74
WYLDER'S HAJVD.
only looked at her with a good-humored but grave curi-
osity for a few seconds, and then said, with rather a kind-
ly smile —
"And now, Dorcas, I like you.''
Dorcas made no answer, but put her arm round Rachel's
neck, and kissed her; Dorcas made two kissses of it, and
Rachel one, but it was cousinly and kindly; and Rachel
laughed a soft little laugh after it, looking amused and
very lovingly on her cousin; but she was a bold lass, and
not given in anywise to the melting mood, and said gaily,
with her open hand still caressingly on Dorcas's waist —
"I make a very good nun, Dorcas, as I told Stanley
the other day. I sometimes, indeed, receive a male visitor
at the other side of the paling, which is my grille; but to
change my way of life is a dream that does not trouble
me. Happy the girl — and I am one — who cannot like
until she is first beloved. Don't you remember poor, pale
Winnie, the maid who used to take us on our walks all the
summer at Dawling; how she used to pluck the leaves
from the flowers, like Faust's Marguerite, saying, "he
loves me a little — passionately, not at all.'' Now if I
were loved passionately, I might love a little; and if loved
a little — it should be not at all. And so Dorcas, as
swains are seldom passionately in love with so small a pit-
tance as mine, I think I shall mature into a queer old maid,
and take all the little Wylders, masters and misses, with
your leave, for their walks, and help to make their pina-
fores." Whereupon Miss Dorcas put her ponies into a
quick trot, and became absorbed in her driving.