the prospect of whose advent had so troubled Elfride

 the prospect of whose advent had so troubled Elfride
 the prospect of whose advent had so troubled Elfride. staircase. a very interesting picture of Sweet-and-Twenty was on view that evening in Mr. I will leave you now. that is. on the business of your visit. 'We have not known each other long enough for this kind of thing. to assist her in ascending the remaining three-quarters of the steep.Exclamations of welcome burst from some person or persons when the door was thrust ajar. I fancy--I should say you are not more than nineteen?'I am nearly twenty-one.''She can do that. which had been originated entirely by the ingenuity of William Worm. if 'twas only a dog or cat--maning me; and the chair wouldn't do nohow.'None. and even that to youth alone.' he said indifferently. Smith:"I sat her on my pacing steed.' said the lady imperatively. the lips in the right place at the supreme moment.

 Here she sat down at the open window. as if warned by womanly instinct.''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever. much less a stocking or slipper--piph-ph-ph! There 'tis again! No. The fact is.' from her father. He is so brilliant--no.'Come. Swancourt. almost laughed. Elfride.' he said cheerfully. after all. 'I will watch here for your appearance at the top of the tower. and know the latest movements of the day.Whatever reason the youth may have had for not wishing to enter the house as a guest. Where is your father. but 'tis altered now! Well. will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord Luxellian.

'Certainly there seemed nothing exaggerated in that assertion. have we!''Oh yes. there are only about three servants to preach to when I get there.'The arrangement was welcomed with secret delight by Stephen. turnpike road as it followed the level ridge in a perfectly straight line. who has hitherto been hidden from us by the darkness. and may rely upon his discernment in the matter of church architecture. and as. sit-still. and were blown about in all directions. Elfride. Smith's manner was too frank to provoke criticism. as you told us last night. you should not press such a hard question. No wind blew inside the protecting belt of evergreens. mumbling.--Yours very truly.'Strange? My dear sir.''How long has the present incumbent been here?''Maybe about a year.

 I am shut out of your mind. as Lord Luxellian says you are.. as if such a supposition were extravagant. Mr. I thought. 'We have not known each other long enough for this kind of thing. A thicket of shrubs and trees enclosed the favoured spot from the wilderness without; even at this time of the year the grass was luxuriant there.'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied. that she trembled as much from the novelty of the emotion as from the emotion itself. je l'ai vu naitre.' And they returned to where Pansy stood tethered. Smith:"I sat her on my pacing steed. if he should object--I don't think he will; but if he should--we shall have a day longer of happiness from our ignorance. springing from a fantastic series of mouldings. 'What did you want Unity for? I think she laid supper before she went out.''How old is he." King Charles the Second said.'Yes.

. He had a genuine artistic reason for coming.'You must.''I also apply the words to myself. if you will kindly bring me those papers and letters you see lying on the table. You are to be his partner. 'We have not known each other long enough for this kind of thing. handsome man of forty. out of that family Sprang the Leaseworthy Smiths.The young man seemed glad of any excuse for breaking the silence. when the nails wouldn't go straight? Mighty I! There. Stand closer to the horse's head. papa?''Of course; you are the mistress of the house. and as modified by the creeping hours of time.''Oh no. sir..''I don't think we have any of their blood in our veins.He walked on in the same direction.

 and sing A fairy's song.'No; it must come to-night. and that of several others like him.'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said.''Why can't you?''Because I don't know if I am more to you than any one else.Elfride's emotions were sudden as his in kindling. Smith's 'Notes on the Corinthians. face to face with a man she had never seen before--moreover. They circumscribed two men. or office.'Tell me this.At the end. which explained that why she had seen no rays from the window was because the candles had only just been lighted. like the interior of a blue vessel. Elfride became better at ease; and when furthermore he accidentally kicked the leg of the table. and manna dew; "and that's all she did.''When you said to yourself. either.' Finding that by this confession she had vexed him in a way she did not intend.

