Page:Shirley (1849 Volume 2).djvu/82

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70
SHIRLEY.

met one of those birds whose appearance is to the sailor the harbinger of good-luck."

"A poor harbinger of good-luck is she who can do nothing—who has no power. I feel my incapacity: it is of no use saying I have the will to serve you, when I cannot prove it; yet I have that will. I wish you success; I wish you high fortune and true happiness."

"When did you ever wish me anything else? What is Fanny waiting for—I told her to walk on? Oh! we have reached the churchyard; then, we are to part here, I suppose: we might have sat a few minutes in the church-porch, if the girl had not been with us. It is so fine a night, so summer-mild and still, I have no particular wish to return yet to the Hollow."

"But we cannot sit in the porch now, Robert."

Caroline said this because Moore was turning her round towards it.

"Perhaps not, but tell Fanny to go in; say we are coming: a few minutes will make no difference."

The church-clock struck ten.

"My uncle will be coming out to take his usual sentinel round, and he always surveys the church and churchyard."

"And if he does? If it were not for Fanny who knows we are here, I should find pleasure in dodging and eluding him. We could be under the east window when he is at the porch, as he came round to the north side, we could wheel off to the south;