Her walk is abrupt, her
look anxious and distracted; she seems to be listening for some signal.
She falls into a musing attitude, motionless and graceful as a statue.
Clara Howard alike marvels at her genius and her courage.
III.
Childe Dacre hears the curfew chime,
While all the rest are dancing;
Unless I find a fitting rhyme,
Oh! here ends my romancing!
But see! her lover's at her feet!
Oh! words of joy! oh! meeting sweet!
The Duke advances, chivalric passion in his every gesture. The Lady
Alice rushes to his arms with that look of trembling transport which
tells the tale of stolen love. They fall into a group which would have
made the fortune of an Annual.
IV.
Then let us hope, when next I sing,
And all the rest are dancing,
Our Childe a gentle bride may bring,
All other joys enhancing.
Then we will bless the twilight hour
That call'd him to a lady's bower.
The Duke led Mrs. Dallington to the dancers with courtly grace. There
was great applause, but the spirit of fun and one-and-twenty inspired
him, and he led off a gallop.
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