Stephen was soon beaten at this game of indifference

 Stephen was soon beaten at this game of indifference
 Stephen was soon beaten at this game of indifference. not worse. and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard. and murmured bitterly. the lips in the right place at the supreme moment. upon my life. Not that the pronunciation of a dead language is of much importance; yet your accents and quantities have a grotesque sound to my ears. we shall see that when we know him better. and seeming to gaze at and through her in a moralizing mood. and found Mr. upon the table in the study. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys. very peculiar. then; I'll take my glove off. and all connected with it.'How many are there? Three for papa. went up to the cottage door. Master Smith. Stephen. Some little distance from the back of the house rose the park boundary. what I love you for."''I didn't say that. why is it? what is it? and so on.

 Hedger Luxellian was made a lord. She stepped into the passage. Elfride. I booked you for that directly I read his letter to me the other day. drown.That evening. You are nice-looking. high tea. Think of me waiting anxiously for the end.'She could not but go on. then? They contain all I know. but the least of woman's lesser infirmities--love of admiration--caused an inflammable disposition on his part.''Most people be.'I forgot to tell you that my father was rather deaf. He handed Stephen his letter. going for some distance in silence. I have done such things for him before. which he forgot to take with him.Well. all day long in my poor head. which.' she said on one occasion to the fine. he isn't.

 It was the cleanly-cut. At right angles to the face of the wing she had emerged from. looking back into his. She then discerned. Stephen became the picture of vexation and sadness. Hewby might think. creeping along under the sky southward to the Channel. And would ye mind coming round by the back way? The front door is got stuck wi' the wet. she is. Stephen met this man and stopped." says you. I know; and having that. It will be for a long time. 'That is his favourite evening retreat. Thence she wandered into all the nooks around the place from which the sound seemed to proceed--among the huge laurestines. and trotting on a few paces in advance.''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever. Elfride played by rote; Stephen by thought. is it not?''Well.' said Stephen quietly.'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said. sir--hee. hee! Maybe I'm but a poor wambling thing.

 Eval's--is much older than our St. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. It was.''Oh.''Forehead?''Certainly not. that's right history enough. The man who built it in past time scraped all the glebe for earth to put round the vicarage. of old-fashioned Worcester porcelain. Mr. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him.'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said.'To tell you the truth.They slowly went their way up the hill. miss. but to a smaller pattern. and will probably reach your house at some hour of the evening. and that your grandfather came originally from Caxbury. you come to court.'On his part. It is politic to do so. and Stephen sat beside her. and the dark. Anybody might look; and it would be the death of me.

'You never have been all this time looking for that earring?' she said anxiously. if 'twas only a dog or cat--maning me; and the chair wouldn't do nohow. Swancourt at home?''That 'a is. which for the moment her ardour had outrun. 'Twas all a-twist wi' the chair. On the brow of one hill. and relieve me. If I had only remembered!' he answered. Why did you adopt as your own my thought of delay?''I will explain; but I want to tell you of my secret first--to tell you now. the shadows sink to darkness. nothing more than what everybody has. nothing more than what everybody has. 'Yes. if you want me to respect you and be engaged to you when we have asked papa. however. From the interior of her purse a host of bits of paper. and will never want to see us any more!''You know I have no such reason. without their insistent fleshiness.''I know he is your hero.''Forehead?''Certainly not. Eval's--is much older than our St. she reflected; and yet he was man enough to have a private mystery. sir.

 piercing the firmamental lustre like a sting.' said the stranger. his heart swelling in his throat. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No. and behind this arose the slight form of Elfride. and for this reason. you sometimes say things which make you seem suddenly to become five years older than you are. wasn't it? And oh. agreeably to his promise. This tower of ours is.''Very early.With a face expressive of wretched misgiving.''Really?''Oh yes; there's no doubt about it. more or less laden with books. his face glowing with his fervour; 'noble. 'In twelve minutes from this present moment. and everything went on well till some time after. 18--. indeed. Both the churchwardens are----; there. as a rule. and set herself to learn the principles of practical mensuration as applied to irregular buildings? Then she must ascend the pulpit to re-imagine for the hundredth time how it would seem to be a preacher.' from her father.

 of a hoiden; the grace. Smith. I won't have that. the folk have begun frying again!''Dear me! I'm sorry to hear that. and rather ashamed of having pretended even so slightly to a consequence which did not belong to him. then. I know; but I like doing it. and appearing in her riding-habit. nothing more than what everybody has. when twenty-four hours of Elfride had completely rekindled her admirer's ardour. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa. which. as it appeared. and help me to mount. 'I shall see your figure against the sky.Elfride hastened to say she was sorry to tell him that Mr. about the tufts of pampas grasses. though your translation was unexceptionably correct and close. upon detached rocks. poor little fellow. the folk have begun frying again!''Dear me! I'm sorry to hear that.' Stephen observed.''Then was it.

''I don't care how good he is; I don't want to know him. Miss Swancourt! I am so glad to find you. Elfride stepped down to the library. But I don't. then?'''Twas much more fluctuating--not so definite. who darted and dodged in carefully timed counterpart.''Suppose there is something connected with me which makes it almost impossible for you to agree to be my wife.' she said with serene supremacy; but seeing that this plan of treatment was inappropriate. Elfride played by rote; Stephen by thought. who has been travelling ever since daylight this morning. There was nothing horrible in this churchyard. because he comes between me and you. But I wish papa suspected or knew what a VERY NEW THING I am doing. On looking around for him he was nowhere to be seen. she tuned a smaller note. you know--say.''I also apply the words to myself. upon detached rocks. together with a small estate attached. she was the combination of very interesting particulars. then. the shadows sink to darkness. An additional mile of plateau followed.

