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In a metaphorical and technical sense, Boxing-day is always more or less "wet" generally more, and not less; but this year the expression is used climatically, and in its first intention. Christmas-eve of the year about which I write was bright and springlike; Christmas-day dismal, dark, and un-Christmas-like; but Boxing-day that year was essentially muggy, sloppy, drizzly, and nasty.
I do not mean the suspected hidden romance, for that no one knew except, indeed, a dead one knew all about it. It was a later romance, which, however, nearly cost him his life once. "One Christmas-eve we had been occupied, as usual, with the presents of the following Christmas-day, and will you believe it? in the same lodgings, too, for my uncle was a thorough Tory in his hatred of change.
On Christmas-eve the order excited no surprise, as it was customary on the eve of high festivals to bring all the prisoners of the Conciergerie before the parliament, who sometimes, out of respect to the day, liberated those criminals who had been imprisoned for trifling offences.
Great black clouds were rolling across the heavens, and squalls of rain, with hail, swept by us with such extreme violence, that the Captain determined to run into Wigwam Cove. This is a snug little harbour, not far from Cape Horn; and here, at Christmas-eve, we anchored in smooth water.
She was expecting me, looking for me, awaiting me! She had learnt all the songs I liked; had prepared the dresses in which I had said she looked best; would greet me, oh, so gladly! I was to keep my promise and arrive on Christmas-eve, when her mother would be happy to see me; and she well, she didn't know yet whether she would speak to me or not: it, really, depended whether I was "good!"
Then we'll get supper together. Won't that be fun?" and she bustled around, the embodiment of beautiful life. "Oh, Johnnie!" he said, taking her sweet face in his hands, and looking into her clear eyes, "Heaven must have sent you. I was so lonely and sad that I wished I had never lived." "Why, Mr. Alvord! and on Christmas-eve, too?
While the former were drawn mostly from his own full and eventful life, the latter were fairy stories, pure and simple, sometimes already well known, sometimes made up, wherein fairies, ghosts, elves, gnomes, goblins and dragons, will-o'-the-wisps, nixies, kelpies and dwarfs disported themselves. Christmas was approaching, and the next day, Christmas-eve, the tree was to be lighted.
So very quietly at Danton Hall December wore away, and Christmas-eve dawned, Grace Danton's wedding-day. About ten in the morning the large, roomy, old-fashioned family sleigh drove up before the front door, and the bridal party entered, and were whirled to the church. A very select party indeed; the bride and bridegroom, the bride's brother, and the bridegroom's two daughters.
In the castle of Sir Biorn of the Fiery Eyes, Christmas-eve had not passed so brightly and happily; but yet, there too all had gone visibly according to God's will. Folko, at the entreaty of the lord of the castle, had allowed Gabrielle to support him into the hall; and the three now sat at the round stone table, whereon a sumptuous meal was laid.
Poor Dick was astonished: he had never seen her look so distractingly beautiful before, save on Christmas-eve, when her hair was in the same luxuriant condition of freedom. But his first burst of delighted surprise was followed by less comfortable feelings, as soon as his brain recovered its power to think. Fancy had blushed; was it with confusion?
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