The  French  governess  turned  to  her  pupil  and  then  to  him,
and  saw  him  blush  as  he  looked  upon  the  limpid  stream,  and  then
at  the  bright  blue  eye  of  Lady  Mary,  as  if,  in  the  innocence  of  a
fresh  young  heart,  he  was  comparing  the  clear  sunny  brightness
of  the  one  with  the  soft  living  light  of  the  other.  He  joined
the  party  in  their  ramble,  and  as  they  passed  through  a  small
wood  that  skirted  the  domain,  the  veil  of  Lady  Mary  was  torn


222  BOB    NOBBERBY.
off  by  the  branch  of  a  tree  in  which  it  fastened  ;  Bob  was  next
her,  and  in  an  instant  he  disentangled  it,  and  as  he  presented  it
to  the  fair  owner,  said,  "  that  nature  did  not  seem  to  permit  a
veil  to  cover  so  many  charms,"  and  as  he  spoke  his  voice  fal-
tered, and  his  cheek  again  became  crimsoned.  Before  he  parted
from  his  companions  he  found  an  opportunity  of  telling  her  that
he  would  be  in  pain  until  he  saw  her  again  ;  in  a  word,  both
returned  deeply  in  love,  although  Bob  was  not  fully  conscious  of
the  nature  of  his  own  feelings,  or  the  perils  which  surrounded  him.
