You might see almost
as far; the sunshiny road a little winding and rising a very
slight ascent. The cottage itself was hid by its trees.
While Egremont was still musing of one who lived under that
roof, he beheld in the distance Sybil.
She was springing along with a quick and airy step. Her black
dress displayed her undulating and elastic figure. Her little
foot bounded from the earth with a merry air. A long rosary
hung at her side; and her head was partly covered with a hood
which descended just over her shoulders. She seemed gay, for
Harold kept running before her with a frolicsome air, and then
returning to his mistress, danced about her, and almost
overpowered her with his gambols.
"I salute thee, holy sister," said Egremont.
"Oh! is not this a merry morn!" she exclaimed with a bright
and happy face.
"I feel it as you. And whither do you go?"
"I go to the convent; I pay my first visit to our Superior
since I left them."
"Not very long ago," said Egremont, with a smile, and turning
with her.
"It seems so," said Sybil.
They walked on together; Sybil glad as the hour; noticing a
thousand cheerful sights, speaking to her dog in her ringing
voice, as he gambolled before them, or seized her garments in
his mouth, and ever and anon bounded away and then returned,
looking up in his mistress' face to inquire whether he had
been wanted in his absence.
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