THE SOLACHERS. 81 



picturesque high-crowned green hat peculiar to these 

 valleys, over the brim hung the tassel of green and 

 gold, and at the side were a bright red rose and 

 other artificial flowers. Her braided brown hair 

 showed itself beneath the broad brim of the hat ; and 

 as I afterwards looked at her finely-marked features, 

 and at the beautiful outline running from the tip of 

 the ear to the chin which by the way is more seldom 

 seen in perfection than any other part of the face 

 I could not help thinking that such a bonnie green 

 hat was, after all, the most becoming head-gear a girl 

 could wear. 



But beside the full-blown flower was another, a 

 full bud just about to unfold and burst into opening 

 loveliness. It was the youngest sister Marie. She 

 hardly ventured to raise her large dark eyes to the 

 stranger, and quickly left the room to lay aside her hat 

 and cloak. She returned however soon after; and 

 never did I so earnestly endeavour to inspire confi- 

 dence as now, when doing my best to win trust in my 

 good faith from this sweet-mannered village maiden. 

 It was difficult at first to entice her into conversation; 

 but later, when she saw that the rough-looking crea- 

 ture before her was gentle in his demeanour, and 

 treated her with comely deference, she would gradually 

 lift her eyes as she smiled a reply; and eventually, 

 though timidly at first, would let them rest full and 

 fearlessly on the stranger's countenance. Yet later, 

 when our supper came, and I begged them all to 

 sit at table and sup with us, I could not prevail on 



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