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- speedy marriage, because I thought that a girl of scarcely seventeen,
and a boy scarcely twenty, should not be in such a hurry;--there was
plenty of time, I thought, which could be profitably employed by both."
"Permit me here to interrupt you, mother. Whatever you may have seen in
me; she,--I mean Lucy,--has never been in the slightest hurry to be
married;--that's all. But I shall regard it as a _lapsus-lingua_ in
you."
"Undoubtedly, a _lapsus_. But listen to me. I have been carefully
observing both you and Lucy of late; and that has made me think further
of the matter. Now, Pierre, if you were in any profession, or in any
business at all; nay, if I were a farmer's wife, and you my child,
working in my fields; why, then, you and Lucy should still wait awhile.
But as you have nothing to do but to think of Lucy by day, and dream of
her by night, and as she is in the same predicament, I suppose; with
respect to you; and as the consequence of all this begins to be
discernible in a certain, just perceptible, and quite harmless thinness,
so to speak, of the cheek; but a very conspicuous and dangerous
febrileness of the eye; therefore, I choose the lesser of two evils; and
now you have my permission to be married, as soon as the thing can be
done with propriety. I dare say you have no objection to have the
wedding take place before Christmas, the present month being the first
of summer."
Pierre said nothing; but leaping to his feet, threw his two arms around
his mother, and kissed her repeatedly.
"A most sweet and eloquent answer, Pierre; but sit down again. I desire
now to say a little concerning less attractive, but quite necessary
things connected with this affair. You know, that by your father's will,
these lands and--"
"Miss Lucy, my mistress;" said Dates, throwing open the door.
Pierre sprang to his feet; but as if suddenly mindful of his mother's
presence, composed himself again, though he still approached the door.
Lucy entered, carrying a little basket of strawberries.
"Why, how do you do, my dear," said Mrs. Glendinning affectionately.
"This is an unexpected pleasure."
"Yes; and I suppose that Pierre here is a little surprised too; seeing
that he was to call upon me this evening, and not I upon him before
sundown. But I took a sudden fancy for a solitary stroll,--the afternoon
was such a delicious one; and chancing--it was only chancing--to pass
through the Locust Lane leading hither, I met the strangest little
fellow, with this basket in his hand.--'Yes, buy them, miss'--said he.
'And how do you know I want to buy them,' returned I, 'I don't want to
buy them.'--'Yes you do, miss; they ought to be twenty-six cents, but
I'll take thirteen cents, that being my shilling. I always want the odd
half cent, I do. Come, I can't wait, I have been expecting you long
enough.'"
"A very sagacious little imp," laughed Mrs. Glendinning.
"Impertinent little rascal," cried Pierre.
"And am I not now the silliest of all silly girls, to be telling you my
adventures so very frankly," smiled Lucy.
"No; but the most celestial of all innocents," cried Pierre, in a
rhapsody of delight. "Frankly open is the flower, that hath nothing but
purity to show."
"Now, my dear little Lucy," said Mrs. Glendinning, "let Pierre take off
your shawl, and come now and stay to tea with us. Pierre has put back
the dinner so, the tea-hour will come now very soon."
"Thank you; but I can not stay this time. Look, I have forgotten my own
errand; I brought these strawberries for you, Mrs. Glendinning, and for
Pierre;--Pierre is so wonderfully fond of them."
"I was audacious enough to think as much," cried Pierre, "for you _and_
me, you see, mother; for you _and_ me, you understand that, I hope."
"Perfectly, my dear brother."
Lucy blushed.
"How warm it is, Mrs. Glendinning."
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