324 POPULAR TALES OF FLOWERS 
In the very pains he took to assure her that her pre- 
sence was a pleasure, and would be so at all times and 
all seasons, whenever she chose to wander over the an- 
cient plantations, the beauty of which he only regretted 
was so seldom visited by any saving him.sef^. there was 
such a tone of sweet persuasion about his vou 2, such a 
kindness in the manner in which he invited her to con- 
sider the garden as her own while ever she was in it, and 
above all, such an admiration of herself lighted up his 
looks as he spoke, that no marvel a young lady like her- 
self, who for more than twelve months had scarcely seen 
anyone saving the rustic inhabitants of the farm-house, 
should listen with pleasure to the conversation of one who 
was every way her equal, and whose name had never been 
mentioned but with respect, even by the Royalists against 
whom he had drawn his sword. 
With such ease did he glide from one subject to an- 
other, that, to the great astonishment of Phoebe when she 
came up, she found them seated side by side in the old 
summer-house, he reading, and the Lady Ellen listening 
with delight to the beautiful passages which he kept quot- 
ing from the “ Mask of Comus.” 
Many a happy hour did the General and the Lady 
Ellen afterwards spend together; he remaining in entire 
ignorance respecting her rank and station, saving that her 
whole family, with the exception of herself, had perished 
during the wars. But as any further allusion to the sub- 
ject seemed to cause the lady pain, the young General 
kindly forbore to question her. 
As the winter approached the affairs of the nation called 
General Marchmont up to London, to meet the assembled 
Parliament; and during that period he frequently corre- 
sponded with the Lady Ellen, for her image was ever 
uppermost in his thoughts. And no sooner did the early 
spring come, and he was released from his duties, than 
he hastened back on the wings of love to the ancient 
manor - house. The Lady Ellen was walking in the 
pleached alleys of the garden when he alighted from his 
steed; and bearing, as he did, about him the marks of 
haste and travel, he hurried to pay his respects to her 
before he entered the Hall. As he took her hand, he 
thought that she had never before appeared so beautiful. 
