his pleasure echo, hand to hand,
And rolling as it were the substance of it
Between his palms a moment up and down--
'The birds were warm, the birds were warm upon him;
We have him now:' and had Sir Aylmer heard--
Nay, but he must--the land was ringing of it--
This blacksmith-border marriage--one they knew--
Raw from the nursery--who could trust a child?
That cursed France with her egalities!
And did Sir Aylmer (deferentially
With nearing chair and lower'd accent) think--
For people talk'd--that it was wholly wise
To let that handsome fellow Averill walk
So freely with his daughter? people talk'd--
The boy might get a notion into him;
The girl might be entangled ere she knew.
Sir Aylmer Aylmer slowly stiffening spoke:
'The girl and boy, Sir, know their differences!'
'Good' said his friend 'but watch!' and he 'enough,
More than enough, Sir! I can guard my own.'
They parted, and Sir Aylmer Aylmer watch'd.

Pale, for on her the thunders of the house
Had fallen first, was Edith that same night;
Pale as the Jeptha's daughter, a rough piece
Of early rigid color, under which
Withdrawing by the counter door to that
Which Leolin open'd, she cast back upon him
A piteous glance, and vanish'd. He, as one
Caught in a burst of unexpected storm,
And pelted with outrageous epithets,
Turning beheld the Powers of the House
On either side the hearth, indignant; her,
Cooling her false cheek with a featherfan,
Him glaring, by his own stale devil spurr'd,
And, like a beast hard-ridden, breathing hard.
'Ungenerous, dishonorable, base,
Presumptuous! trusted as he was with her,
The sole succeeder to their wealth, their lands,
The last remaining pillar of their house,
The one transmitter of their ancient name,
Their child.' 'Our child!' 'Our heiress!' 'Ours!' for
still,
Like echoes from beyond a hollow, came
Her sicklier iteration. Last he said
'Boy, mark me! for your fortunes are to make.
I swear you shall not make them out of mine.
Now inasmuch as you have practised on her,
Perplext her, made her half forget herself,
Swerve from her duty to herself and us--
Things in an Aylmer deem'd impossible,
Far as we track ourselves--I say that this,--
Else I withdraw favor and countenance
From you and yours for ever--shall you do.
Sir, when you see her--but you shall not see her--
No, you shall write, and not to her