Looking down into Mercy's face, with a tenderness which made her very heart thrill, he said,-- "Tell me, Mercy, is it not so?
Are we not very much to each other ?" The strange reticence of his tone, even more reticent than his words, had affected Mercy inexplicably: it was as if a chill wind had suddenly blown at noonday, and made her shiver in spite of full sunlight.

Her tone was almost as reticent and sad as his, as she said, without raising her eyes,-- "I think it is true." "Please look up at me, Mercy," said Stephen.

"I want to feel sure that you are not sorry I care so much for you." "How could I be sorry ?" exclaimed Mercy, lifting her eyes suddenly, and looking into Stephen's face with all the fulness of affection of her glowing nature.

"I shall never be sorry." "Bless you for saying that, dear!" said Stephen, solemnly,--"bless you.
You should never be sorry a moment in your life, if I could help it; and now, dear, I must leave you," he said, looking uneasily about.

"I ought not to have brought you into this lane.