"
"Why, it is you who have kept me backing and filling all this time,
Eve."
"Of course. Prudence at first starting, but that isn't to say courage
is never to come in. First creep within the fortification wall; but,
once inside, if you don't storm the city that minute, woe be unto you.
Come, cheer up! it is only for a few days, and then she goes where you
will have her all to yourself; besides, you shall have one sweet
delicious evening with her all alone before she goes. What! have you
forgotten the pedigree? Wasn't I right to keep that back? and now
march and take a good long walk."
Her tongue was a spur. It made David's drooping manhood rear and
prance--a trumpet, and pealed victory to come. David kissed her warmly
and strode away radiant. She looked sadly after him.
She had never spoken so hopefully, so encouragingly. The reason will
startle such of my readers as have not taken the trouble to comprehend
her. It was that she had never so thoroughly desponded. Such was Eve.
When matters went smoothly, she itched to torment and take the gloss
off David; but now the affair looked really desperate, so it would
have been unkind not to sustain him with all her soul. The cause of
her despondency and consequent cheerfulness shall now be briefly
related. Scarce an hour ago she had met Miss Fountain in the village
and accompanied her home. For David's sake she had diverted the
conversation by easy degrees to the subject of marriage, in order to
sound Miss Fountain.
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