Helena: A Wife's Story [pp. 462-472]

Helena; A Wife's Story.
had done did not vex or shock me; for I
was so totally unused to the world, and
so habituated to correction and control.
Miss Mac Nab was on the sofa with a
headache, and I did not mention to her
that I had seen any body.
A day or two afterwards I strolled
through the shrubberies to the bank of
the winding stream which made the
grounds of Deansdale so beautiful. I sat
down under the willows, and as I fell into
thought, began to sing. I know not how
long I had sung when, looking up, I saw
my neighbor and his pointer in a small
boat. He gracefully raised his hat, and
bidding the pointer keep down (for the
dog knew me again, and offered to swine
ashore,) he pulled his boat in and said
playfully-"I have found Lorely then,
after a long and weary search."
" Lorely?" said I inquiringly.
" Lorely," repeated he, in his positive
tones, and looking straight into my eyes.
I reddened. He smiled.
"Come into the boat; it is very pleasant."
Vashti disobeyed Ahasuerus. I was
not Vashti. He was more commanding
than Ahasuerus. I stepped in, but with
a slight shudder; for I was timid of the
water.
" What ails you?" he asked more tenderly when he saw my timidity. "You
are as startled as a wood-pigeon."
"I am timid of the water," I answered.
"Timid? There, let me hold your
hand. And so you have never heard of
Lorely?"
" Never."
"Listen, then." And resting his oars,
he kept the boat und er the wil lows, while
in a musical voice, he told me of the legendary spirits and goblins that haunt
the regions of the Rhine. I knew nothing of romance; and when I first listened
to it, I was like an Indian who puts the
firewater to his fresh lips. It enchanted
me. As he continued, every pebble in
the stream appeared like the gleaming
eye of some naiad —every flower-bell held
a haunting sprite. He told me ghost-stories and fairy tales, until my unaccustomed brain felt giddy. At last he said —
"Will they not want you at home?"
" Have I been here l on g?" I said.
He smiled, and said,' Only twon ho u rs."
"Two hours? 0 dear! Pray put me
ashore. Miss Mac Nab w ill b e alarmed."
"Is Miss Mae Nab a dragon?" he inquired.
"A dragon? No, a lad y-my governess."
"A careful governess, to trust so much
beauty alone! Take care. Your foot is
not steady. There. Adieu. We s hall meet
again soon!"
I hurried up the shrubbery-walks, and
found Miss Mac Nab just where I lef t
her, and asleep. When she awoke I was
working, and she had no suspicion that I
had been out longer than the allotted
hour. This day was no t so wearisome as
my past days: for I had somethin g to occupy my thoughts. Undine and Lorely,
and a host of quaint sprites, were dancing
about my brain. I thought, too, a little
of our neighbor-for I felt sure he was
our neighbor —and wondered why so clever a m an should bury himse lf in a small
country house like Audley End.
The next morning, not without a faint
hope of me eting him aand he aring more
legends, I walked towards the river.
There was no boat. I sat down and
sketched a spray of bells which grew near
me, for I had brought my pencils. I was
enchant e d with fairy ideas, and into every
bell I pu t a weird face, or at least peep -
ing and unearthly eyes. They laughed
and watched from every blossom. About
the stalk and sitting in the stem where
the bell sprang were other goblin figures;
and on the top a little creature, as like a
queen as I could make her, whose long
hair veiled her slender frame. My fancy
pleased me. I carefully worked at and
enjoyed the sketch. Presently I felt a
cold touch on my fingers-it was the pointer's nose. I loooked up. Max's master
stood behind me, looking over my picture.
",Do you know," said he, as he sat
down by me, " that you have the imagination and taste of an artist? That you
sing like an- well, like Lorel~y. D)o
you know that you are a beauty of perfect
mould?"
"IDo you likie beautiful people?" I inquired,
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[JUNE