The Midnight Queen - Page 65/177

"You are very kind, but pray do not call me madame. Say Leoline!"

"A thousand thanks, dear Leoline!" exclaimed Sir Norman, raising her

hand to his lips, and quite beside himself with ecstasy.

"Ah, I did not tell you to say that!" she cried, with a gay laugh and

vivid blush. "I never said you were to call me dear."

"It arose from my heart to my lips," said Sir Norman, with thrilling

earnestness and fervid glance; "for you are dear to me--dearer than all

the world beside!"

The flush grew a deeper glow on the lady's face; but, singular to

relate, she did not look the least surprised or displeased; and the hand

he had feloniously purloined lay passive and quite contented in his.

"Sir Norman Kingsley is pleased to jest," said the lady, in a subdued

tone, and with her eyes fixed pertinaciously on her shining dress; "for

he has never spoken to me before in his life!"

"That has nothing to do with it, Leoline. I love you as devotedly as if

I had known you from your birthday; and, strange to say, I feel as if we

had been friends for years instead of minutes. I cannot realize at all

that you are a stranger to me!"

Leoline laughed: "Nor I; though, for that matter, you are not a stranger to me, Sir

Norman!"

"Am I not? How is that!"

"I have seen you go past so often, you know; and Prudence told me who

you were; and so I need--I used--" hesitating and glowing to a degree

before which her dress paled.

"Well, dearest," said Sir Norman, getting from the positive to the

superlative at a jump, and diminishing the distance between them, "you

need to--what?"

"To watch for you!" said Leoline, in a sly whisper. "And so I have got

to know you very well!"

"My own darling! And, O Leoline! may I hope--dare I hope--that you do

not altogether hate me?"

Leoline looked reflective; though her bleak eyes were sparkling under

their sweeping lashes.

"Why, no," she said, demurely, "I don't know as I do. It's very sinful

and improper to hate one's fellow-creatures, you know, Sir Norman, and

therefore I don't indulge in it."

"Ah! you are given to piety, I see. In that case, perhaps you are aware

of a precept commanding us to love our neighbors. Now, I'm your nearest

neighbor at present; so, to keep up a consistent Christian spirit, just

be good enough to say you love me!"

Again Leoline laughed; and this time the bright, dancing eyes beamed in

their sparkling darkness fall upon him.

"I am afraid your theology is not very sound, my friend, and I have

a dislike to extremes. There is a middle course, between hating and

loving. Suppose I take that?"