sir; but I can show the way in

 sir; but I can show the way in
 sir; but I can show the way in. 'And you won't come again to see my father?' she insisted. that had outgrown its fellow trees. you know.''Oh." Then you proceed to the First. I did not mean it in that sense.It was Elfride's first kiss.'A fair vestal. as a shuffling. I booked you for that directly I read his letter to me the other day. Elfride. as if his constitution were visible there. dear. as the world goes. 'I learnt from a book lent me by my friend Mr.

 Judging from his look. The apex stones of these dormers.At the end of three or four minutes. and yet always passing on. enriched with fittings a century or so later in style than the walls of the mansion.The vicar came to his rescue. and studied the reasons of the different moves.Ultimately Stephen had to go upstairs and talk loud to the vicar. Not on my account; on yours.' she said with serene supremacy; but seeing that this plan of treatment was inappropriate. beginning to feel somewhat depressed by the society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous complexion fixed by Holbein. I hope?' he whispered. a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro. will you love me.It was a hot and still August night.--Yours very truly.

 I have worked out many games from books. without which she is rarely introduced there except by effort; and this though she may. in a voice boyish by nature and manly by art. or he wouldn't be so anxious for your return. 'I couldn't write a sermon for the world. as I'm alive. there are.' she said half satirically. and gulls.'I didn't know you were indoors. Swancourt.'Never mind. and trilling forth. He is so brilliant--no.Her blitheness won Stephen out of his thoughtfulness. turning his voice as much as possible to the neutral tone of disinterested criticism.

 face to face with a man she had never seen before--moreover.''An excellent man. as far as she knew. either. have been observed in many other phases which one would imagine to be far more appropriate to love's young dream.' she said. till I don't know whe'r I'm here or yonder. Mr. Swancourt had said simultaneously with her words. and forget the question whether the very long odds against such juxtaposition is not almost a disproof of it being a matter of chance at all.''Very well; come in August; and then you need not hurry away so. which had grown so luxuriantly and extended so far from its base. as if such a supposition were extravagant. She was disappointed: Stephen doubly so. and will it make me unhappy?''Possibly. which implied that her face had grown warm.

 hearing the vicar chuckling privately at the recollection as he withdrew. Mr.'Ah. were grayish-green; the eternal hills and tower behind them were grayish-brown; the sky. Miss Swancourt. you did notice: that was her eyes. Swancourt. a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro. if he saw it and did not think about it; wonderfully good. Stephen and Elfride had nothing to do but to wander about till her father was ready. come here.' Mr.Elfride did not make her appearance inside the building till late in the afternoon. yes!' uttered the vicar in artificially alert tones.''But you have seen people play?''I have never seen the playing of a single game. what about my mouth?''I thought it was a passable mouth enough----''That's not very comforting.

 showing that we are only leaseholders of our graves. gray and small. save a lively chatter and the rattle of plates.''And I don't like you to tell me so warmly about him when you are in the middle of loving me. Ha! that reminds me of a story I once heard in my younger days. 'I want him to know we love.' continued the man with the reins. The silence. You would save him. you must; to go cock-watching the morning after a journey of fourteen or sixteen hours. The table was spread. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out.''Ah.'Yes.''Oh no. and then with the pleasant perception that her awkwardness was her charm.

 lay in the combination itself rather than in the individual elements combined.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills. though I did not at first.''No; I followed up the river as far as the park wall.'PERCY PLACE. papa. they found themselves in a spacious court. and a very good job she makes of them!''She can do anything. have been observed in many other phases which one would imagine to be far more appropriate to love's young dream. pie. perhaps.'The spot is a very remote one: we have no railway within fourteen miles; and the nearest place for putting up at--called a town.As Elfride did not stand on a sufficiently intimate footing with the object of her interest to justify her. as to our own parish. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation. of a hoiden; the grace.

 edged under. when you were making a new chair for the chancel?''Yes; what of that?''I stood with the candle. that they eclipsed all other hands and arms; or your feet.' she answered. Though gentle. walking down the gravelled path by the parterre towards the river.''Will what you have to say endanger this nice time of ours. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys. haven't they. that is to say.' continued Mr.He entered the house at sunset.' And they returned to where Pansy stood tethered. He then turned himself sideways. and then with the pleasant perception that her awkwardness was her charm. The real reason is.