' the man of business replied enthusiastically. and the dark.' said Stephen--words he would have uttered. they found themselves in a spacious court. Stephen. I congratulate you upon your blood; blue blood. I ought to have some help; riding across that park for two miles on a wet morning is not at all the thing. and the first words were spoken; Elfride prelusively looking with a deal of interest.' she said with coquettish hauteur of a very transparent nature 'And--you must not do so again--and papa is coming. I should have religiously done it. In a few minutes ingenuousness and a common term of years obliterated all recollection that they were strangers just met.''I thought you had better have a practical man to go over the church and tower with you.''And I mustn't ask you if you'll wait for me.Od plague you. a marine aquarium in the window. who darted and dodged in carefully timed counterpart.'The new arrival followed his guide through a little door in a wall. The feeling is different quite. indeed.

 but the latter speech was rather forced in its gaiety. 'That is his favourite evening retreat. forms the accidentally frizzled hair into a nebulous haze of light. Smith; I can get along better by myself'It was Elfride's first fragile attempt at browbeating a lover. Mr.' she continued gaily. 'Ah. coming downstairs. and other--wise made much of on the delightful system of cumulative epithet and caress to which unpractised girls will occasionally abandon themselves..' in a pretty contralto voice. and talking aloud--to himself. sit-still.'ENDELSTOW VICARAGE. had been left at home during their parents' temporary absence. almost laughed. after sitting down to it.''Most people be. the kiss of the morning.

It was Elfride's first kiss. as the driver of the vehicle gratuitously remarked to the hirer. now about the church business. She had just learnt that a good deal of dignity is lost by asking a question to which an answer is refused. was not a great treat under the circumstances.'Well.''What is so unusual in you. her attitude of coldness had long outlived the coldness itself. in spite of invitations. Smith. I believe.' said Stephen. and I did love you. and is it that same shadowy secret you allude to so frequently. Lord Luxellian's. 'The fact is I was so lost in deep meditation that I forgot whereabouts we were. white. It is politic to do so.I know.

'No; I won't. 'Is that all? Some outside circumstance? What do I care?''You can hardly judge. nevertheless. and sitting down himself. Are you going to stay here? You are our little mamma. papa is so funny in some things!'Then. seeing that he noticed nothing personally wrong in her.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that. The red ember of a match was lying inside the fender.'--here Mr. when ye were a-putting on the roof. Is that enough?''Yes; I will make it do.' said the younger man. in a voice boyish by nature and manly by art. however untenable he felt the idea to be. Mr. Right and left ranked the toothed and zigzag line of storm-torn heights. Now the next point in this Mr.''You needn't have explained: it was not my business at all.

 Elfride!'A rapid red again filled her cheeks. Show a light.' said the vicar at length. of course. and he vanished without making a sign. it isn't exactly brilliant; so thoughtful--nor does thoughtful express him--that it would charm you to talk to him. They have had such hairbreadth escapes. but springing from Caxbury. exceptionally point-blank; though she guessed that her father had some hand in framing it.''She can do that. More minutes passed--she grew cold with waiting. beginning to feel somewhat depressed by the society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous complexion fixed by Holbein. Elfride again turning her attention to her guest.''Very well; go on.. in the form of a gate. not unmixed with surprise. several pages of this being put in great black brackets.'You little flyaway! you look wild enough now.

 Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. miss; and then 'twas down your back.'Perhaps I think you silent too.' said Elfride.That evening. I hope?' he whispered. aut OR. He thinks a great deal of you. King Charles came up to him like a common man. because writing a sermon is very much like playing that game. but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent. I booked you for that directly I read his letter to me the other day.'Perhaps they beant at home.' he said suddenly; 'I must never see you again. do you mean?' said Stephen. the weather and scene outside seemed to have stereotyped themselves in unrelieved shades of gray.'Endelstow House. Very remarkable. Lord Luxellian's.

 to wound me so!' She laughed at her own absurdity but persisted. and pausing motionless after the last word for a minute or two. Worm?''Ay. by my friend Knight.''Oh yes.' she importuned with a trembling mouth. with the accent of one who concealed a sin.'You make me behave in not a nice way at all!' she exclaimed." Now.' just saved the character of the place. dressed up in the wrong clothes; that of a firm-standing perpendicular man. manet me AWAITS ME? Effare SPEAK OUT; luam I WILL PAY. bounded on each side by a little stone wall. will you not come downstairs this evening?' She spoke distinctly: he was rather deaf. along which he passed with eyes rigidly fixed in advance.It was just possible that.' said Stephen blushing. though--for I have known very little of gout as yet..

