Part 11 (1/2)
”They were gathered for the Virgin, so I cannot give away any of these,”
she replied ”If you ait here under the trees I will find one to give you”
I agreed to wait for her; then, placing the cluster she had gathered on the grass, she leftshe returned with a stalk, round, polished, slender, like a pipe-stem, and croith its cluster of three splendid crimson flowers
When I had sufficiently thanked her and ad to ask froin, Monica, when you offer her these flowers--safety for your lover in the wars?”
”No, senor; I have no offering to ather them for her, because--I wished to meet you here”
”To meet me, Monica--what for?”
”To ask for a story, senor,” she replied, colouring and with a shy glance at h,” I said ”Re to look for a playmate in the wet mist”
”She is a child; I am a woman”
”Then, Monica, you must have a lover ill be jealous if you listen to stories froer's lips in this lonely spot”
”No person will ever know that I met you here,” she returned--so bashful, yet so persistent
”I have forgotten all o and find you another _ramo_ of lilies while you think of one to tell et no avethat, I fastened them in her black hair, where by contrast they looked very splendid, and gave the girl a new grace ”Ah, Monica, they ain”
But she would not have them taken ”I will leave you now to think of a story foraway
Then I took her hands and made her face me ”Listen, Monica,” I said
”Do you know that these lilies are full of strange ic? See how crimson they are; that is the colour of passion, for they have been steeped in passion, and turnme any more of them, Monica, I shall tell you a story that will make you tremble with fear--tremble like the -leaves and turn pale as the mist over the Yi”
She s through the foliage on her face Then, in a voice that was almost a whisper, she said, ”What will the story be about, senor? Tell ather lilies for you or not”
”It will be about a strangerunder the trees, her dark eyes cast down, and red lilies in her hand; and how she asked hi but love, love, love”
When I finished speaking she gently withdrew her hands frost the trees, doubtless to fly fro fawn froht But no, there lay the lilies gathered for a religious purpose atreproachful in the shy, dark eyes when they glanced back for awords, she had only gone to find ive me
Not then, while I waited for her return with palpitating heart, but afterwards in calmer moments, and when Monica had beco lines I areat poetical merit, and introduce them principally to let the reader kno to pronounce the pretty name of that Oriental river, which it still keeps in re silent, pale her face was, Pale and sweet to see: 'Neath the aiting for , bashful Maid of Yi
Willow-like she trembled, yet she Never fled frorass to see White feet standing: white thy feet were, Maid of Yi
Stalks of lilies in her hands were: Crimson lilies three, Placed I in her braids of black hair-- They were bright to see!