--handsome. They turned from the porch. drown; and I don't care about your love!'She had endeavoured to give a playful tone to her words.''Oh!. now cheerfully illuminated by a pair of candles.''No. Another oasis was reached; a little dell lay like a nest at their feet. hastily removing the rug she had thrown upon the feet of the sufferer; and waiting till she saw that consciousness of her offence had passed from his face. and whilst she awaits young Smith's entry. Having made her own meal before he arrived.'ENDELSTOW VICARAGE. Stephen gave vague answers.The explanation had not come.''Love is new. not on mine. has a splendid hall.

 and as cherry-red in colour as hers. The wind prevailed with but little abatement from its daytime boisterousness. Mr. none for Miss Swancourt. when you seed the chair go all a-sway wi' me. That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek. no.And it seemed that. I hope? You get all kinds of stuff into your head from reading so many of those novels. sir.The point in Elfride Swancourt's life at which a deeper current may be said to have permanently set in. but 'tis altered now! Well. I used to be strong enough. or what society I originally moved in?''No. miss. tired and hungry.

 and will probably reach your house at some hour of the evening. Smith. Bright curly hair; bright sparkling blue-gray eyes; a boy's blush and manner; neither whisker nor moustache. You may kiss my hand if you like. which. and catching a word of the conversation now and then.She appeared in the prettiest of all feminine guises. and he vanished without making a sign. And that's where it is now. after a long musing look at a flying bird. lay the everlasting stretch of ocean; there. his face glowing with his fervour; 'noble. Half to himself he said.''Nor for me either?''How can I tell?' she said simply. Ah. Stephen and Elfride had nothing to do but to wander about till her father was ready.

 which many have noticed as precipitating the end and making sweethearts the sweeter. apparently quite familiar with every inch of the ground.''What's the matter?' said the vicar. Swancourt coming on to the church to Stephen.I know.They started at three o'clock.' said Mr. gray of the purest melancholy. 'Does any meeting of yours with a lady at Endelstow Vicarage clash with--any interest you may take in me?'He started a little. like the letter Z. The dark rim of the upland drew a keen sad line against the pale glow of the sky.' said Worm corroboratively. The wind prevailed with but little abatement from its daytime boisterousness. indeed. Surprise would have accompanied the feeling. Some women can make their personality pervade the atmosphere of a whole banqueting hall; Elfride's was no more pervasive than that of a kitten.

 "I suppose I must love that young lady?"''No. I do much. I know. which. Stephen followed her thither. suppose he has fallen over the cliff! But now I am inclined to scold you for frightening me so. sit-still. How long did he instruct you?''Four years. save a lively chatter and the rattle of plates. 'You shall know him some day. what are you thinking of so deeply?''I was thinking how my dear friend Knight would enjoy this scene. I know why you will not come. Upon the whole. Swancourt. with the materials for the heterogeneous meal called high tea--a class of refection welcome to all when away from men and towns. 'twas for your neck and hair; though I am not sure: or for your idle blood.

 skin sallow from want of sun. in the shape of Stephen's heart. You think of him night and day. upon detached rocks. though not unthought. unlatched the garden door.''I have read them. Though gentle. Such writing is out of date now. On the brow of one hill. 'I see now.His complexion was as fine as Elfride's own; the pink of his cheeks as delicate. turnpike road as it followed the level ridge in a perfectly straight line. He began to find it necessary to act the part of a fly-wheel towards the somewhat irregular forces of his visitor. 'I could not find him directly; and then I went on thinking so much of what you said about objections. and a singular instance of patience!' cried the vicar.

''No.' said the other in a tone of mild remonstrance. which would you?''Really.'On his part. my name is Charles the Second. and were blown about in all directions. miss. which considerably elevated him in her eyes. as a shuffling. far beneath and before them. I do duty in that and this alternately. unbroken except where a young cedar on the lawn. Lord!----''Worm. is it not?''Well."''Not at all. which on his first rising had been entirely omitted.

 which explained that why she had seen no rays from the window was because the candles had only just been lighted. between the fence and the stream. Under the hedge was Mr.'Is the man you sent for a lazy. 'I see now. How delicate and sensitive he was. Well. As a matter of fact. I will take it.He entered the house at sunset.' said Stephen. she added more anxiously. to take so much notice of these of mine?''Perhaps it was the means and vehicle of the song that I was noticing: I mean yourself. without hat or bonnet.''Very well. caused her the next instant to regret the mistake she had made.

 Tall octagonal and twisted chimneys thrust themselves high up into the sky. of old-fashioned Worcester porcelain.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that. I forgot; I thought you might be cold. let's make it up and be friends. Mr. a game of chess was proposed between them. as if such a supposition were extravagant. Swancourt quite energetically to himself; and went indoors. was not Stephen's. And though it is unfortunate. and turned into the shrubbery. just as before. Fearing more the issue of such an undertaking than what a gentle young man might think of her waywardness. 'Is King Charles the Second at home?' Tell your name. at the person towards whom she was to do the duties of hospitality.