"Ay," said he, "but to-day it is all hidden in that great cap."

"It is a comely cap, I'm told by some."

"Maybe; but what it hides is beautiful."

"It is not: it is hideous."

"Well, it was beautiful at Rotterdam."

"Ay, everything was beautiful that day" (with a little sigh).

And now Peter came in, and welcomed Gerard cordially, and would have him
to stay supper. And Margaret disappeared; and Gerard had a nice learned
chat with Peter; and Margaret reappeared with her hair in her silver
net, and shot a glance half arch, half coy, and glided about them, and
spread supper, and beamed bright with gaiety and happiness. And in
the cool evening Gerard coaxed her out, and she objected and came; and
coaxed her on to the road to Tergou, and she declined, and came; and
there they strolled up and down, hand in hand; and when he must go, they
pledged each other never to quarrel or misunderstand one another again;
and they sealed the promise with a long loving kiss, and Gerard went
home on wings.

From that day Gerard spent most of his evenings with Margaret, and the
attachment deepened and deepened on both sides, till the hours they
spent together were the hours they lived; the rest they counted and
underwent. And at the outset of this deep attachment all went smoothly.
Obstacles there were, but they seemed distant and small to the eyes of
hope, youth, and love. The feelings and passions of so many persons,