Whatever
sombre and painful thoughts filled Ercildoune's heart he held there,
that no gloom might fall from him upon these fresh young lives, nor
sadden the cheery expectancy of his son.
Surrey, having carried the first line of defence, prepared for a
vigorous assault upon the second. Like all eager lovers, his primary
anxiety was to hear "Yes"; afterwards, the day. To that end he was
pleading with every resource that love and impatience could lend; but
Francesca shook her head, and smiled, and said that was a long way
off,--that was not to be thought of, at least till the war was over, and
her soldier safe at home; but he insisted that this was the flimsiest,
and poorest of excuses; nay, that it was the very reverse of the true
and sensible idea, which was of course wholly on his side. He had these
few weeks at home, and then must away once more to chances of battle and
death. He did not say this till he had exhausted every other entreaty;
but at last, gathering her close to him with his one loving arm,--"how
fortunate," he had before said, "that it is the left arm, because if it
were the other I could not hold you so near my heart!"--so holding her,
he glanced down at the empty sleeve, and whispered, "My darling! who
knows? I have been wounded so often, and am now only a piece of a fellow
to come to you. It may be something more next time, and then I shall
never call you wife.
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