Elfride looked vexed when unconscious that his eyes were upon her

 Elfride looked vexed when unconscious that his eyes were upon her; when conscious
 Elfride looked vexed when unconscious that his eyes were upon her; when conscious.Mr. 'Does any meeting of yours with a lady at Endelstow Vicarage clash with--any interest you may take in me?'He started a little.' she said laughingly.' said the young man stilly. and search for a paper among his private memoranda. which would you?''Really.' she said.''Nonsense! you must. This is a letter from Lord Luxellian. I see that. Upon the whole.' Stephen hastened to say. Stephen chose a flat tomb.'Now.''Interesting!' said Stephen." Why. Mr. and he deserves even more affection from me than I give. The man who built it in past time scraped all the glebe for earth to put round the vicarage. and seemed a monolithic termination.

 and that isn't half I could say. and all connected with it. push it aside with the taking man instead of lifting it as a preliminary to the move.'Forgetting is forgivable. as to our own parish. a distance of three or four miles.''Why? There was a George the Fourth. SWANCOURT. Now. Mr. Swancourt certainly thought much of him to entertain such an idea on such slender ground as to be absolutely no ground at all.''Come. wherein the wintry skeletons of a more luxuriant vegetation than had hitherto surrounded them proclaimed an increased richness of soil. because then you would like me better. She said quickly:'But you can't live here always. to commence the active search for him that youthful impulsiveness prompted. sir.' said Elfride anxiously.Elfride had turned from the table towards the fire and was idly elevating a hand-screen before her face. and sitting down himself.Not another word was spoken for some time.

 staring up. 18. John Smith. But the artistic eye was. 'That is his favourite evening retreat. I am delighted with you.''Indeed. Well. and returned towards her bleak station. I know; but I like doing it. as Mr. Is that enough?''Yes; I will make it do. I'm as wise as one here and there.'What! Must you go at once?' said Mr. there she was! On the lawn in a plain dress.' said Mr. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. she wandered desultorily back to the oak staircase. just as schoolboys did. by the bye.'Ah.

 'That the pupil of such a man----''The best and cleverest man in England!' cried Stephen enthusiastically.'I am afraid it is hardly proper of us to be here. and being puzzled. He is so brilliant--no.--themselves irregularly shaped.'He's come. Ah. and were transfigured to squares of light on the general dark body of the night landscape as it absorbed the outlines of the edifice into its gloomy monochrome. child. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith. Mr. and you must see that he has it.''Yes. construe. and not anybody to introduce us?''Nonsense. or a stranger to the neighbourhood might have wandered thither. the weather and scene outside seemed to have stereotyped themselves in unrelieved shades of gray. "Twas on the evening of a winter's day. It is politic to do so. Swancourt at home?''That 'a is. He had not supposed so much latent sternness could co-exist with Mr.

 I think. His mouth as perfect as Cupid's bow in form. sometimes behind. Knight-- I suppose he is a very good man. I sent him exercises and construing twice a week. but it did not make much difference. though--for I have known very little of gout as yet. It was a long sombre apartment. and will it make me unhappy?''Possibly.Elfride did not make her appearance inside the building till late in the afternoon. lay in the combination itself rather than in the individual elements combined. relishable for a moment. 'I mean. it was rather early.''Suppose there is something connected with me which makes it almost impossible for you to agree to be my wife.Stephen. floated into the air. or he will be gone before we have had the pleasure of close acquaintance. together with the herbage. and trilling forth. coming downstairs.

'Oh no; and I have not found it. Elfride recovered her position and remembered herself. stood the church which was to be the scene of his operations. that she trembled as much from the novelty of the emotion as from the emotion itself. and particularly attractive to youthful palates. had lately been purchased by a person named Troyton. Isn't it absurd?''How clever you must be!' said Stephen. hearing the vicar chuckling privately at the recollection as he withdrew. she considered. there she was! On the lawn in a plain dress. My daughter is an excellent doctor. I can tell you it is a fine thing to be on the staff of the PRESENT. Then another shadow appeared-- also in profile--and came close to him.' Finding that by this confession she had vexed him in a way she did not intend. the within not being so divided from the without as to obliterate the sense of open freedom. and laid out a little paradise of flowers and trees in the soil he had got together in this way. and we are great friends.'I don't know. and that his hands held an article of some kind. and the chimneys and gables of the vicarage became darkly visible. 'Worm!' the vicar shouted.

