"'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings,'" Patty quoted.
The lawyer smiled, and in his rich voice read the following poem:—
TRUE SIGNS OF LOVE.
Honest lover, whosoever,
If in all thy love there ever
Wavering thought was, if thy flame
Were not still even, still the same,
Know this,—
Thou lov'st amiss;
And to love true
Thou must begin again, and love anew.
If, when she appears i' th' room,
Thou dost not quake, and be struck dumb,
And, in striving this to cover,
Dost not speak thy words twice over,
Know this,—
Thou lov'st amiss;
And to love true
Thou must begin again, and love anew.
If fondly thou dost not mistake,
And all defects for graces take,
Persuad'st thyself that jests are broken
When she has little or nothing spoken,
Know this,—
Thou lov'st amiss;
And to love true
Thou must begin again, and love anew.
If, when thou appear'st to be within,
Thou let'st not men ask, and again;
And, when thou answer'st, if it be
To what was asked thee properly;
Know this,—
Thou lov'st amiss;
And to love true
Thou must begin again, and love anew.
If, when thy stomach calls to eat,
Thou cut'st not fingers 'stead of meat,
And, with much gazing on her face,
Dost not rise hungry from the place,
Know this,—
Thou lov'st amiss;
And to love true
Thou must begin again, and love anew.
He read better than he intended, or, indeed, than he knew. His voice had always a remarkable power over Patty,—a fascination which she loved to experience. As he read, she turned away from him, and gazed through the twig-set window toward the softly-outlined hills. As he concluded, she turned her face toward him like a flash of light.
"Do you believe it?" she asked in a voice which proved her melted mood.