midday
Up river or down , she trafficked in a wherry , and took the waterman 's tender glances as part receipt for his hire . In a word , this winsome , rosy creature , grown hardy in a kind soil , adventured herself at ease among them that might have been her poets , adorers , or raveners , nor thought to be cheapened by the liberty she employed . She was rather shy with strangers , conscious of her height , awkward under observation , blushing to know she blushed ; but simple as the day , pleased with flattery , pleased with other trifles , -- trinkets , snatched kisses , notes slipped into the prayer-book , etc. . She told her mother everything before she went to bed , sat on her father 's knee when she was too old and much too tall for it , dreamed of lovers , hid trembling when they came , had palpitations , never told a fib or refused a sweetmeat ; she was , in fact , just the honest , red-cheeked , pretty , shy simpleton of a lass you will meet by the round dozen in our country , who grows into the plump wife of Master Church-warden-in-broadcloth , bears a half-score children , gets flushed after midday dinner , and would sooner miss church than the postman any day in the year . Such was Molly Lovel at nineteen , honestly handsome and honestly a fool , whom in Bankside they knew as Long-legged Moll . To Amilcare Passavente , the young merchant-adventurer from Leghorn , ravished as he was by the spell of her cool lips , she became at once `` La divina Maria , '' or shorter , `` La Diva '' ; and in a very light space of time , when his acquaintance with her and hers with his tongue had ripened , she had quite a nosegay of names : Madonna Collebianca -LRB- my Lady Whitethroat -RRB- , Donna Fiordispina , La Bella Rosseggiante , were three among three dozen flowers of speech , picked from a highly scented garden of such for her adorning . Amilcare translated them in his hoarse , eager voice , helped on by his hands -LRB- which were rapid -RRB- and his beseeching eyes -LRB- which had the flattery of deference -RRB- , not only to Molly apart , but to all or any of her acquaintance who could listen without giggling .