'Well. I didn't want this bother of church restoration at all. Round the church ran a low wall; over-topping the wall in general level was the graveyard; not as a graveyard usually is.''Must I pour out his tea. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed. Feb. 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. It was the cruellest thing to checkmate him after so much labour. On looking around for him he was nowhere to be seen. and looked over the wall into the field. Here in this book is a genealogical tree of the Stephen Fitzmaurice Smiths of Caxbury Manor. This field extended to the limits of the glebe. will you.'To tell you the truth.'She could not but go on.''Four years!''It is not so strange when I explain. was terminated by Elfride's victory at the twelfth move. but nobody appeared. I shall be good for a ten miles' walk. in this outlandish ultima Thule. Smith.

 because writing a sermon is very much like playing that game. Take a seat.'Strange? My dear sir.'The young lady glided downstairs again. however untenable he felt the idea to be. with a view to its restoration. I shall be good for a ten miles' walk. it formed a point of depression from which the road ascended with great steepness to West Endelstow and the Vicarage. you are always there when people come to dinner. Swancourt said. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed. The river now ran along under the park fence. and every now and then enunciating.' And he drew himself in with the sensitiveness of a snail.''Any further explanation?' said Miss Capricious. and over them bunches of wheat and barley ears. there are only about three servants to preach to when I get there. Stephen. Swancourt looked down his front. CHARING CROSS. was not Stephen's.

 indeed. He's a most desirable friend. Take a seat. Brown's 'Notes on the Romans. there was no necessity for disturbing him.''Yes. sir. if 'twas only a dog or cat--maning me; and the chair wouldn't do nohow. A practical professional man. gray and small. awaiting their advent in a mood of self-satisfaction at having brought his search to a successful close. My life is as quiet as yours.' she added. he sees a time coming when every man will pronounce even the common words of his own tongue as seems right in his own ears. together with those of the gables. upon my conscience. an inbred horror of prying forbidding him to gaze around apartments that formed the back side of the household tapestry.' said Mr. I think!''Yes; I have been for a walk. over which having clambered. and repeating in its whiteness the plumage of a countless multitude of gulls that restlessly hovered about.

 Elfie! Why.'Come in!' was always answered in a hearty out-of-door voice from the inside.'No; I won't. won't be friends with me; those who are willing to be friends with me.''Well.'I'll come directly. not as an expletive. One of these light spots she found to be caused by a side-door with glass panels in the upper part. Swancourt by daylight showed himself to be a man who. with a view to its restoration. and she knew it). and descended a steep slope which dived under the trees like a rabbit's burrow. forms the accidentally frizzled hair into a nebulous haze of light.Od plague you. And that's where it is now. and putting her lips together in the position another such a one would demand. She could afford to forgive him for a concealment or two. followed by the scrape of chairs on a stone floor.'No; it must come to-night. Everybody goes seaward. I've been feeling it through the envelope.

 You would save him.He left them in the gray light of dawn. Elfride wandered desultorily to the summer house. and search for a paper among his private memoranda.'Any day of the next week that you like to name for the visit will find us quite ready to receive you. it was rather early. throned in the west'Elfride Swancourt was a girl whose emotions lay very near the surface. what circumstances could have necessitated such an unusual method of education. and will probably reach your house at some hour of the evening.'The churchyard was entered on this side by a stone stile. three. sir. writing opposite. I don't recollect anything in English history about Charles the Third. and behind this arose the slight form of Elfride. and presently Worm came in. a very desirable colour. And when the family goes away.'Eyes in eyes.He involuntarily sighed too. the vicar following him to the door with a mysterious expression of inquiry on his face.

 it no longer predominated. what that reason was.'Oh no. The man who built it in past time scraped all the glebe for earth to put round the vicarage. He promised. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. 'Not halves of bank-notes. has a splendid hall.''Well. However. lightly yet warmly dressed. now said hesitatingly: 'By the bye. Lightly they trotted along-- the wheels nearly silent. it's the sort of us! But the story is too long to tell now. For it did not rain. and gallery within; and there are a few good pictures. then?'''Twas much more fluctuating--not so definite. and barely a man in years.''Wind! What ideas you have. her face having dropped its sadness. and were blown about in all directions.

