"Think! I can't think--I've got past that long ago!" replied his friend,
hopelessly. "Did you really say Leoline was alive and well?"
"And waiting for you--yes, I did, and I repeat it; and the sooner you
get back to town, the sooner you will see her; so don't loiter--"
"Ormiston, what do you mean! Is it possible I can see her to-night?"
"Yes, it is; the dear creature is waiting for you even now. You see,
after we got to the house, and she had consented to become a little
rational, mutual explanations ensued, by which it appeared she had ran
away from Sir Norman Kingsley's in a state of frenzy, had jumped into
the river in a similarly excited state of mind, and was most anxious
to go down on her pretty knees and thank the aforesaid Sir Norman for
saving her life. What could any one as gallant as myself do under these
circumstances, but offer to set forth in quest of that gentleman? And
she promptly consented to sit up and wait his coming, and dismissed me
with her blessing. And, Kingsley, I've a private notion she is as deeply
affected by you as you are by her; for, when I mentioned your name, she
blushed, yea, verily to the roots of her hair; and when she spoke of
you, couldn't so much as look me in the face--which is, yea must own, a
very bad symptom."
"Nonsense!" said Sir Norman, energetically. And had it been daylight,
his friend would have seen that he blushed almost as extensively as the
lady. "She doesn't know me."
"Ah, doesn't she, though? That shows all you know about it! She has
seen you go past the window many and many a time; and to see you," said
Ormiston, making a grimace undercover of the darkness, "is to love! She
told me so herself."
"What! That she loved me!" exclaimed Sir Norman, his notions of
propriety to the last degree shocked by such a revelation.
"Not altogether, she only looked that; but she said she knew you well
by sight, and by heart, too, as I inferred from her countenance when
she said it. There now, don't make me talk any more, for I have told you
everything I know, and am about hoarse with my exertions."
"One thing only--did she tell you who she was?"
"No, except that her name was Leoline, and nothing else--which struck me
as being slightly improbable. Doubtless, she will tell you everything,
and one piece of advice I may venture to give you, which is, you may
propose as soon as you like without fear of rejection. Here we are at
the Golden Crown, so go in and get your horse, and let us be off."
All this time Ormiston had been leading his own horse by the bridle, and
as Sir Norman silently complied with this suggestion, in five minutes
more they were in their saddles, and galloping at breakneck speed toward
the city. To tell the truth, one was not more inclined for silence than
the other, and the profoundest and thoughtfulest silence was maintained
till they reached it. One was thinking of Leoline, the other of La
Masque, and both were badly in love, and just at that particular moment
very happy. Of course the happiness of people in that state never lasts
longer than half an hour at a stretch, and then they are plunged back
again into misery and distraction; but while it does last, it in, very
intense and delightful indeed.