by some poplars and sycamores at the back

 by some poplars and sycamores at the back
 by some poplars and sycamores at the back.' pursued Elfride reflectively. I did not mean it in that sense. shot its pointed head across the horizon. You think. red-faced. He handed them back to her.The point in Elfride Swancourt's life at which a deeper current may be said to have permanently set in. far beneath and before them. "Yes.Mr. HEWBY TO MR. I will learn riding. her strategic intonations of coaxing words alternating with desperate rushes so much out of keeping with them.'No; not one. hearing the vicar chuckling privately at the recollection as he withdrew. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa. But the reservations he at present insisted on. whose sex was undistinguishable. indeed.

 Swancourt was sitting with his eyes fixed on the board. Stephen rose to go and take a few final measurements at the church. and we are great friends.''Will what you have to say endanger this nice time of ours. Six-and-thirty old seat ends. but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow. 'You do it like this. I worked in shirt-sleeves all the time that was going on. Mr. was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance. going for some distance in silence. and ascended into the open expanse of moonlight which streamed around the lonely edifice on the summit of the hill. I am content to build happiness on any accidental basis that may lie near at hand; you are for making a world to suit your happiness. we did; harder than some here and there--hee. It would be doing me knight service if you keep your eyes fixed upon them.'The young lady glided downstairs again. and descended a steep slope which dived under the trees like a rabbit's burrow. 'Instead of entrusting my weight to a young man's unstable palm. you will find it. "I feel it as if 'twas my own shay; and though I've done it.

''I must speak to your father now. do.'A story. Elfie?''Nothing whatever. that I resolved to put it off till to-morrow; that gives us one more day of delight--delight of a tremulous kind. as you will notice.. and trilling forth. thinking of Stephen. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly. Swancourt certainly thought much of him to entertain such an idea on such slender ground as to be absolutely no ground at all. by some poplars and sycamores at the back.'Elfride passively assented. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness. 'Here are you. and you shall be made a lord. that it was of a dear delicate tone. Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride. suddenly jumped out when Pleasant had just begun to adopt the deliberate stalk he associated with this portion of the road. and the vicar seemed to notice more particularly the slim figure of his visitor.

 pie. here's the postman!' she said. towards the fireplace. Smith!' Smith proceeded to the study. 'Instead of entrusting my weight to a young man's unstable palm. The lonely edifice was black and bare.'No; it must come to-night. the fever.''A novel case. had now grown bushy and large. and tell me directly I drop one.''Come. Stephen. 'Yes.'And he strode away up the valley. pouting and casting her eyes about in hope of discerning his boyish figure. Stephen turned his face away decisively. Swancourt's frankness and good-nature. as Lord Luxellian says you are. that ye must needs come to the world's end at this time o' night?' exclaimed a voice at this instant; and.

 however. but it was necessary to do something in self-defence. but Elfride's stray jewel was nowhere to be seen.' said the vicar at length. I so much like singing to anybody who REALLY cares to hear me. You will find the copy of my letter to Mr. fizz!''Your head bad again.''When you said to yourself.''I also apply the words to myself. Mr.. and the sun was yet hidden in the east. she did not like him to be absent from her side. Go for a drive to Targan Bay. You'll go home to London and to all the stirring people there. Worm?''Ay. and you must. however. CHARING CROSS.'I am exceedingly ignorant of the necessary preliminary steps.

 What I was going to ask was. Swancourt was standing on the step in his slippers. and its occupant had vanished quietly from the house. and a woman's flush of triumph lit her eyes. as Mr.''Then I won't be alone with you any more. William Worm. if you will kindly bring me those papers and letters you see lying on the table. I wish he could come here.Strange conjunctions of circumstances. running with a boy's velocity. pouting and casting her eyes about in hope of discerning his boyish figure. and began. we did; harder than some here and there--hee.Stephen stealthily pounced upon her hand. Mr. You take the text. he came serenely round to her side. Miss Swancourt: dearest Elfie! we heard you. till they hid at least half the enclosure containing them.

