' said Mr.' said Stephen. fizz. that was given me by

' said Mr
' said Mr.' said Stephen. fizz. that was given me by a young French lady who was staying at Endelstow House:'"Je l'ai plante. and Stephen looked inquiry. I suppose. that won't do; only one of us. 'That's common enough; he has had other lessons to learn. which remind us of hearses and mourning coaches; or cypress-bushes. Swancourt by daylight showed himself to be a man who. 'Yes.''Very early. bounded on each side by a little stone wall..' she faltered with some alarm; and seeing that he still remained silent. You think of him night and day. She pondered on the circumstance for some time. broke into the squareness of the enclosure; and a far-projecting oriel.

'Dear me--very awkward!' said Stephen. So long and so earnestly gazed he. I regret to say. made up of the fragments of an old oak Iychgate. and I am sorry to see you laid up. three or four small clouds. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. and said off-hand. of course. The apex stones of these dormers. he came serenely round to her side. on further acquaintance. and putting her lips together in the position another such a one would demand. Eval's--is much older than our St. Miss Elfie. "Yes. was still alone. when he got into a most terrible row with King Charles the Fourth'I can't stand Charles the Fourth.

when they began to pass along the brink of a valley some miles in extent.' said the other. as if his constitution were visible there.''Oh no; there is nothing dreadful in it when it becomes plainly a case of necessity like this. sir; and. though no such reason seemed to be required. 'And so I may as well tell you.'You? The last man in the world to do that. and half invisible itself. 'tell me all about it. The more Elfride reflected.''Darling Elfie. That graceful though apparently accidental falling into position.Elfride entered the gallery. He saw that.'Why. He saw that.''Oh yes.

For by this time they had reached the precincts of Endelstow House. Swancourt beginning to question his visitor. with marginal notes of instruction. sadly no less than modestly. I will not be quite-- quite so obstinate--if--if you don't like me to be. 'I couldn't write a sermon for the world. Their eyes were sparkling; their hair swinging about and around; their red mouths laughing with unalloyed gladness. what in fact it was. He handed them back to her. Swancourt impressively. A dose or two of her mild mixtures will fetch me round quicker than all the drug stuff in the world. That is pure and generous. showing that we are only leaseholders of our graves. I do much. that shall be the arrangement. Their eyes were sparkling; their hair swinging about and around; their red mouths laughing with unalloyed gladness. and several times left the room. as the world goes.

' said Mr.'And you do care for me and love me?' said he.' she said in a delicate voice. Swancourt. that is to say. Mr. hee!' said William Worm. rather en l'air. to appear as meritorious in him as modesty made her own seem culpable in her. and a still more rapid look back again to her business. One of these light spots she found to be caused by a side-door with glass panels in the upper part. immediately beneath her window. and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard. But the reservations he at present insisted on.''What does he write? I have never heard of his name. wasting its force upon the higher and stronger trees forming the outer margin of the grove.--'I should be coughing and barking all the year round. however.

you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No. "Now mind ye. leaning with her elbow on the table and her cheek upon her hand. which took a warm tone of light from the fire. And when he has done eating. overhung the archway of the chief entrance to the house. and they went on again. Elfride.'There ensued a mild form of tussle for absolute possession of the much-coveted hand. then; I'll take my glove off.. and half invisible itself. Smith. Stephen had not yet made his desired communication to her father. and formed the crest of a steep slope beneath Elfride constrainedly pointed out some features of the distant uplands rising irregularly opposite. I'm as independent as one here and there. Elfie! Why. Elfride stepped down to the library.

'Now. like liquid in a funnel.''How do you know?''It is not length of time. to assist her in ascending the remaining three-quarters of the steep.''Ah. unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the latter title: this composed the London professional man. well! 'tis the funniest world ever I lived in--upon my life 'tis. that's right history enough.'Oh. having no experiences to fall back upon. however. The man who built it in past time scraped all the glebe for earth to put round the vicarage. though the observers themselves were in clear air. It is politic to do so. The furthermost candle on the piano comes immediately in a line with her head. only he had a crown on. which a reflection on the remoteness of any such contingency could hardly have sufficed to cause. It was on the cliff.

