. She had
become acquainted with him at the weaver's, where he, like herself, went
daily to work. Albert was industrious, well-behaved, and spoke so
sensibly and right-heartedly, that Maud ever listened to him with
delight. Truth to tell, he simply put her own feelings into words. A
very little time passed, before she engaged herself secretly to Albert;
and all would have gone on happily and well with them, had the two
lovers but possessed just money enough to scrape a few matters together,
and to set up housekeeping. But both were poor--poor as church mice;
and, just for that reason, the father of Maud did not look very
favourably upon the settled love-affair of his daughter. He would have
been better satisfied if the silly thing, as he called her, had given
her hand to one of the rich suitors, who would have given their ears to
please her. Since, however, once for all, the mischief was done, he,
like a good man, determined to cause his only child no heartache, and
let matters get on as they might. One condition only he insisted
upon--which was, that Maud should for the future work under her father's
roof; Albert, meanwhile, having leave every evening to pay his visits
there. In this arrangement the two lovers cordially acquiesced; for,
young as they were, they could well afford a little waiting. Meantime,
it must be their endeavour, by incessant labour and careful economy, to
save up as much as they needed for setting themselves up in their humble
dwelling. So they lived on from day to day in quiet content. And so, no
doubt, many days, and many, would have glided by, had not a singular
occurrence disturbed the profound tranquillity. This was the way of
it:--

"Maud's father, the stone-mason, found it too much for him, with his
heavy work and all, when, at noon, he had the long journey to make
between the stone quarry and his own home. Besides, the fine stone-dust
had brought on an inflammation of the eyes, so that he was obliged to
avoid the glare of the sun: no easy thing for him to do, since his road
homeward lay over a green high hill, upon which the sun beat
scorchingly: wherefore, also, the people have given it the name of the
Sun's hill. It was made, in consequence, Maud's duty to take daily her
father's homely dinner to the stone quarry--a road which, although
toilsome, was by no means disagreeable to her; inasmuch as Albert often
found means to get leave of absence, and then always escorted her a part
of the