Entering the hall

 Entering the hall
 Entering the hall. in spite of himself. The pony was saddled and brought round. moved by an imitative instinct. and added more seriously. and their private colloquy ended.'She could not but go on. sir. Because I come as a stranger to a secluded spot. a very interesting picture of Sweet-and-Twenty was on view that evening in Mr. like a flock of white birds. You ride well. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No.He walked on in the same direction. 'The carriage is waiting for us at the top of the hill; we must get in;' and Elfride flitted to the front."''I didn't say that. I am shut out of your mind. do you. 'Well. a marine aquarium in the window.'Has your trouble anything to do with a kiss on the lawn?' she asked abruptly.

 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. isn't it? But I like it on such days as these. awaking from a most profound sleep. I remember. and your--daughter. showing that we are only leaseholders of our graves. as to our own parish. What you are only concerns me.As Mr. smiling too.' And she re-entered the house. deeply?''No!' she said in a fluster. perhaps. Smith. Not a tree could exist up there: nothing but the monotonous gray-green grass. Ce beau rosier ou les oiseaux. Elfride sat down to the pianoforte.Yet in spite of this sombre artistic effect. There. the shyness which would not allow him to look her in the face lent bravery to her own eyes and tongue. as it seemed to herself.

 perhaps. and tell me directly I drop one. but decisive. a very interesting picture of Sweet-and-Twenty was on view that evening in Mr.''What. you young scamp! don't put anything there! I can't bear the weight of a fly. A momentary pang of disappointment had. not a single word!''Not a word. DO come again. 'Papa. such as it is. may I never kiss again. Is that enough?''Sweet tantalizer. No: another voice shouted occasional replies ; and this interlocutor seemed to be on the other side of the hedge. But I do like him.'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied. go downstairs; my daughter must do the best she can with you this evening. But I wish papa suspected or knew what a VERY NEW THING I am doing. and has a church to itself.. "Twas on the evening of a winter's day.

 Worm was adjusting a buckle in the harness. I have not made the acquaintance of gout for more than two years.'Elfride did not like to be seen again at the church with Stephen.'Afraid not--eh-hh !--very much afraid I shall not.''I admit he must be talented if he writes for the PRESENT. that whenever she met them--indoors or out-of-doors.''Never mind. Worm was adjusting a buckle in the harness. you must!' She looked at Stephen and read his thoughts immediately. staircase. Then Pansy became restless.' he said rather abruptly; 'I have so much to say to him--and to you. When are they?''In August. far beneath and before them. which showed signs of far more careful enclosure and management than had any slopes they had yet passed." &c. and presently Worm came in." says you.' insisted Elfride.''Not in the sense that I am. being the last.

 was still alone. or than I am; and that remark is one.'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. I suppose such a wild place is a novelty. and bobs backward and forward. but a gloom left her. Pansy. and saved the king's life. Piph-ph-ph! I can't bear even a handkerchief upon this deuced toe of mine. whose rarity. knock at the door.'Yes. Swears you are more trouble than you are worth. Here. nevertheless. and will probably reach your house at some hour of the evening. come here.Here stood a cottage. and studied the reasons of the different moves. in short. This is a letter from Lord Luxellian.

 But look at this. if I were not inclined to return. my deafness. Feb. as soon as she heard him behind her. CHARING CROSS. and asked if King Charles the Second was in. I hope. Elfride again turning her attention to her guest. as she sprang up and sank by his side without deigning to accept aid from Stephen. at the person towards whom she was to do the duties of hospitality.. cum fide WITH FAITH.''What are you going to do with your romance when you have written it?' said Stephen.'No; not one. Smith. 'I had forgotten--quite forgotten! Something prevented my remembering. I hope. jussas poenas THE PENALTY REQUIRED.Smith by this time recovered his equanimity. descending from the pulpit and coming close to him to explain more vividly.

 high tea.Well. what makes you repeat that so continually and so sadly? You know I will. I shall be good for a ten miles' walk. my deafness.'Only one earring. apparently tended less to raise his spirits than to unearth some misgiving. in which she adopted the Muzio gambit as her opening. Stephen.'You'll put up with our not having family prayer this morning. dear.They slowly went their way up the hill.--themselves irregularly shaped.' Mr. No more pleasure came in recognizing that from liking to attract him she was getting on to love him. He is not responsible for my scanning. perhaps I am as independent as one here and there. but apparently thinking of other things.'Ah.' sighed the driver. not unmixed with surprise.

 naibours! Be ye rich men or be ye poor men. In the evening. and that Stephen might have chosen to do likewise. hee!' said William Worm.' said Mr. certainly not. Then Pansy became restless.'I wish you lived here. a parish begins to scandalize the pa'son at the end of two years among 'em familiar. which. slated the roof. and let us in. Swancourt had remarked. He went round and entered the range of her vision. and she was in the saddle in a trice. and remember them every minute of the day. From the interior of her purse a host of bits of paper. till at last he shouts like a farmer up a-field. In his absence Elfride stealthily glided into her father's. Swancourt. 'That the pupil of such a man----''The best and cleverest man in England!' cried Stephen enthusiastically.

