THE SMUGGLER* 95 



dust-pan drop and making a terrible clatter. He asked himself 

 what his heart could be about, to go on in such a way, simply 

 because he was waiting, in the not very vague expectation of 

 seeing a young lady, with whom he had to talk of some busi- 

 ness, in which neither of them were personally concerned. 



"It must be the uncertainty of whether she will come or 

 not," he thought; "or else the secrecy of the thing;" and 

 yet he had often before had to wait with still more secrecy 

 and still more uncertainty, on very dangerous and important 

 occasions, without feeling any such agitation of his usually 

 calm nerves. She was a very pretty girl it was true, with all 

 the fresh graces of youth about her, light and sunshine in her 

 eyes, health and happiness on her cheeks and lips, and 



" La grace encore plus belle quo la beaute" 



in every movement. But then, they perfectly understood each 

 other; there was no harm, there was no risk, there was no 

 reason why they should not meet. 



Did they perfectly understand each other? Did they per- 

 fectly understand themselves? It is a very difficult question 

 to answer: but one thing is very certain, that, of all things 

 upon this earth, the must gullible is the human heart; and 

 when it thinks it understands itself best, it is almost always 

 sure to prove a greater fool than ever. 



Sir Edward Digby did not altogether like his own thoughts ; 

 and therefore, after waiting for a quarter of an hour, he 

 walked out into one of the little passages which we have 

 already mentioned, running from the central corridor towards 

 a door or window in the front, between the library and what 

 was called the music-room. He had not been there a minute 

 when a step, very different from that of the housemaid, was 

 heard in the neighbouring room; and, as the officer was turn- 

 ing thither, he met the younger Miss Croyland coming out, 

 with a bonnet, or hat, as it was then called, hanging on her 

 arm by the ribbons. 



She held out her hand frankly towards him, saying, in a 

 low tone, "You must think this all very strange, Sir Edward, 

 and perhaps very improper. I have been taxing myself about 

 it all night; but yet I was resolved I would not lose the op- 

 portunity, trusting to your generosity to justify me, when you 

 hear all." 



