Presently, drawn by some unguessed attraction, Arthur took his eyes
off an industrious water-hen, who was building a nest in a hurried
way, as though she were not quite sure of his intentions, and
perceived a large raven standing on one leg on the grass, about three
yards from him, and peering at him comically out of one eye. This was
odd. But his glance did not stop at the raven, for a yard or two
beyond it he caught sight of a white skirt, and his eyes, travelling
upwards, saw first a rounded waist, and then a bust and pair of
shoulders such as few women can boast, and at last, another pair of
eyes; and he then and there fell utterly and irretrievably in love.
"Good heavens!" he said, aloud--poor fellow, he did not mean to say
it, it was wrung from the depths of his heart--"good heavens, how
lovely she is!"
Let the reader imagine the dreadful confusion produced in that other
pair of eyes at the open expression of such a sentiment, and the vivid
blush that stained the fair face in which they were set, if he can.
But somehow they did not grow angry--perhaps it was not in the nature
of the most sternly repressive young lady to grow angry at a
compliment which, however marked, was so evidently genuine and
unpremeditated.
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