The thorns upon the stem?
"Vain was the warning given; the maid
Clasped to her heart the boy;
But could not pluck him thence. He stayed,
And stayed but to destroy.
"Sweet Love, let others be beguiled,
Thy treacherous arts I fear,
Keep afar off, thou dangerous child!
Thou shalt not come too near!"
She ended, and turned a gay look upon Sir Harry West, saying, "That is your history, noble friend, is it not?" and then, ere he could answer, fell into a deep fit of thought, which gave to William Seymour the assurance, and it was a sweet one, that her heart was not so free as she would fain have made it appear. The rest of the day went by in varied and pleasant conversation, though over the mind of William Seymour and the Lady Arabella deep fits of thought, not unmingled with anxiety, came shadowy from time to time, like the clouds of an autumnal sky. Sir Harry West quitted them no more that day; and Seymour began to imagine that he had some suspicion of all that was passing in their hearts. But on the following day, again, they were once more left alone together for some hours; another and another day succeeded; and words were spoken that nothing could recal.