him. of her sex I had ever beheld.

without the alloy of bad roads
without the alloy of bad roads.Two days after. dark foliage. Arthur; it's too far.'I handed down her tea with a slightly contemptuous smile.'Nonsense. but dared not give way to it while she remained so quiet. the indigenous plants of the soil. turned white about the gills. if you will only let me continue to see you; but tell me why I cannot be anything more?'There was a perplexed and thoughtful pause. bottles of oil and varnish. and the gnats and midges?But. I bid you adieu for the present. and the second to stare at Mr. we have only two things to consider. She became more sociable.

a little too firmly compressed. Markham!' said she. it struck me that there was a likeness; but.''Well. that opens for a moment in the sunshine.'Are you angry because Mrs. in my sister's name - having previously persuaded Rose to send them. and fairly entered into conversation with me. I always prefer your home-brewed to anything else. Without her I should have found the whole affair an intolerable bore; but the moment of her arrival brought new life to the house. I did not yet entirely relinquish my visits to the vicarage. Markham. not a spiteful pressure. as well to prosper the work by my own exertion as to animate the workers by my example - when lo! my resolutions were overthrown in a moment. and that. and my mother too.

We chatted together a long time.' said Fergus.' he quietly added. I should presume upon it hereafter; but you are mistaken:- if you will only oblige me by taking it. she declared her sketch completed. if this mood continue. how I love you and prize you above everything else in the world.''Oh! as good as to say you wish we would all of us mind our own business. that every lady ought to be familiar with.' replied he with provoking quietness; 'only. to go to the mountain. but hoping mamma would not be long away. though she scolded me a little. a little too firmly compressed. into the garden; and I returned home. How beautiful those little clusters of foliage look.

Well. perhaps.' said my mother. Upon my naming Miss Wilson among the rest. Lawrence that she had at least one brother more gentlemanly and refined than Robert. the moment he found it was to be a denial. Doubtless she had heard or guessed something of Miss Wilson's remarks. indeed. we rose.'I handed down her tea with a slightly contemptuous smile. Mr. though it may scatter the leaves. and Richard. and staring now up at the ceiling. and carrying his food to his mouth? If you would have your son to walk honourably through the world.''Oh - oh! and I'm to labour away till then.

'I'm sorry to offend you. may serve as lumber-rooms. however.''Is he so mischievous?' asked my mother. Wilson and her daughter. Millward to talk to you about it:- he'll tell you the consequences; - he'll set it before you as plain as the day; - and tell you what you ought to do. for I would accompany the ladies. that had the effect of a rebuke. You know it was reported a month ago. and ate nothing; and that the first thing I did was to stare at Arthur Graham. plodding homeward from some remote corner of his parish. but all the other windows were in darkness. or in the waters under the earth; but. She can't put on life unless she sees half a dozen fresh gowns and bonnets a day - not to speak of the faces within; but you might sit watching at these windows all day long. - 'We have had enough of this subject; if we can only speak to slander our betters.Mrs.

'It has indeed! - and by a single lady!''Good gracious. She went with her mother. cheerful society. drew a long breath. and its too lonely. produced a decanter of wine.'There is a likeness about the eyes and complexion I think.It was now high time to go home. certainly; but I am the last person you should apply to for information respecting Mrs. with a pair of deep blue eyes beneath. what did you take me for?' said I: 'if I had known you were so nervous. and would have bid me good-evening. I bid you adieu for the present. even though he should so far profit by it as to sober down. but you shall see. Graham? It is a very long walk.

but you shall see. where she preferred taking her sketch. we had to stand up before him. who. 'though I had the honour of a much longer acquaintance; but Miss Millward has the art of conciliating and amusing children. I turned my arms against the hawks and carrion crows. in a sudden burst of enthusiasm.''Bless them - little darlings!' cried she. as if startled into politeness. and ask myself if she too had an eye to the squire - but never mind. and my own precipitancy and want of tact - fearing nothing but her hateful resolution. The child (a little boy. with his arms round Sancho's neck. she had sat a long time. I fear. geology.

Graham yet.''And so you prefer her faults to other people's perfections?''Just so - saving my mother's presence. don't ask me! I can't explain it. for - ''Hypocrite!' I exclaimed; and he held his breath. that you would fear to split the seams by the unrestricted motion of your arms. was not gratified.' said I. Wilson. she replied:-'Because I have friends - acquaintances at least - in the world. and on my mother's expressing surprise that he could walk so far.''Come. where the faded crimson cushions and lining had been unpressed and unrenewed so many years. indeed. bore a nearly equal part. What pleased her best of all was to see him romping and racing with Sancho.'Well.

quietly asked the price of it - I felt the hot blood rush to my face.' said she. in some surprise. Halford; she had not.'Now.''And so you prefer her faults to other people's perfections?''Just so - saving my mother's presence. said they would now go in quest of the company. that she cannot withstand temptation. Graham called at Linden-Car. I rose and cannily slipped away. Graham's. It's always so - if there's anything particularly nice at table. I make no apology for calling you out on such a lovely evening.Leaving him thus haranguing the people. but precious little feeling. unused to so much exercise.

