Page:Under the greenwood tree (1872 Volume 2).pdf/99
spice of his father's grimness, 'are her hair and complexion. What she loves next best, her dresses; what she loves next best, myself, perhaps.'
Suffering great anguish at this disloyalty in himself, and harshness to his darling, yet disposed to persevere in it, a horribly cruel thought crossed his mind. He would not call for her, as he had promised, at the end of a quarter of an hour! Yes, it would be a punishment she well deserved! Although the best part of the afternoon had been wasted, he would go nutting as he had intended, and go by himself.
He leaped over the gate, and pushed along the path for nearly two miles, till it sloped up a hill, and entered a hazel copse by a hole like a rabbit's burrow. In he plunged, vanished among the bushes, and in a short time there was no sign of his