" Ravenswood pleaded,
apologised, and even kneeled, to appease her displeasure; and Lucy, as
placable as she was single-hearted, readily forgave the offence which
his doubts had implied. The dispute thus agitated, however, ended by the
lovers going through an emblematic ceremony of their troth-plight, of
which the vulgar still preserve some traces. They broke betwixt them
the thin broad-piece of gold which Alice had refused to receive from
Ravenswood.
"And never shall this leave my bosom," said Lucy, as she hung the piece
of gold round her neck, and concealed it with her handkerchief, "until
you, Edgar Ravenswood, ask me to resign it to you; and, while I wear it,
never shall that heart acknowledge another love than yours."
With like protestations, Ravenswood placed his portion of the coin
opposite to his heart. And now, at length, it struck them that time had
hurried fast on during this interview, and their absence at the castle
would be subject of remark, if not of alarm. As they arose to leave the
fountain which had been witness of their mutual engagement, an arrow
whistled through the air, and struck a raven perched on the sere branch
of an old oak, near to where they had been seated.
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