He now remembered a
thousand circumstances of voice and manner, which, had his own
prepossession been less, must surely have discriminated the brother
from the sister; and he felt ashamed, that, having as it were by heart
every particular of Catherine's gestures, words, and manners, he
should have thought her, notwithstanding her spirits and levity,
capable of assuming the bold step, loud tones, and forward assurance,
which accorded well enough with her brother's hasty and masculine
character. He endeavoured repeatedly to catch a glance of Catherine's
eye, that he might judge how she was disposed to look upon him since
he had made the discovery, but he was unsuccessful; for Catherine,
when she was not reading herself, seemed to take so much interest in
the exploits of the Teutonic knights against the Heathens of Esthonia
and Livonia, that he could not surprise her eye even for a second. But
when, closing the book, the Queen commanded their attendance in the
garden, Mary, perhaps of set purpose, (for Roland's anxiety could not
escape so practised an observer,) afforded him a favourable
opportunity of accosting his mistress. The Queen commanded them to a
little distance, while she engaged Lady Fleming in a particular and
private conversation; the subject whereof we learn, from another
authority, to have been the comparative excellence of the high
standing ruff and the falling band. Roland must have been duller, and
more sheepish than ever was youthful lover, if he had not endeavoured
to avail himself of this opportunity.
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