242 DUCK-SHOOTING. 
great deal init. In this particular mstance there 
was not even much in it, but that little was of the 
female sex. Astonishment changed to admiration. 
She was very pretty, her rosy cheek rested pillowed 
on one little hand, while the other arm was thrown 
gracefully across her head, framing her innocent 
child-like face in a cloud of white. She was lying 
on her side, and below her arm the bed-clothes sank 
down to her waist and then rose in a magnificent 
swell. Her hair in massive curls poured upon the 
pillow, and one strayed round her throat and joined 
with the white drapery in protecting her neck. 
“ Admiration changed to curiosity. I stepped 
nearer, bringing the light so that while it did not 
shine strongly on her eyes, it fell upon the white 
drapery. Man is but a weak creature, liable to be 
swayed by evil passions. Curiosity has always been 
my besetting sin, and sudden temptations ought to 
be included among the other sudden dangers in the 
prayer-book. In consequence of the position of her 
arm, the clothes had fallen back from her shoulders, 
but that envious curl was cruelly unsatisfying; the 
white drapery rose and fell with the long breathing 
of her sleep. My first impulse was to retire noise- 
lessly, but curiosity conquered ; she slept so sweetly, 
so gracefully, and so soundly. Approaching nearer, 
stealthily, step by step, I carefully put forward one 
hand, and gently touched the curl—she did not 
move—then quietly gathering it up, I began slowly 
drawing it aside. It lifted and fell with the marble 
neck beneath like a brown vein across it, but no 
