I put my heart into the carving of these letters.What was done with so much ardour, it seemed scarce possible that any should behold with indifference; and the initials would at least suggest to her my noble birth.I thought it better to suggest: I felt that mystery was my stock-in-trade; the contrast between my rank and manners, between my speech and my clothing, and the fact that she could only think of me by a combination of letters, must all tend to increase her interest and engage her heart.
This done, there was nothing left for me but to wait and to hope.
And there is nothing further from my character: in love and in war, I am all for the forward movement; and these days of waiting made my purgatory.It is a fact that I loved her a great deal better at the end of them, for love comes, like bread, from a perpetual rehandling.And besides, I was fallen into a panic of fear.How, if she came no more, how was I to continue to endure my empty days?
how was I to fall back and find my interest in the major's lessons, the lieutenant's chess, in a twopenny sale in the market, or a halfpenny addition to the prison fare?
Days went by, and weeks; I had not the courage to calculate, and to-day I have not the courage to remember; but at last she was there.At last I saw her approach me in the company of a boy about her own age, and whom I divined at once to be her brother.
I rose and bowed in silence.
'This is my brother, Mr.Ronald Gilchrist,' said she.'I have told him of your sufferings.He is so sorry for you!'
'It is more than I have the right to ask,' I replied; 'but among gentlefolk these generous sentiments are natural.If your brother and I were to meet in the field, we should meet like tigers; but when he sees me here disarmed and helpless, he forgets his animosity.' (At which, as I had ventured to expect, this beardless champion coloured to the ears for pleasure.) 'Ah, my dear young lady,' I continued, 'there are many of your countrymen languishing in my country, even as I do here.I can but hope there is found some French lady to convey to each of them the priceless consolation of her sympathy.You have given me alms; and more than alms - hope; and while you were absent I was not forgetful.Suffer me to be able to tell myself that I have at least tried to make a return; and for the prisoner's sake deign to accept this trifle.'
So saying, I offered her my lion, which she took, looked at in some embarrassment, and then, catching sight of the dedication, broke out with a cry.
'Why, how did you know my name?' she exclaimed.
'When names are so appropriate, they should be easily guessed,'
said I, bowing.'But indeed, there was no magic in the matter.Alady called you by name on the day I found your handkerchief, and I was quick to remark and cherish it.'
'It is very, very beautiful,' said she, 'and I shall be always proud of the inscription.- Come, Ronald, we must be going.' She bowed to me as a lady bows to her equal, and passed on (I could have sworn) with a heightened colour.
I was overjoyed: my innocent ruse had succeeded; she had taken my gift without a hint of payment, and she would scarce sleep in peace till she had made it up to me.No greenhorn in matters of the heart, I was besides aware that I had now a resident ambassador at the court of my lady.The lion might be ill chiselled; it was mine.My hands had made and held it; my knife - or, to speak more by the mark, my rusty nail - had traced those letters; and simple as the words were, they would keep repeating to her that I was grateful and that I found her fair.The boy had looked like a gawky, and blushed at a compliment; I could see besides that he regarded me with considerable suspicion; yet he made so manly a figure of a lad, that I could not withhold from him my sympathy.
And as for the impulse that had made her bring and introduce him, I could not sufficiently admire it.It seemed to me finer than wit, and more tender than a caress.It said (plain as language), 'I do not and I cannot know you.Here is my brother - you can know him;
this is the way to me - follow it.'