None of us but my grandfather, and the Counsellor (who is a great scholar), can compare with you in this.

And though I have laughed at your manner of speech, I only laughed in fun, John; I never meant to vex you by it, nor knew that it had done so.' 'Naught you say can vex me, dear,' I answered, as she leaned towards me in her generous sorrow; 'unless you say "Begone, John Ridd; I love another more than you."' 'Then I shall never vex you, John.

Never, I mean, by saying that.

Now, John, if you please, be quiet--' For I was carried away so much by hearing her calling me 'John' so often, and the music of her voice, and the way she bent toward me, and the shadow of soft weeping in the sunlight of her eyes, that some of my great hand was creeping in a manner not to be imagined, and far less explained, toward the lithesome, wholesome curving underneath her mantle-fold, and out of sight and harm, as I thought; not being her front waist.

However, I was dashed with that, and pretended not to mean it; only to pluck some lady-fern, whose elegance did me no good.
'Now, John,' said Lorna, being so quick that not even a lover could cheat her, and observing my confusion more intently than she need have done.