BecauseIhadafancyforlookingoutovertheplain，Iwishedtogodownthere-whereIcouldn’tlookoutoveritanylonger。Wasnotthatfinereasoning？Dear，dear，iftheyonlythoughtofit，alltheworldwoulddolikeme。andyouwouldletyourflowersalone，justasIstayuphereinthemountains。’Suddenlyhebrokeoffsharp。’BytheLord！’hecried。Andwhensheaskedhimwhatwaswrong，heturnedthequestionoffandwalkedawayintothehousewithratherahumorousexpressionofface。
Hewassilentattable。andafterthenighthidfallenandthestarshadcomeoutoverhead，hewalkedupanddownforhoursinthecourtyardandgardenwithanunevenpace。TherewasstillalightinthewindowofMarjory’sroom：onelittleoblongpatchoforangeinaworldofdarkbluehillsandsilverstarlight。Will’smindranagreatdealonthewindow。buthisthoughtswerenotverylover-like。’Theresheisinherroom，’hethought，’andtherearethestarsoverhead：-ablessinguponboth！’Bothweregoodinfluencesinhislife。bothsoothedandbracedhiminhisprofoundcontentmentwiththeworld。Andwhatmoreshouldhedesirewitheither？Thefatyoungmanandhiscouncilsweresopresenttohismind，thathethrewbackhishead，and，puttinghishandsbeforehismouth，shoutedaloudtothepopulousheavens。Whetherfromthepositionofhisheadorthesuddenstrainoftheexertion，heseemedtoseeamomentaryshockamongthestars，andadiffusionoffrostylightpassfromonetoanotheralongthesky。Atthesameinstant，acorneroftheblindwasliftedandloweredagainatonce。Helaughedaloudho-ho！’Oneandanother！’thoughtWill。
’Thestarstremble，andtheblindgoesup。Why，beforeHeaven，whatagreatmagicianImustbe！NowifIwereonlyafool，shouldnotIbeinaprettyway？’Andhewentofftobed，chucklingtohimself：’IfIwereonlyafool！’
Thenextmorning，prettyearly，hesawheroncemoreinthegarden，andsoughtherout。
’Ihavebeenthinkingaboutgettingmarried，’hebeganabruptly。