Kate, Chapters I-III [pp. 415-428]

1859.]
Kate laughed. "Rattle your bones, old
horse!" and the old horse rattled his
bones; and with a rush and a sweep I
pulled up at the door of the boardinghouse.
That night my Lion behaved dreadfully. He roared and plunged, and shook
his cage so fearfully that sleep was out of
the question.
He had been stirred up with the long
pole of ridicule.
last rays fell upon the fields and woods,
proachful glances, although I could not
On the morrow I endeavoured to quiet
and tame him. It was impcssible. He
was furious, reckless. If I did not loose
him, I saw that he would soon break out
in some most undesirable manner. So I
chose to give him another chance. This
time I only wanted Kate to see him and
understandhim; I expected nothing more.
He might then go his way.
Therefore itwas, on the second day after
our drive, that, with a fixed purpose pervading all my energies, I asked Kate
"would she like to go out upon the lake
this afternoon-fine day."
This might be considered a pretty bold
step to be sure, but as I knew I never
could do what I wished up at the house,
it was absolutely necessary to take her
out somewhere. And I had not the
slightest reserve in such matters now.
She looked at me, when I asked her this,
in a very peculiar way, but on the whole.
concluded she would go. So we walked
over the fields to the lake-a comparatively short walk. Our conversation
w as exceedingly common-place, but I
think that even my most ordinary remarks
were made in a very decisive manner.
I unmoored the little boat that belonged
to the house, and we rowed away. We
were quieter now than before. Kate did
not look at all sleepy, and the fixed purpose which had pervaded my energies,
now, I believe, became visible in my
countenance.
It was a beautiful afternoon. I don't
think I remember ever having seen the
lake so still and transparent. The whole
scene was lovely, but we made no remarks concerning it. Kate might have
th ought about it. Of course I don't
wagon, spin your wheels!
Away we went. Kate laughed-I
laughed. The old horse laughed and
galloped, the wheels spun and the dustforms sprang up behind us and madly
waved their hats.
The greater my excitement, the more
423
Kate.