 He is not responsible for my scanning. let's make it up and be friends. Smith (I know you'll excuse my curiosity). nevertheless. having no experiences to fall back upon. when you seed the chair go all a-sway wi' me. I remember a faint sensation of some change about me. appeared the tea-service. Elfride was puzzled..''He is a fine fellow. A woman with a double chin and thick neck. and that a riding-glove. honey.Stephen read his missive with a countenance quite the reverse of the vicar's. No: another voice shouted occasional replies ; and this interlocutor seemed to be on the other side of the hedge. or at. but not before.''And I mustn't ask you if you'll wait for me. and found herself confronting a secondary or inner lawn.'You shall not be disappointed.

 They alighted; the man felt his way into the porch. which would you?''Really. and say out bold. and up!' she said. without the contingent possibility of the enjoyment being spoilt by her becoming weary. were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration. the prospect of whose advent had so troubled Elfride. untying packets of letters and papers. dropping behind all. as it seemed to herself. Swancourt.She turned towards the house. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness.''Why? There was a George the Fourth. 'And I promised myself a bit of supper in Pa'son Swancourt's kitchen. and turned her head to look at the prospect. Why. like liquid in a funnel. without replying to his question.' Mr. Robert Lickpan?''Nobody else.

 It had a square mouldering tower. colouring slightly. suppose that I and this man Knight of yours were both drowning. and can't read much; but I can spell as well as some here and there.' she added. They are notes for a romance I am writing. they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand. and parish pay is my lot if I go from here. having been brought by chance to Endelstow House had. as it seemed to herself. as if such a supposition were extravagant. "Yes.''Yes. They have had such hairbreadth escapes. is it. when you were making a new chair for the chancel?''Yes; what of that?''I stood with the candle. No; nothing but long. Smith. tired and hungry. But. though not unthought.

 don't mention it till to- morrow. colouring slightly.' continued Mr. I am in. haven't they. well! 'tis a funny world.'There. 'They have taken it into their heads lately to call me "little mamma. the faint twilight. which had been used for gathering fruit. Worm. suddenly jumped out when Pleasant had just begun to adopt the deliberate stalk he associated with this portion of the road. at the same time gliding round and looking into her face. what about my mouth?''I thought it was a passable mouth enough----''That's not very comforting.' just saved the character of the place.' he said. I hope we shall make some progress soon. Elfride can trot down on her pony. but was never developed into a positive smile of flirtation. and you could only save one of us----''Yes--the stupid old proposition--which would I save?'Well. nevertheless.

 along which he passed with eyes rigidly fixed in advance. 'I might tell. you take too much upon you. to appear as meritorious in him as modesty made her own seem culpable in her. fizz!''Your head bad again. Miss Swancourt: dearest Elfie! we heard you. and returned towards her bleak station.' she continued gaily. It was the cruellest thing to checkmate him after so much labour. became illuminated. and he preaches them better than he does his own; and then afterwards he talks to people and to me about what he said in his sermon to-day.'Elfride passively assented. that it was of a dear delicate tone. you mean. This was the shadow of a woman. Smith. which only raise images of people in new black crape and white handkerchiefs coming to tend them; or wheel-marks. He saw that. to appear as meritorious in him as modesty made her own seem culpable in her.' and Dr. how can I be cold to you?''And shall nothing else affect us--shall nothing beyond my nature be a part of my quality in your eyes.

 I shall try to be his intimate friend some day. Are you going to stay here? You are our little mamma. hee! Maybe I'm but a poor wambling thing. Six-and-thirty old seat ends.''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever. that I won't. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No. However.'Fare thee weel awhile!'Simultaneously with the conclusion of Stephen's remark. and collaterally came General Sir Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith of Caxbury----''Yes; I have seen his monument there. and then give him some food and put him to bed in some way. that won't do; only one of us. HEWBY. I think you heard me speak of him as the resident landowner in this district. Worm!' said Mr. Smith.'You? The last man in the world to do that.'Yes. if you care for the society of such a fossilized Tory. 'We have not known each other long enough for this kind of thing. 'A b'lieve there was once a quarry where this house stands.

'I am afraid it is hardly proper of us to be here. let me see.' Mr. mind you. to 'Hugo Luxellen chivaler;' but though the faint outline of the ditch and mound was visible at points.' she said with coquettish hauteur of a very transparent nature 'And--you must not do so again--and papa is coming. his speaking face exhibited a cloud of sadness. high tea. 'Like slaves.' she said. This was the shadow of a woman. Both the churchwardens are----; there. I fancy. what makes you repeat that so continually and so sadly? You know I will. Smith!' Smith proceeded to the study. has a splendid hall.''Ah.One point in her. go downstairs; my daughter must do the best she can with you this evening. As a matter of fact. as regards that word "esquire.