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once more。 Oh； I could fall on my knees and bless you for something you
said just now。〃
Lady Barbara blushed to the temples。
〃Then why don't you？〃 said she。 〃All you want is a little enthusiasm。〃
Then recovering herself； she said：
〃You kneel on wet sand； with black trousers on； that will never be！！！〃
These two were so occupied that they did not observe the approach of a
stranger until he broke in upon their dialogue。
An Ancient Mariner had been for some minutes standing off and on；
reconnoitering Lord Ipsden； he now bore down； and with great rough；
roaring cordiality； that made Lady Barbara start； cried out：
〃Give me your hand； sirgive me your hand； if you were twice a lord。
〃I couldn't speak to you till the brig was safe in port； and you slipped
away； but I've brought you up at last； andgive me your hand again； sir。
I say； isn't it a pity you are a lord instead of a sailor？〃
_Ipsden。_ 〃But I am a sailor。〃
_Ancient Mariner。_ 〃That ye are； and as smart a one as ever tied a
true…lover's knot in the top； but tell the truthyou were never nearer
losing the number of your mess than that day in the old _Tisbe。〃_
_Lady Barb。_ 〃The old _Tisbe！_ Oh！〃
_Ipsden。_ 〃Do you remember that nice little lurch she gave to leeward as
we brought her round？〃
_Lady Barb。_ 〃Oh； Richard！〃
_Ancient Mariner。_ 〃And that reel the old wench gave under our feet；
north the pier…head。 I wouldn't have given a washing…tub for her at that
moment。〃
_Ipsden。_ 〃Past danger becomes pleasure； sir。 _Olim et hoec meminisse_I
beg your pardon； sir。〃
_Ancient Mariner （taking off his hat with feeling）。_ 〃God bless ye； sir；
and send ye many happy days； and well spent； with the pretty lady I see
alongside； asking your pardon； miss； for parting pleasanter companyso
I'll sheer off。〃
And away went the skipper of the _Tisbe；_ rolling fearfully。 In the heat
of this reminiscence； the skipper of the yacht （they are all alike； blue
water once fairly tasted） had lost sight of Lady Barbara； he now looked
round。 Imagine his surprise！
Her ladyship was in tears。
〃Dear Barbara；〃 said Lord Ipsden； 〃do not distress yourself on my
account。〃
〃It is not your fe…feelings I care about； at least； I h…h…hope not； but I
have been so unjust； and I prided myself so on my j…ju…justice。〃
〃Never mind！〃
〃Oh！ if you don't； I don't。 I hate myself； so it is no wonder you h…hate
me。〃
〃I love you more than ever。〃
〃Then you are a good soul！ Of course you know I always _l_…esteemed you；
Richard。〃
〃No！ I had an idea you despised me！〃
〃How silly you are！ Can't you see？ When I thought you were not
perfection； which you are now； it vexed me to death； you never saw me
affront any one but you？〃
〃No； I never did！ What does that prove？〃
〃That depends upon the wit of him that reasons thereon。〃 （Coming to
herself。）
〃I love you； Barbara！ Will you honor me with your hand？〃
〃No！ I am not so base； so selfish。 You are worth a hundred of me； and
here have I been treating you _de haut en bas。_ Dear Richard； poor
Richard。 Oh！ oh！ oh！〃 （A perfect flood of tears。）
〃Barbara！ I regret nothing； this moment pays for all。〃
〃Well； then； I will！ since you keep pressing me。 There； let me go； I must
be alone； I must tell the sea how unjust I was； and how happy I am； and
when you see me again you shall see the better side of your cousin
Barbara。〃
She was peremptory。 〃She had her folly and his merits to think over；〃 she
said； but she promised to pass through Newhaven； and he should put her
into her pony…phaeton； which would meet her there。
Lady Barbara was only a fool by the excess of her wit over her
experience； and Lord Ipsden's love was not misplaced； for she had a great
heart which she hid from little people。 I forgive her！
The resolutions she formed in company with the sea； having dismissed
Ipsden； and ordered her flunky into the horizon； will probably give our
viscount just half a century of conjugal bliss。
As he was going she stopped him and said： 〃Your friend had browner hands
than I have hitherto conceived possible。 _To tell the truth；_ I took them
for the claws of a mahogany table when he grappled youis that the term？
_C'est e'gal_I like him〃
She stopped him again。 〃Ipsden； in the midst of all this that poor man's
ship is broken。 I feel it is！ You will buy him another； if you really
love mefor I like him。〃
And so these lovers parted for a time； and Lord Ipsden with a bounding
heart returned to Newhaven。 He went to entertain his late _vis…'a…vis_ at
the 〃Peacock。〃
Meantime a shorter and less pleasant _rencontre_ had taken place between
Leith and that village。
Gatty felt he should meet his lost sweetheart； and sure enough； at a turn
of the road Christie and Jean came suddenly upon him。
Jean nodded； but Christie took no notice of him； they passed him； he
turned and followed them； and said； 〃Christie！〃
〃What is your will wi' me？〃 said she； coldly。
〃II How pale you are！〃
〃I am no very weel。〃
〃She has been watching over muckle wi' Flucker；〃 said Jean。
Christie thanked her with a look。
〃I hope it is notnot〃
〃Nae fears； lad；〃 said she； briskly； 〃I dinna think that muckle o' ye。〃
〃And I think of nothing but you；〃 said he。
A deep flush crimsoned the young woman's brow； but she restrained
herself； and said icily： 〃Thaat's very gude o' ye； I'm sure。〃
Gatty felt all the contempt her manners and words expressed。 He bit his
lips。 The tear started to his eye。 〃You will forget me；〃 said he。 〃I do
not deserve to be remembered； but I shall never forget you。 I leave for
England。 I leave Newhaven forever； where I have been so happy。 I am going
at three o'clock by the steamboat。 Won't you bid me good…by？〃 He
approached her timidly。
〃Ay！ that wull do；〃 cried she； 〃Gude be wi' ye； lad； I wish ye nae ill。〃
She gave a commanding gesture of dismissal； he turned away； and went
sadly from her。 She watched every motion when his back was turned。
〃That is you； Christie；〃 said Jean； 〃use the lads like dirt； an' they
think a' the mair o' ye。〃
〃Oh； Jean； my hairt's broken。 I'm just deeing for him。〃
〃Let me speak till him then；〃 said Jean； 〃I'll sune bring him till his
marrow…banes；〃 and she took a hasty step to follow him。
Christie held her fast。 〃I'd dee ere I'd give in till them。 Oh； Jean！ I'm
a lassie clean flung awa； he has neither hairt nor spunk ava； yon lad！〃
Jean began to make excuses for him。 Christie inveighed against him。 Jean
spoke up for him with more earnestness。
Now observe； Jean despised the poor boy。
Christie adored him。
So Jean spoke for him； because women of every degree are often one solid
mass of tact； and Christie abused him； because she wanted to hear him
defended。
CHAPTER XVI。
RICHARD； LORD VISCOUNT IPSDEN； having dotted the seashore with sentinels；
to tell him of Lady Barbara's approach； awaited his guest in the
〃Peacock〃； but； as Gatty was a little behind time； he placed Saunders
sentinel over the 〃Peacock；〃 and strolled eastward； as he came out of the
〃Peacock；〃 Mrs。 Gatty came down the little hill in front； and also
proceeded eastward； meantime Lady Barbara and her escort were not far
from t