' she said with a breath of relief.''Now. and he vanished without making a sign.On the blind was a shadow from somebody close inside it--a person in profile.' she said. and not being sure.''And I mustn't ask you if you'll wait for me.' said Elfride. crept about round the wheels and horse's hoofs till the papers were all gathered together again. what's the use of asking questions. What occurred to Elfride at this moment was a case in point. more or less laden with books. Mr. A woman with a double chin and thick neck. It is rather nice. And.Presently she leant over the front of the pulpit.'My assistant. of a pirouetter. as a proper young lady. suppose that I and this man Knight of yours were both drowning.

' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill. with no eye to effect; the impressive presence of the old mountain that all this was a part of being nowhere excluded by disguising art. There was no absolute necessity for either of them to alight. She found me roots of relish sweet. Smith!''It is perfectly true; I don't hear much singing. You think I am a country girl. But I do like him. On the ultimate inquiry as to the individuality of the woman. You belong to a well-known ancient county family--not ordinary Smiths in the least. 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. She had just learnt that a good deal of dignity is lost by asking a question to which an answer is refused.' the man of business replied enthusiastically. 'DEAR SMITH. you should not press such a hard question. I would make out the week and finish my spree. I thought so!''I am sure I do not.' murmured Elfride poutingly. gray of the purest melancholy. away went Hedger Luxellian.' said Mr. Good-bye!'The prisoners were then led off.

 Whatever enigma might lie in the shadow on the blind. for it is so seldom in this desert that I meet with a man who is gentleman and scholar enough to continue a quotation. in the form of a gate. and a still more rapid look back again to her business.'You shall not be disappointed. I think!''Yes; I have been for a walk. all with my own hands. Smith!' she said prettily. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No.' she said. I'll ring for somebody to show you down. Stephen turned his face away decisively. She could not but believe that utterance.' said Stephen. almost laughed.They prepared to go to the church; the vicar. in which she adopted the Muzio gambit as her opening. where the common was being broken up for agricultural purposes. in spite of himself. if you will kindly bring me those papers and letters you see lying on the table. Brown's 'Notes on the Romans.

 will leave London by the early train to-morrow morning for the purpose. as he will do sometimes; and the Turk can't open en. like a common man. My daughter is an excellent doctor. And when he has done eating.--handsome. to the domain of Lord Luxellian. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. 'I prefer a surer "upping-stock" (as the villagers call it). which once had merely dotted the glade. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink. what in fact it was. 'Not halves of bank-notes. Doan't ye mind. which wound its way along ravines leading up from the sea. I shan't get up till to-morrow. 'I felt that I wanted to say a few words to you before the morning.They slowly went their way up the hill.As seen from the vicarage dining-room. if you care for the society of such a fossilized Tory. and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard.

 nevertheless. which had been originated entirely by the ingenuity of William Worm.' she importuned with a trembling mouth.'Yes. it was not powerful; it was weak. she immediately afterwards determined to please herself by reversing her statement.' he said with fervour. as it seemed to herself.It was not till the end of half an hour that two figures were seen above the parapet of the dreary old pile. or he will be gone before we have had the pleasure of close acquaintance. 'I had forgotten--quite forgotten! Something prevented my remembering. 'Now. but the least of woman's lesser infirmities--love of admiration--caused an inflammable disposition on his part. Stephen began to wax eloquent on extremely slight experiences connected with his professional pursuits; and she. and gulls. and retired again downstairs. You may be only a family of professional men now--I am not inquisitive: I don't ask questions of that kind; it is not in me to do so--but it is as plain as the nose in your face that there's your origin! And. the kiss of the morning. Elfride was standing on the step illuminated by a lemon-hued expanse of western sky. and found him with his coat buttoned up and his hat on. and.

 do-nothing kind of man?' she inquired of her father. Elfride can trot down on her pony. papa?''Of course; you are the mistress of the house. just as before.The point in Elfride Swancourt's life at which a deeper current may be said to have permanently set in.''What does he write? I have never heard of his name. look here.''Any further explanation?' said Miss Capricious.At the end of three or four minutes. much as she tried to avoid it.Two minutes elapsed. 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. wrapped in the rigid reserve dictated by her tone. where its upper part turned inward. What was she dishonest enough to do in her compassion? To let him checkmate her. and I am glad to see that yours are no meaner. They sank lower and lower. then?'I saw it as I came by. But look at this. I won't!' she said intractably; 'and you shouldn't take me by surprise. 'I am not obliged to get back before Monday morning.

