'Yes, you had better not,' said Albinia, moving the flaring light to
a less draughty part of the dingy whitewashed attic. 'Or shall I
read to you?'

'Are you come to stay with me?' cried the boy, raising himself up to
look after her, as she moved about the room and stood looking from
the window over the trees at the water meadows, now flooded into a
lake, and lighted by the beams of a young moon.

'I can stay till your father is ready for tea,' said Albinia, coming
nearer. 'Let me see whether your hands are hot.'

She found her own hand suddenly clasped, and pressed to his lips, and
then, as if ashamed, he turned his face away; nor would she betray
her pleasure in it, but merely said, 'Shall I go on with your book!'

'No,' said he, wearily turning his reddened cheek to the other side.
'I only took it because it is so horrid lying here thinking.'

'I am very sorry to hear it. Do you know, Gibbie, that it is said
there is nothing more lamentable than for a man not to like to have
his own thoughts for his company,' said she, gaily.

'Ah! but--!' said Gilbert. 'If I lie here alone, I'm always looking
out there,' and he pointed to the opposite recess. She looked, but
saw nothing. 'Don't you know?' he said.

'Edmund?' she asked.

He grasped her hands in both his own. 'Aye! Ned used to sleep