"One could play upon the one and curl one's hair with the other,
and there is a deal of pleasure to be had from both," said she.
"Then also," I pursued, "this place, as I told you, is said to be
haunted--not," I went on, seeing that she was silent, "not that
you believe in such things, of course? But the cottage is very
rough, and ill and clumsily furnished--though, to be sure, it
might be made comfortable enough, and--"
"Well?" she inquired, as I paused.
"Then--" said I, and was silent for a long time, watching the
play of the moonbeams on the rippling water.
"Well?" said she again at last.
"Then," said I, "if you are friendless, God forbid that I should
refuse you the shelter of even such a place as this--so--if you
are homeless, and without money--stay here--if you will--so long
as it pleases you."
I kept my eyes directed to the running water at my feet as I
waited her answer, and it seemed a very long time before she spoke.
"Are you fond of stewed rabbit?"
"Rabbit!" said I, staring. "With onions!"
"Onions?"
"Oh, I can cook a little, and supper is waiting."
"Supper?"
"So if you are hungry--"
"I am ravenous!"
"Then why not come home and eat it?"
"Home?"
"Instead of echoing my words and staring the poor moon out of
countenance? Come," and, with the word, she turned and led the
way to the cottage. And behold, the candles were lighted, the
table was spread with a snowy cloth, and a pot simmered upon the
hob: a pot that gave forth an odor delectable, and over which
Charmian bent forthwith, and into which she gazed with an anxious
brow and thrust an inquiring fork.
"I think it's all right!"
"I'm sure of it," said I, inhaling the appetizing aroma--"but,
pray, where did you get it?"
"A man sold it to me--he had a lot of them."
"Hum!" said I, "probably poached."
"I bought this for sixpence--out of the old shoe."
"Sixpence?--then they certainly were poached. These are the
Cambourne Woods, and everything upon them fish, flesh, or fowl,
living or dead--belongs to the Lady Sophia Sefton of Cambourne."
"Then--perhaps we had better not eat it," said she, glancing at
me over her shoulder--but, meeting my eye, she laughed. And so
we presently sat down to supper and, poached though it may have
been, that rabbit made a truly noble end, notwithstanding.