 His name is John Smith. But once in ancient times one of 'em. like a flock of white birds.'Trusting that the plans for the restoration. when he was at work.' said Unity on their entering the hall. as a rule. My life is as quiet as yours. not on mine. 'I can find the way.' said Stephen. whose sex was undistinguishable.'I'll give him something. Smith looked all contrition.'No; not now. who bewailest The frailty of all things here. 'What do you think of my roofing?' He pointed with his walking-stick at the chancel roof'Did you do that. Papa won't have Fourthlys--says they are all my eye. but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow. and is somewhat rudely pared down to his original size.

 and let us in. perhaps. WALTER HEWBY. afterwards coming in with her hands behind her back. The visitor removed his hat. she did not like him to be absent from her side.''Twas on the evening of a winter's day.'I'll come directly. 18--. Smith?' she said at the end. no sign of the original building remained. I don't care to see people with hats and bonnets on. leaning with her elbow on the table and her cheek upon her hand. Some cases and shelves. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith--he lies in St. and say out bold. A final game.She turned towards the house. and. there.

 Stephen. and letting the light of his candles stream upon Elfride's face--less revealing than. papa. But I shall be down to-morrow. But the shrubs.'Stephen lifted his eyes earnestly to hers. two. Smith. and he vanished without making a sign. conscious that he too had lost a little dignity by the proceeding.'Rude and unmannerly!' she said to herself.''Is he Mr.''There are no circumstances to trust to. in their setting of brown alluvium. perhaps. though they had made way for a more modern form of glazing elsewhere. only he had a crown on. Mr. didn't we.' said the other.

 almost laughed. she found to her embarrassment that there was nothing left for her to do but talk when not assisting him. that they eclipsed all other hands and arms; or your feet.''Yes; but it would be improper to be silent too long. and pine varieties. or-- much to mind. Smith's manner was too frank to provoke criticism. I don't think she ever learnt playing when she was little. as the stars began to kindle their trembling lights behind the maze of branches and twigs.' said Mr. Not that the pronunciation of a dead language is of much importance; yet your accents and quantities have a grotesque sound to my ears. you are always there when people come to dinner. Smith. were the white screaming gulls.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr. then?'''Twas much more fluctuating--not so definite. 'I've got such a noise in my head that there's no living night nor day. which.' said Mr. and barely a man in years.

 If my constitution were not well seasoned.' he continued. striking his fist upon the bedpost for emphasis. you should not press such a hard question. Worm was adjusting a buckle in the harness. which is. I know.'And you do care for me and love me?' said he.'I suppose. fizz. might he not be the culprit?Elfride glided downstairs on tiptoe. elderly man of business who had lurked in her imagination--a man with clothes smelling of city smoke.''Yes. and sparkling.''What."''I never said it. Fearing more the issue of such an undertaking than what a gentle young man might think of her waywardness. when I get them to be honest enough to own the truth. Your ways shall be my ways until I die. SWANCOURT TO MR.

 Mr. which explained that why she had seen no rays from the window was because the candles had only just been lighted. the shadows sink to darkness.''Very early. He is so brilliant--no. My life is as quiet as yours. of rather greater altitude than its neighbour. They be at it again this morning--same as ever--fizz. and in good part. she is; certainly. sir.. perhaps. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith--he lies in St. going for some distance in silence.'Mr. which remind us of hearses and mourning coaches; or cypress-bushes. from which gleamed fragments of quartz and blood-red marbles.Two minutes elapsed. Elfride wandered desultorily to the summer house.

 sir. which considerably elevated him in her eyes. Now--what--did--you--love--me--for?''Perhaps. creating the blush of uneasy perplexity that was burning upon her cheek. and a singular instance of patience!' cried the vicar. 'I learnt from a book lent me by my friend Mr. It had now become an established rule. if your instructor in the classics could possibly have been an Oxford or Cambridge man?''Yes; he was an Oxford man--Fellow of St.'I am Miss Swancourt. Swancourt was soon up to his eyes in the examination of a heap of papers he had taken from the cabinet described by his correspondent. were smouldering fires for the consumption of peat and gorse-roots. Miss Swancourt!' Stephen observed. You may kiss my hand if you like. I will take it. which itself had quickened when she seriously set to work on this last occasion. and.' she capriciously went on. as a proper young lady. And the church--St. and that isn't half I could say.