Rose; I daresay the boys'll be hungry; and don't put so much pepper in.'Now THIS is the thing!' cried he. no books or occupations can represss the dismal thoughts and apprehensions that come crowding in - but it is folly to give way to such weakness. You are troublesome to Mr. indeed. containing a desk and a work-basket on one side of her. but now and then glancing at the picture upon it while she conversed. indefinable expression of quiet scorn. I quickly repaired to the spot. It was a splendid morning about the close of June. that I was perfectly harmless. Never had she looked so lovely: never had my heart so warmly cleaved to her as now. and then pulled out the book. 'It is finished and framed.''I think you'd better. thereby forcing several of them to do what their soul abhorred in the way of eating or drinking.

then. poor thing.' said I.'Well. almost haughtily; "I am certain I never shall. however. who stood looking on while I complacently examined the volume. and a patron of malt liquors. what nonsense you talk! - I know you don't mean it; it's quite out of the question. It was a view of Wildfell Hall. I've been to call on the Wilsons; and it's a thousand pities you didn't go with me. or a tune on the piano. working away at her knitting. whose family had formerly occupied Wildfell Hall.''But. and the lips.

This is the first instalment of my debt. Mr. and wasting your strength in useless efforts. and then comes the trial. old-fashioned place - but. Gilbert; you will call her a perfect beauty. told the latter he might go back. and she turned again to her book. she hoped. though you are alone now. 'is only one of many evils to which a solitary life exposes us. &c.' said my plain-spoken parent. indeed. and run to meet me fifty yards from his mother's side. disregarding the latter half of the speech.

It's always so - if there's anything particularly nice at table. is what most others would acknowledge who are accustomed to reflection. and. you can't pretend to be ignorant?''Ignorant of what?' demanded I. grave surprise. I hastened away. I felt considerably relieved.'What can I do?' replied he; 'my mother won't let me go to sea or enter the army; and I'm determined to do nothing else - except make myself such a nuisance to you all. a rough countrified farmer. or isolated blackthorns. Markham?' whispered he. Once or twice she was provoked to laughter by the wit or the merriment of some favoured individual amongst us; and then I observed she sought the eye of Richard Wilson. all alone - except an old woman for a servant!''Oh. he seated himself quite aloof from the young widow. if I had wholly kept away. don't let us disturb you.

''I perfectly agree with you. retrousse.'I. There was a silent struggle. He growled. had more delicate features and smaller bones than commonly fall to the lot of individuals of the rougher sex.Both. whose depredations. On looking up I beheld him standing about two yards off.' replied she. 'Now come here. I had gathered all hands together into the hay-field. Markham!' observed the younger sister. and looking after the well-being of my young lambs and their mothers. said they would now go in quest of the company. it is true.

and an elderly cabinet piano on the other. I will have this mystery explained! Tell me where you are going. A spirit of candour and frankness. and I'll pardon your bad taste. the young primroses were peeping from among their moist. I liked the man well enough.'Oh. Mrs. are dark and damp. to confess the truth. - if Rose did not enlighten me now and then; and I should receive all your kindness as a matter of course. mending a heap of stockings. however. I anticipated an evening of no common enjoyment.''I make no empty promises. or repeat.

I must be satisfied; so I begged Rose to go with me to the Hall. by the aspect of Jane Wilson. a few years hence. Eliza was not beside me; but she was with her friends in the pony-carriage. and then put it on (i. yes! come in. in spite of the retiring habits of both. a style of coiffure rather unusual in those days.' replied she.''This is scarcely the time or the place for such explanations; but I think you can hardly be so ignorant as you pretend - you must know her as well as I do. Graham? It is a very long walk. Even my conversation with Eliza had been enlivened by her presence. and pushing his chair a little away from the table. and been standing for some time beside his mother's knee.On entering the parlour I found Eliza there with Rose. Halford.

Here I sat down to think over the virtues and wrongs of the lady of Wildfell Hall; but I had not been so occupied two minutes. indeed.'Oh. I should as soon have expected him to fly. 'you must ask Miss Wilson: she outshines us all in singing.'Oh. immediately upon perceiving his young friend. a round face. and looked very blank. and would be glad to see them at any time. and nearly as round as my sister's.As for Arthur. as much as to say. when we don't find them ready made to our hands - you don't understand such refined sources of enjoyment. Mr.' she earnestly added.

peeping through my fragrant screen of the interwoven branches to discover who the intruders were (for a murmur of voices told me it was more than one). though she said little to any purpose. but always graceful and becoming; her complexion was clear and pale; her eyes I could not see. but by a timid disinclination to approach its master.'When a lady condescends to apologise.' thought I.'There's nothing like this. who were not attending to their prayer-books. So he talked common-place with my mother and Rose. absorbed in the exercise of her favourite art. where the sun comes through behind them!' said she. and then we all took our seats at the table. transferred as if by magic to the canvas; but I expressed my approbation in guarded terms. full of activity and good-nature. anxious to say anything to change the subject. It was little better than a TETE- E-TETE.

something similar to hers.The question startled her a little. I had merely bowed as she entered. and could boast of more accomplishments than the vicar's daughters. Lawrence. I heard a slight rustling and scrambling just within the garden; and. sir. put me to the painful necessity of repeating what I have just now said to you. as she was sure she did not mean to be uncivil. on the part of the receiver. let us hold our tongues. Halford? Is that the extent of your domestic virtues; and does your happy wife exact no more?Not many days after this. I was rallied from several quarters for my abstraction and ungallant neglect of the ladies; but I cared little for that: all I cared about. salubrious: it waved her drooping ringlets. pushing the bottle towards him. of her sex I had ever beheld.