I have not kept you waiting too long! but, indeed, I did
not know how to turn back. I went after an orchis, and then I saw some
Solomon's seal; and oh! such bluebells, and I could not help standing
quite still to feel how delicious it was! I hope that it was not long.'

'No, not at all, I am glad.'

There was a moisture around the bright eyes, and perhaps she felt a
little childish shame, for she put up her hand to brush it off. 'It is
very silly,' she said. 'Beautiful places ought not to make one ready to
cry--and yet somehow, when I stood quite still, and it was all so green,
and I heard the cuckoo and all the little birds singing, it would come
over me! I could not help thinking who made it all so beautiful, and
that He gave me my baby too.'--And there, as having said too much,
she blushed in confusion, and began to busy herself with her flowers,
delighting herself in silence over each many-belled hyacinth, each
purple orchis, streaked wood sorrel, or delicate wreath of eglantine,
deeming each in turn the most perfect she had ever seen.

John let her alone; he thought the May blossoms more suitable companions
for her than himself, and believed that it would only interfere with
that full contentment to be recalled to converse with him. It was
pleasure enough to watch that childlike gladsomeness, like studying a
new life, and the relief it gave him to see her so happy perhaps opened
his mind to somewhat of the same serene enjoyment.

That evening, when Brown, on bringing in the tea, gave an anxious glance
to judge how his master fared, he augured from his countenance that the
change of habits was doing him no harm.

In the evening, Mr. Fotheringham's manuscript was brought out: John
could never read aloud, but he handed over the sheets to her, and she
enjoyed the vivid descriptions and anecdotes of adventures, further
illustrated by comments and details from John, far more entertaining
than those designed for the public. This revision was their usual
evening occupation, and she soon became so well instructed in those
scenes, that she felt as if she had been one of the travellers, and had
known the handsome Arab sheik, whose chivalrous honour was only alloyed
by desire of backsheesh, the Turkish guard who regularly deserted on the
first alarm, and the sharp knavish Greek servant with his contempt for
them all, more especially for the grave and correct Mr. Brown, pining
to keep up Martindale etiquette in desert, car