"Thank you, Annie!" he cried. "I never should have thought you could hit
so hard. But, indeed, I beg your pardon. I forgot myself and you too
when I behaved so badly. But I'm not sorry, father, after all, for that
box on the ear has got me over a difficult task, and compelled me to
speak out at once what has been long in my mind, but which I had not the
courage to say. Annie," he went on, turning to her, and standing humbly
before her, "I have long loved you; if you will do me the honor to marry
me, I am yours the moment you say so."
But Annie's surprise and the hasty act she had committed in the first
impulse of defense had so reacted upon her in a white dismay that she
stood before him speechless and almost ready to drop. Awakening from
what was fast growing a mere dream of offense to the assured
consciousness of another offense almost as flagrant, she stared as if
she had suddenly opened her eyes on a whole Walpurgisnacht of demons and
witches, while Hector, recovering from his astonishment to the lively
delight of having something to pretend at least to forgive Annie, and
yielding to sudden Celtic impulse, knelt at her feet, seized her hand,
which she had no power to withdraw from him, covered it with eager
kisses and placed it on his head. Little more would have made him cast
himself prone before her, lift her foot, and place it on his neck.
But his father brought a little of his common sense to the rescue.
"Tut, Hector!" he said; "give the lass time to come to her senses.
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