HOW THE ROSE BECAME RED 
295 
She pictured the Primrose-bank on which he lay twined 
reluctantly in her arms; how he tried to conceal his face, 
this way, and that way, amongst the flowers, whenever she 
attempted to press his lips ; 
“ While on each cheek appeared a pretty dimple : 
Love made those hollows ; if himself were slain, 
He might be buried in a tomb so simple." 
She recalled his attitude as he untwined himself from 
her embrace, and hurried off in pursuit of his steed, which 
had snapped the rein that secured it to the branch of a 
neighbouring oak and started at full speed down one of 
the wild avenues of the forest. In fancy she again saw 
him as he sat panting upon the ground, wearied with the 
fruitless pursuit; and how, kneeling down, she then 
“ Took him gently by the hand, 
A lily prison’d in a gaol cf snow : 
Or ivory in an alabaster band : 
So white a friend engirt so white a foe ; 
A beauteous combat, wilful and unwilling, 
Showed like two silver doves that sat a-billing." 
And as she looked upon him, she imagined that his lips 
moved again, as when they said, “ Give me my hand, 
why dost thou feel it?" she fancied she again felt his 
face upon her cheek, his kisses upon her lips, as when 
she fell down and feigned herself dead; the while he bent 
her fingers and felt her pulse, and endeavoured, by a 
hundred endearments and tender expressions, to restore 
her. And how, when she pretended to recover, she paid 
him back again with unnumbered kisses, whilst he, 
wearied with opposing her, no longer offered any resist- 
ance; and how, at last, he broke from her fair arms, and, 
darting down “the dark lawn," left her seated alone upon 
the ground. 
As picture after picture rose before her of what had 
been, and every close pressure of the cold, inanimate, but 
still dearly-beloved form told her what death was, and 
that those very “ hopes and fears which are akin to love " 
were now for ever darkened and extinguished, she burst 
