242 DUCK-SHOOTING. 



great deal in it. In this particular instance 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 hi 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 



