MISADVENTURES OF A LOVEK. 31 



judgment therefore w;ts, that I would suffer unknown to, and unpitied 

 by, the world, a universe of ardent unrevealed love, rather than run 

 the hazard of making- myself anew a laughing-stock to the public, 

 and the butt oi' my acquaintances. 



This then was a settled point. And so strictly had I resolved to 

 act up to the letter of my resolution, that rather than be in tempta- 

 tion's way, I would submit to the ineffably great sacrifice of passing 

 by the beautiful garden without casting a glance at it, lest that 

 glance should encounter the exquisitely handsome form of the living 

 flower I had before seen in it. For three days, evenings rather, I 

 religiously adhered to my determination : she might each time I 

 passed have been again eclipsing, by her presence, all the other 

 beauties in the garden ; but I saw her not. On the third day after, 

 when returning home, I learned by the merest accident the young lady's 

 name, who were her connections, and what were her character and sta- 

 tion in society. On the fourth, while I was as usual passing by the 

 garden on my way home, I observed her Lavinia was her name 

 walking slowly, not in the garden, but on the road outside, as if com- 

 ing directly up to me. She seemed contemplative: there was a 

 touching pensiveness in her look; there was a book in her hand. We 

 met, and were in the act of passing each other, when Lavinia, as if 

 suddenly seized with sickness, quivered a little, and was in the act of 

 falling. I caught hold of her before she swooned altogether : the 

 book she held in her hand did fall. 



" Pray, madam, are you indisposed ?" enquired I, with much ten- 

 derness and concern. 



" A little, sir," she softly answered, at the same time glancing a 

 look at me which it is impossible to characterise, but which I must 

 have been steel-hearted, indeed, not to \\avefelt. 



I lifted the book from the ground. I looked at it : it was a novel. 

 The passage she had evidently been reading was indicated by the 

 leaf being folded down. That passage told told eloquently though 

 briefly, of the loves of a young lady and gentleman ; how they eloped 

 together, got married at Gretna Green, and lived a long* life of the 

 utmost possible happiness. I could not who could? be block- 

 head enough to misunderstand this. I could not in any circumstances, 

 far less in the circumstances of that moment, resist it. 



" My dearest girl," said I, " will you meet me to-morrow morning 

 at ten o'clock, at the S ?" 



" I will, with all my heart," was the brief answer she returned ; 

 and that answer was accompanied by a look more expressive a thou- 

 sand fold than a whole world of books could have been, had such 

 been written to describe the young lady's feelings. 



We parted that evening. We met next morning at the appointed 

 time and place. We set off in a coach and four for Gretna Green. 

 Jehu was well paid : he did his duty admirably. We halted no 

 longer than was necessary to change horses, until we reached a small 

 town within ten miles of the destined place. On our way Lavinia 

 disclosed to me how she had been struck by rny appearance the very 

 first time she had seen me looking over her father's garden wall ; but 

 a sense of the delicacy and reservedness becoming- her sex prevented 