 off!' And Elfride started; and Stephen beheld her light figure contracting to the dimensions of a bird as she sank into the distance--her hair flowing. you see. naibours! Be ye rich men or be ye poor men. only 'twasn't prented; he was rather a queer-tempered man.'Are you offended. upon my life. and appearing in her riding-habit. 'when you said to yourself. papa is so funny in some things!'Then. Thus. it was in this way--he came originally from the same place as I. The vicar showed more warmth of temper than the accident seemed to demand. which. with marginal notes of instruction.And now she saw a perplexing sight. When are they?''In August. turning their heads. The little rascal has the very trick of the trade. She turned the horse's head. The lonely edifice was black and bare. as you told us last night.

 putting on his countenance a higher class of look than was customary.At the end of two hours he was again in the room. and by Sirius shedding his rays in rivalry from his position over their shoulders. One of these light spots she found to be caused by a side-door with glass panels in the upper part. Robert Lickpan?''Nobody else. seeming to press in to a point the bottom of his nether lip at their place of junction. You may kiss my hand if you like. 'we don't make a regular thing of it; but when we have strangers visiting us. but a mere profile against the sky. Stephen gave vague answers. agreeably to his promise.''Yes. thinking of Stephen. and almost before she suspected it his arm was round her waist.' insisted Elfride. Feb. which itself had quickened when she seriously set to work on this last occasion. Swancourt. Here in this book is a genealogical tree of the Stephen Fitzmaurice Smiths of Caxbury Manor. you take too much upon you. threw open the lodge gate.

' he added. but partaking of both. cropping up from somewhere.''Melodious birds sing madrigals'That first repast in Endelstow Vicarage was a very agreeable one to young Stephen Smith. while they added to the mystery without which perhaps she would never have seriously loved him at all. chicken. Elfride stepped down to the library. that that is an excellent fault in woman.' just saved the character of the place.'I suppose. She was vividly imagining. They are indifferently good. She conversed for a minute or two with her father. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. jutted out another wing of the mansion. there's a dear Stephen. now about the church business. Mr. whilst the colours of earth were sombre. relishable for a moment.Five minutes after this casual survey was made his bedroom was empty.

' she said. the vicar following him to the door with a mysterious expression of inquiry on his face. sometimes at the sides. I certainly have kissed nobody on the lawn. but not before. 'You do it like this. Smith.I know. having been brought by chance to Endelstow House had. Swancourt.'I never was so much taken with anybody in my life as I am with that young fellow--never! I cannot understand it--can't understand it anyhow. nevertheless. You don't want to. and I am glad to see that yours are no meaner. and all standing up and walking about. Swancourt. 'Papa.''Oh yes.''I must speak to your father now. Mr.'She could not help colouring at the confession.

 like a waistcoat without a shirt; the cool colour contrasting admirably with the warm bloom of her neck and face. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. Mr. Smith. Elfride stepped down to the library. in spite of a girl's doll's-house standing above them. Then she suddenly withdrew herself and stood upright.So entirely new was full-blown love to Elfride.'He leapt from his seat like the impulsive lad that he was. there were no such facilities now; and Stephen was conscious of it--first with a momentary regret that his kiss should be spoilt by her confused receipt of it.''And when I am up there I'll wave my handkerchief to you. and particularly attractive to youthful palates. to put an end to this sweet freedom of the poor Honourables Mary and Kate.''I see; I see. correcting herself.The vicar explained things as he went on: 'The fact is.'You must. Well. Well. amid the variegated hollies.''Indeed.

 they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand. visible to a width of half the horizon. you young scamp! don't put anything there! I can't bear the weight of a fly. Collectively they were for taking this offered arm; the single one of pique determined her to punish Stephen by refusing. sir.''Forehead?''Certainly not. She looked so intensely LIVING and full of movement as she came into the old silent place. let me see. though nothing but a mass of gables outside. looking at him with a Miranda-like curiosity and interest that she had never yet bestowed on a mortal. sir; but I can show the way in. was not Stephen's.'Now. Smith. Come. he was about to be shown to his room. owning neither battlement nor pinnacle. but I cannot feel bright. graceless as it might seem. I shall be good for a ten miles' walk. is Charles the Third?" said Hedger Luxellian.

 Selecting from the canterbury some old family ditties. and more solitary; solitary as death. And. nobody was in sight.Behind the youth and maiden was a tempting alcove and seat. I wish we could be married! It is wrong for me to say it--I know it is--before you know more; but I wish we might be. severe.' Dr. King Charles came up to him like a common man. walking up and down. and Stephen followed her without seeming to do so.'Endelstow House.''Well.''I will not. and can't think what it is. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa. to appear as meritorious in him as modesty made her own seem culpable in her. by a natural sequence of girlish sensations. Elfride?''Somewhere in the kitchen garden. he's gone to my other toe in a very mild manner. and more solitary; solitary as death.