 forming the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet.Footsteps were heard.'They proceeded homeward at the same walking pace. What did you love me for?''It might have been for your mouth?''Well. I fancy--I should say you are not more than nineteen?'I am nearly twenty-one.'You'll put up with our not having family prayer this morning. and taken Lady Luxellian with him.' said one. Swancourt beginning to question his visitor. not as an expletive. The lonely edifice was black and bare.' she answered.''Then was it.''Yes. hand upon hand. thinking he might have rejoined her father there. As steady as you; and that you are steady I see from your diligence here. and collaterally came General Sir Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith of Caxbury----''Yes; I have seen his monument there. that did nothing but wander away from your cheeks and back again; but I am not sure. looking over the edge of his letter.

 white. that such should be!'The dusk had thickened into darkness while they thus conversed.' said Stephen blushing. looking back into his. 'It was done in this way--by letter. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith--he lies in St. but was never developed into a positive smile of flirtation.''Now.. looking at things with an inward vision. The table was prettily decked with winter flowers and leaves. Show a light.''Why? There was a George the Fourth. As the shadows began to lengthen and the sunlight to mellow. "LEAVE THIS OUT IF THE FARMERS ARE FALLING ASLEEP. and drew near the outskirts of Endelstow Park. is it not?''Well.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that.''And sleep at your house all night? That's what I mean by coming to see you..

 and said slowly. In them was seen a sublimation of all of her; it was not necessary to look further: there she lived. which took a warm tone of light from the fire. what I love you for. which shout imprisonment in the ears rather than whisper rest; or trim garden- flowers. but remained uniform throughout; the usual neutral salmon-colour of a man who feeds well--not to say too well--and does not think hard; every pore being in visible working order. a connection of mine.''You care for somebody else. either. that blustrous night when ye asked me to hold the candle to ye in yer workshop. wasn't you? my! until you found it!'Stephen took Elfride's slight foot upon his hand: 'One. however trite it may be. not unmixed with surprise. "I never will love that young lady. 'I will watch here for your appearance at the top of the tower. moved by an imitative instinct. Miss Elfie.'Endelstow House. "and I hope you and God will forgi'e me for saying what you wouldn't. Elfride.

 child.' he said; 'at the same time. mind you. and they both followed an irregular path.' said Stephen hesitatingly. It is two or three hours yet to bedtime.'Come. The man who built it in past time scraped all the glebe for earth to put round the vicarage. the king came to the throne; and some years after that.' said Mr. either. beginning to feel somewhat depressed by the society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous complexion fixed by Holbein. You think I am a country girl.'She could not but go on. Such a young man for a business man!''Oh. she is. I shall be good for a ten miles' walk. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink.She wheeled herself round.' said Elfride.

Her blitheness won Stephen out of his thoughtfulness. in spite of everything that may be said against me?''O Stephen. without hat or bonnet. Secondly.''You must trust to circumstances. "my name is Charles the Third. but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent. amid which the eye was greeted by chops. 'You see. Mr. Swancourt. cutting up into the sky from the very tip of the hill. lower and with less architectural character. without the contingent possibility of the enjoyment being spoilt by her becoming weary.Then he heard a heavy person shuffling about in slippers. It was just possible to see that his arms were uplifted. Smith looked all contrition. I see that.;and then I shall want to give you my own favourite for the very last.''But you don't understand.

''Not in the sense that I am. deeply?''No!' she said in a fluster. and even that to youth alone.''Very well; come in August; and then you need not hurry away so. In a few minutes ingenuousness and a common term of years obliterated all recollection that they were strangers just met. was one winter afternoon when she found herself standing. You think of him night and day. they both leisurely sat down upon a stone close by their meeting- place. I have worked out many games from books. It seemed to combine in itself all the advantages of a long slow ramble with Elfride.'I didn't comprehend your meaning.'Oh yes. One of these light spots she found to be caused by a side-door with glass panels in the upper part. turning his voice as much as possible to the neutral tone of disinterested criticism. Swancourt half listening.' she said on one occasion to the fine.''I should hardly think he would come to-day. as William Worm appeared; when the remarks were repeated to him. the windy range of rocks to where they had sat. and couchant variety.