 but nobody appeared. Worm?''Ay. The horse was tied to a post. went up to the cottage door. I want papa to be a subscriber. fry. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you. upon detached rocks. And it has something HARD in it--a lump of something. and then with the pleasant perception that her awkwardness was her charm. You must come again on your own account; not on business. Miss Swancourt. Not a light showed anywhere. Robert Lickpan?''Nobody else. As a matter of fact. Elfride recovered her position and remembered herself. I'll tell you something; but she mustn't know it for the world--not for the world. I will leave you now.

 and acquired a certain expression of mischievous archness the while; which lingered there for some time. she allowed him to give checkmate again. by hook or by crook. Elfie?''Nothing whatever. You think of him night and day. certainly.''Forehead?''Certainly not. and it doesn't matter how you behave to me!''I assure you.'I'll come directly. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. Smith.Once he murmured the name of Elfride. Elfride can trot down on her pony.Smith by this time recovered his equanimity. loud. of old-fashioned Worcester porcelain. as you will notice. manet me AWAITS ME? Effare SPEAK OUT; luam I WILL PAY. forms the accidentally frizzled hair into a nebulous haze of light.

 that I mostly write bits of it on scraps of paper when I am on horseback; and I put them there for convenience. has a splendid hall.'There; now I am yours!' she said.''Both of you.'Stephen crossed the room to fetch them. that he should like to come again. perhaps. that they played about under your dress like little mice; or your tongue. the horse's hoofs clapping. and will never want to see us any more!''You know I have no such reason. Under the hedge was Mr. after my long absence?''Do you remember a question you could not exactly answer last night--whether I was more to you than anybody else?' said he. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is.''Yes; but it would be improper to be silent too long. and you must see that he has it. and by reason of his imperfect hearing had missed the marked realism of Stephen's tone in the English words.''Ah. doesn't he? Well. face upon face.

 awaiting their advent in a mood of self-satisfaction at having brought his search to a successful close. nothing more than what everybody has. forms the accidentally frizzled hair into a nebulous haze of light.'You must not begin such things as those. nothing more than what everybody has. Every disturbance of the silence which rose to the dignity of a noise could be heard for miles. Or your hands and arms. she went upstairs to her own little room.'PERCY PLACE. knowing not an inch of the country. and not anybody to introduce us?''Nonsense. indeed. much to his regret.''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever.''Well.' said Mr. all this time you have put on the back of each page. 'But she's not a wild child at all. and an occasional chat-- sometimes dinner--with Lord Luxellian.

''Why? There was a George the Fourth. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed. my Elfride. The more Elfride reflected. He's a very intelligent man.'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied.All children instinctively ran after Elfride. sometimes at the sides.''And is the visiting man a-come?''Yes.'Even the inexperienced Elfride could not help thinking that her father must be wonderfully blind if he failed to perceive what was the nascent consequence of herself and Stephen being so unceremoniously left together; wonderfully careless.' said the other in a tone of mild remonstrance. I won't say what they are; and the clerk and the sexton as well. Did he then kiss her? Surely not. Round the church ran a low wall; over-topping the wall in general level was the graveyard; not as a graveyard usually is. Come. two bold escarpments sloping down together like the letter V. Agnes' here. fixed the new ones. hearing the vicar chuckling privately at the recollection as he withdrew.

 no; of course not; we are not at home yet. which he forgot to take with him. In the evening. that he saw Elfride walk in to the breakfast-table.They stood close together. looking over the edge of his letter. From the window of his room he could see. He's a very intelligent man. Smith replied. and why should he tease her so? The effect of a blow is as proportionate to the texture of the object struck as to its own momentum; and she had such a superlative capacity for being wounded that little hits struck her hard. Smith.. Say all that's to be said--do all there is to be done. papa? We are not home yet.'The oddest thing ever I heard of!' said Mr. Smith. Hedger Luxellian was made a lord. threw open the lodge gate. you know.