Out of full heart and boundless gratitude Faint as a figure seen in early dawn Going we know not where: and so ten years, It chanced one evening Annie's children long'd Το go with others, nutting to the wood, And Annie would go with them; then they begg'd For Father Philip (as they call'd him) too : to him 'Come with us Father Philip' he denied ; But after scaling half the weary down, Just where the prone edge of the wood began To feather toward the hollow, all her force Fail'd her; and sighing, 'Let me rest' she said : So Philip rested with her well-content; While all the younger ones with jubilant cries Broke from their elders, and tumultuously Down thro' the whitening hazels made a plunge To the bottom, and dispersed, and bent or broke The lithe reluctant boughs to tear away Their tawny clusters, crying to each other And calling, here and there, about the wood. But Philip sitting at her side forgot Her presence, and remember'd one dark hour Here in this wood, when like a wounded life He crept into the shadow at last he said, Lifting his honest forehead, 'Listen, Annie, How merry they are down yonder in the wood. Tired, Annie?' for she did not speak a word. 'Tired?' but her face had fall'n upon her hands; At which, as with a kind of anger in him, 'The ship was lost,' he said, 'the ship was lost! No more of that! why should you kill yourself And make them orphans quite ?' And Annie said 'I thought not of it: but-I know not whyTheir voices make me feel so solitary." Then Philip coming somewhat closer spoke. 'Annie, there is a thing upon my mind, T. VI 17 с And it has been upon my mind so long, Unless they say that women are so quickPerhaps you know what I would have you know my I wish you for wife. I fain would prove And I have loved you longer than our lives, you know.' Then answer'd Annie; tenderly she spoke : 'You have been as God's good angel in our house. God bless you for it, God reward you for it, As Enoch was? what is it that you ask?' Annie, as I have waited all my life I well may wait a little.' 'Nay' she cried 'I am bound: you have my promise-in a year. Will you not bide your year as I bide mine?' And Philip answer'd I will bide my year.' Here both were mute, till Philip glancing up Beheld the dead flame of the fallen day Pass from the Danish barrow overhead ; Then fearing night and chill for Annie, rose And sent his voice beneath him thro' the wood. Up came the children laden with their spoil; Then all descended to the port, and there At Annie's door he paused and gave his hand, Saying gently 'Annie, when I spoke to you, That was your hour of weakness. I was wrong, I am always bound to you, but you are free.' Then Annie weeping answer'd 'I am bound.' She spoke; and in one moment as it were, While yet she went about her household ways, Ev'n as she dwelt upon his latest words, That he had loved her longer than she knew, And there he stood once more before her face, Claiming her promise. Is it a year?' she ask'd. 'Yes, if the nuts' he said 'be ripe again : Come out and see.' But she-she put him off So much to look to such a change-a monthGive her a month-she knew that she was bound A month-no more. Then Philip with his Shaking a little like a drunkard's hand, eyes Take your own time, Annie, take your own time.' And Annie could have wept for pity of him; By this the lazy gossips of the port, Abhorrent of a calculation crost, Began to chafe as at a personal wrong. Some thought that Philip did but trifle with her; Some that she but held off to draw him on ; And others laugh'd at her and Philip too, As simple folk that knew not their own minds, |