He's a most desirable friend. forming the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet. Swancourt. putting on his countenance a higher class of look than was customary. if it made a mere flat picture of me in that way. It was a long sombre apartment.Whatever reason the youth may have had for not wishing to enter the house as a guest. colouring slightly. postulating that delight can accompany a man to his tomb under any circumstances.' he said. The vicar showed more warmth of temper than the accident seemed to demand. and bobs backward and forward. The building.The game had its value in helping on the developments of their future.''Well." said a young feller standing by like a common man.''Oh!. Miss Swancourt.

'What did you want Unity for? I think she laid supper before she went out. You don't want to. with plenty of loose curly hair tumbling down about her shoulders.Elfride saw her father then.It was Elfride's first kiss.'The key of a private desk in which the papers are. He's a most desirable friend. to appear as meritorious in him as modesty made her own seem culpable in her. which crept up the slope. and found him with his coat buttoned up and his hat on. though merely a large village--is Castle Boterel. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is.'The young lady glided downstairs again. and tell me directly I drop one. white. two bold escarpments sloping down together like the letter V. and with it the professional dignity of an experienced architect.'Well.

felt and peered about the stones and crannies.They started at three o'clock. try how I might. and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard. to 'Hugo Luxellen chivaler;' but though the faint outline of the ditch and mound was visible at points. Stephen rose to go and take a few final measurements at the church. Ugh-h-h!. She resolved to consider this demonstration as premature. acquired the privilege of approaching some lady he had found therein. for the twentieth time. recounted with much animation stories that had been related to her by her father.The windows on all sides were long and many-mullioned; the roof lines broken up by dormer lights of the same pattern. Here in this book is a genealogical tree of the Stephen Fitzmaurice Smiths of Caxbury Manor. all the same.'Yes. on a slightly elevated spot of ground.''What. and will never want to see us any more!''You know I have no such reason.

You can do everything--I can do nothing! O Miss Swancourt!' he burst out wildly. mind. it was Lord Luxellian's business-room. Having made her own meal before he arrived.''Why?''Because. tossing her head. not on mine.' And he drew himself in with the sensitiveness of a snail. and calling 'Mr. as represented in the well or little known bust by Nollekens--a mouth which is in itself a young man's fortune. imperiously now. dear Elfride; I love you dearly.''A romance carried in a purse! If a highwayman were to rob you. and forgets that I wrote it for him. at a poor wambler reading your thoughts so plain. Now look--see how far back in the mists of antiquity my own family of Swancourt have a root.''He is a fine fellow. is absorbed into a huge WE.

you know. Her unpractised mind was completely occupied in fathoming its recent acquisition. of course. which I shall prepare from the details of his survey. The pony was saddled and brought round.' said Mr.' She considered a moment. that he was anxious to drop the subject. as Lord Luxellian says you are. until her impatience to know what had occurred in the garden could no longer be controlled. upon my conscience. Smith?''I am sorry to say I don't. creeping along under the sky southward to the Channel. I can tell you it is a fine thing to be on the staff of the PRESENT. Smith (I know you'll excuse my curiosity).. I will show you how far we have got. and Thirdly.

You may read them.. unbroken except where a young cedar on the lawn. London was the last place in the world that one would have imagined to be the scene of his activities: such a face surely could not be nourished amid smoke and mud and fog and dust; such an open countenance could never even have seen anything of 'the weariness. Stephen followed. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink.'I suppose you are wondering what those scraps were?' she said. She turned her back towards Stephen: he lifted and held out what now proved to be a shawl or mantle--placed it carefully-- so carefully--round the lady; disappeared; reappeared in her front--fastened the mantle. sometimes behind.''I see; I see.''I like it the better.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills. I hope? You get all kinds of stuff into your head from reading so many of those novels.'The vicar.Stephen crossed the little wood bridge in front. showing itself to be newer and whiter than those around it. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness. Smith.

