Page:Under the greenwood tree (1872 Volume 1).pdf/134

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UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE.

engaged a woman to wait up for her. She disappeared temporarily from the flagging party of dancers, and then came downstairs wrapped up and looking altogether a different person from whom she had been hitherto; in fact (to Dick's sadness and disappointment), a woman somewhat reserved and of a phlegmatic temperament—nothing left in her of the romping girl that she had been but a short quarter-hour before, who had not minded the weight of Dick's hand upon her waist, nor shirked the purlieus of the mistletoe.

'What a contradiction!' thought the young man—hoary cynic pro tem. 'What a miserable delusive contradiction between the manners of a maid's life at dancing times and at others! Look at this idol Fancy! during the whole past evening touchable, pressable—even kissable. For whole half-hours I held her so close to me that not a sheet

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