drunkest of
the lot） carrying a tallow candle； from which he impartially
bedewed the clothes of the whole company。 As soon as I saw them I
could not help smiling to myself to remember the anxiety with which
I had approached。 They received me and my hastily…concocted story；
that I had been walking from Peebles and had lost my way； with
incoherent benignity； jostled me among them into the room where
they had been sitting； a plain hedgerow alehouse parlour； with a
roaring fire in the chimney and a prodigious number of empty
bottles on the floor； and informed me that I was made； by this
reception； a temporary member of the SIX…FEET…HIGH CLUB； an
athletic society of young men in a good station； who made of the
Hunters' Tryst a frequent resort。 They told me I had intruded on
an 'all…night sitting；' following upon an 'all…day Saturday tramp'
of forty miles； and that the members would all be up and 'as right
as ninepence' for the noonday service at some neighbouring church …
Collingwood； if memory serves me right。 At this I could have
laughed； but the moment seemed ill…chosen。 For； though six feet
was their standard； they all exceeded that measurement
considerably； and I tasted again some of the sensations of
childhood； as I looked up to all these lads from a lower plane； and
wondered what they would do next。 But the Six…Footers； if they
were very drunk； proved no less kind。 The landlord and servants of
the Hunters' Tryst were in bed and asleep long ago。 Whether by
natural gift or acquired habit they could suffer pandemonium to
reign all over the house； and yet lie ranked in the kitchen like
Egyptian mummies； only that the sound of their snoring rose and
fell ceaselessly like the drone of a bagpipe。 Here the Six…Footers
invaded them … in their citadel； so to speak； counted the bunks and
the slee