The Argosy — page 89: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

How Lord Roland Met his Wife. 79 half was clothed with ivy, in the midst of which a little casement was set open to the air. At this window a young girl was sitting. Beneath her, on the ground, a flock of pigeons were picking up some food which she had just thrown out; two or three were feeding on the very window-sill; and a noise of cooing and of rustling wings filled all the air with a soft murmur. The girl herself looked very young—seventeen, or little more. Her dress was white ; her long black hair was abundant and flowing ;. but her face he could not see distinctly, because her eyes were bent upon the birds below her. Roland for some moments stood in hesitation whether to with- draw before she saw him. Whilst he was still hesitating, the girl raised her eyes and showed him the most lovely face that he had ever seen or dreamed of. By no means sorry to be caught, Roland approached the window, hat in hand; the pigeons, too tame to take to flight, fluttering about his feet as he went forward. * Pardon me,” he said. ‘I have intruded quite without intention. I was passing on the shore, and was tempted to explore your path- way; but I did not imagine for a moment—” MHere came a fluttering of wings about his head, and a large white pigeon alighted on his shoulder. He and the girl both laughed at thesame time. “Oh,” she cried, “that’s Peepy! Please excuse him; he takes you for old Isaac. Come here, Peepy!” ‘May I ask,” said Roland, standing with the pigeon on his shoulder, “‘ whether Peepy’s notion of a likeness is a good one ?” “Tsaac is seventy-two,” she said, still laughing. ‘‘ He is our man-servant; and I do not think that he could ever have been as hand— I do not think that he could ever have been much like you. But Peepy always flies to meet him when he comes up the rock. Come, Peepy !” Peepy, however, kept his place. Roland shook his shoulder; Peepy fluttered, but was not dislodged. “He expects to get a piece of sugar,” said the girl, “the silly bird!” Roland had no sugar; but in his basket was a bunch of raisins. He produced it, and presented one. The bird seized it instantly, and flying with it to the rampart of the tower, set himself to taste the novel offering with extreme deliberation. **Peepy does not stand on ceremony,” said his mistress. ‘J believe he thinks that human beings were expressly made that he might sit upon their shoulders and be fed.” ‘“No doubt of it,” said Roland. ‘A philosopher in feathers.” He was standing there before the window, well aware that he had no excuse to linger, but by no means anxious to be gone. Only to look at those great lustrous eyes, only to hear that silvery laugh, was an occupation far too pleasant to be willingly cut short. It was, how- GOnnGaoOo SS CO