ny used as a dining-room when he was at home, and
saw the table set, the old damask table-cloth, patched and darned by
Terence himself, warmly white, the silver and glass shining. I smiled as
I noticed that two places had been set. It was as though Terence
anticipated the wonderful days to come.

Anthony's chair was drawn in front of the fire, which had been lately
attended to, for the hearth was clean, and a log of cherry-wood burning
on the coals sent out a delicious fragrance. Presently Terence would
come bustling in to ask, "What news, Miss Bawn?" Sitting in the chair in
front of the warm fire, full of beatific dreams, I somehow fell asleep.

I had been dreaming the most wonderful things, and when I started out of
my sleep I thought I was still dreaming. Anthony was kneeling by me. His
arms were about me.

"I've been watching you for the last half-hour," he said; "and, faith, I
couldn't wait any longer for a kiss. Did I frighten you, darling? You
looked so much like an angel that you half-frightened me. What have you
been doing to yourself? You were round and soft the last time I held
you. There is some change."

"You should have seen me two months ago," I said, "when I was going to
die of marrying any man but you."

"Ah, Bawn, darling, is it only that you are taking pity on my white
head? What is it that you see in me? I am twice your age, child."

"And the finest gentleman in the three kingdoms," I said, stroking his
hair. "So fine a gentleman that you are out of date. The commonplace
world doesn't grow fine gentlemen like you nowadays."

Afterwards we had our first meal together. They would not expect me back
yet to lunch, and Anthony had arrived hungry as a hunter, while he
protested that a man as much in love as he had no right to be hungry.

He had walked in unexpectedly, but Terence had not been taken by
surprise. Terence had things ready as though he had known the day and
hour of his coming. He served us as excellent a meal, according to my
Anthony, as had ever been eaten. As for me, I did not know what it
consisted of, but only that Anthony and I sat opposite to each other and
that Anthony's eyes upon me made me sometimes fain to cover my own with
my hands, and that when Terence Murphy went out of the room Anthony
would come round the table to kiss me. He said that the meal together
was a stolen joy; something he had no right to till after we were
married. He said a great many happy, foolish things.