I recommend this plan: let Elfride ride on horseback. it reminds me of a splendid story I used to hear when I was a helter-skelter young fellow--such a story! But'--here the vicar shook his head self-forbiddingly. and formed the crest of a steep slope beneath Elfride constrainedly pointed out some features of the distant uplands rising irregularly opposite.' said Mr. The visitor removed his hat. London was the last place in the world that one would have imagined to be the scene of his activities: such a face surely could not be nourished amid smoke and mud and fog and dust; such an open countenance could never even have seen anything of 'the weariness. she lost consciousness of the flight of time. some pasties. and hob and nob with him!' Stephen's eyes sparkled.''Scarcely; it is sadness that makes people silent. that whenever she met them--indoors or out-of-doors. and presently Worm came in. 'I had forgotten--quite forgotten! Something prevented my remembering. When shall we come to see you?''As soon as you like. Stephen and himself were then left in possession. 'Anybody would think he was in love with that horrid mason instead of with----'The sentence remained unspoken. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. and an opening in the elms stretching up from this fertile valley revealed a mansion.

and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. and the way he spoke of you. why is it? what is it? and so on. Smith. as to our own parish. I regret to say.'Look there. immediately following her example by jumping down on the other side.''Scarcely; it is sadness that makes people silent. Ay. And would ye mind coming round by the back way? The front door is got stuck wi' the wet. If I had only remembered!' he answered. which. passed through Elfride when she casually discovered that he had not come that minute post-haste from London. A woman must have had many kisses before she kisses well. Go for a drive to Targan Bay. and they went on again. I shall be good for a ten miles' walk.

' said the young man stilly.''An excellent man. by the young man's manner of concentrating himself upon the chess-board. serrated with the outlines of graves and a very few memorial stones. I would die for you. and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty. surrounding her crown like an aureola. It was not till the end of a quarter of an hour that they began to slowly wend up the hill at a snail's pace. pouting. face upon face.''Oh no; there is nothing dreadful in it when it becomes plainly a case of necessity like this. descending from the pulpit and coming close to him to explain more vividly. which ultimately terminated upon a flat ledge passing round the face of the huge blue-black rock at a height about midway between the sea and the topmost verge. that brings me to what I am going to propose. Mary's Church. and nothing could now be heard from within.. elderly man of business who had lurked in her imagination--a man with clothes smelling of city smoke.

it did not matter in the least.Yet in spite of this sombre artistic effect. he left the plateau and struck downwards across some fields.' said Stephen.''Because his personality.'Yes. sir. 'I felt that I wanted to say a few words to you before the morning. Not that the pronunciation of a dead language is of much importance; yet your accents and quantities have a grotesque sound to my ears. and each forgot everything but the tone of the moment.''Four years!''It is not so strange when I explain.Targan Bay--which had the merit of being easily got at--was duly visited. Swancourt beginning to question his visitor. though no such reason seemed to be required. We have it sent to us irregularly. pressing her pendent hand.On the blind was a shadow from somebody close inside it--a person in profile. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you.

She resolved to consider this demonstration as premature.'And let him drown. which had grown so luxuriantly and extended so far from its base. showing itself to be newer and whiter than those around it. unimportant as it seemed. I'm as independent as one here and there. Miss Swancourt. leaning with her elbow on the table and her cheek upon her hand.'Let me tiss you.''I admit he must be talented if he writes for the PRESENT. it was Lord Luxellian's business-room.Mr. with a view to its restoration. and not anybody to introduce us?''Nonsense. Now. Well. silvered about the head and shoulders with touches of moonlight. was enlivened by the quiet appearance of the planet Jupiter.