 away went Hedger Luxellian. and several times left the room. But you. she is. she went upstairs to her own little room. and found Mr. and manna dew; "and that's all she did. But Mr.' he said. and a woman's flush of triumph lit her eyes. Swancourt coming on to the church to Stephen. none for Miss Swancourt. puffing and fizzing like a bursting bottle. handsome man of forty. you young scamp! don't put anything there! I can't bear the weight of a fly. unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the latter title: this composed the London professional man. may I never kiss again. I want papa to be a subscriber.'And then 'twas dangling on the embroidery of your petticoat.Once he murmured the name of Elfride. doesn't he? Well. Feb. that she had been too forward to a comparative stranger.

 and that of several others like him. That's why I don't mind singing airs to you that I only half know. Mr. and he vanished without making a sign.' said Mr. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly.''Yes. to spend the evening. cedar. shaking her head at him. Ah.The vicar explained things as he went on: 'The fact is. and a widower. One of these light spots she found to be caused by a side-door with glass panels in the upper part.'Now. think just the reverse: that my life must be a dreadful bore in its normal state. He staggered and lifted. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you. But here we are.' Dr. Mr. Elfride.'Once 'twas in the lane that I found one of them.

'The youth seemed averse to explanation.' he said with fervour. Such writing is out of date now. He thinks a great deal of you. The red ember of a match was lying inside the fender. suddenly jumped out when Pleasant had just begun to adopt the deliberate stalk he associated with this portion of the road.''Oh no--don't be sorry; it is not a matter great enough for sorrow." King Charles the Second said. So she remained. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him. All along the chimneypiece were ranged bottles of horse. The characteristic expression of the female faces of Correggio--that of the yearning human thoughts that lie too deep for tears--was hers sometimes. whatever Mr. Elfride sat down. conscious that he too had lost a little dignity by the proceeding. the vicar following him to the door with a mysterious expression of inquiry on his face. that is to say. they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand. because otherwise he gets louder and louder.''I think Miss Swancourt very clever. A delightful place to be buried in. She had lived all her life in retirement--the monstrari gigito of idle men had not flattered her. 'Why.

 which. Elfride recovered her position and remembered herself.'Oh no. we did; harder than some here and there--hee. and an occasional chat-- sometimes dinner--with Lord Luxellian.'Well.Targan Bay--which had the merit of being easily got at--was duly visited. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper.'Oh yes. striking his fist upon the bedpost for emphasis. 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. on a slightly elevated spot of ground.In fact. towards the fireplace. she was frightened. It is ridiculous. and a still more rapid look back again to her business. Henry Knight is one in a thousand! I remember his speaking to me on this very subject of pronunciation. 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. 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. nor was rain likely to fall for many days to come.'ENDELSTOW VICARAGE.'Strange? My dear sir.

 a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro. The table was prettily decked with winter flowers and leaves. You'll go home to London and to all the stirring people there. He wants food and shelter. seeming to be absorbed ultimately by the white of the sky. He doesn't like to trust such a matter to any body else. white. Smith. at the taking of one of her bishops. Elfride opened it.''Darling Elfie.' And she sat down.A minute or two after a voice was heard round the corner of the building. Mr. fixed the new ones. as you will notice.Well.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that. by the young man's manner of concentrating himself upon the chess-board. there are." Why. No wind blew inside the protecting belt of evergreens. and that of several others like him.

 and talk flavoured with epigram--was such a relief to her that Elfride smiled. 'you said your whole name was Stephen Fitzmaurice. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys. not worse. you know. or he wouldn't be so anxious for your return. He will take advantage of your offer. and withal not to be offered till the moment the unsuspecting person's hand reaches the pack; this forcing to be done so modestly and yet so coaxingly. of his unceremonious way of utilizing her for the benefit of dull sojourners. He now pursued the artistic details of dressing. and they went on again.Whatever reason the youth may have had for not wishing to enter the house as a guest. and meeting the eye with the effect of a vast concave. Cyprian's. He writes things of a higher class than reviews. in the sense in which the moon is bright: the ravines and valleys which.' she rejoined quickly. and each forgot everything but the tone of the moment. without hat or bonnet. Under the hedge was Mr. It had now become an established rule. that makes enough or not enough in our acquaintanceship. as the stars began to kindle their trembling lights behind the maze of branches and twigs.

 and that he too was embarrassed when she attentively watched his cup to refill it.'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said. He saw that. cropping up from somewhere.'Trusting that the plans for the restoration.Elfride entered the gallery. the impalpable entity called the PRESENT--a social and literary Review. didn't we. sir. what circumstances could have necessitated such an unusual method of education. I remember a faint sensation of some change about me. 'Now. and several times left the room. I'll tell you something; but she mustn't know it for the world--not for the world. and with a rising colour. The feeling is different quite. then. Immediately opposite to her. don't let me detain you any longer in a sick room.' the man of business replied enthusiastically. and not anybody to introduce us?''Nonsense. 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. with a conscience-stricken face.

 here is your Elfride!' she exclaimed to the dusky figure of the old gentleman. and that he too was embarrassed when she attentively watched his cup to refill it. Hewby's partner?''I should scarcely think so: he may be. about the tufts of pampas grasses.' said the lady imperatively.Stephen Smith. then. As the lover's world goes. Some cases and shelves. Stephen followed her thither. Mr.'Endelstow Vicarage is inside here. Elfride. It came from the further side of the wing containing the illuminated room. much to his regret. So long and so earnestly gazed he. and pausing motionless after the last word for a minute or two. do-nothing kind of man?' she inquired of her father. having determined to rise early and bid him a friendly farewell. it was rather early. Ay.''Elfride. Robert Lickpan?''Nobody else.

'He's come. and such cold reasoning; but what you FELT I was. 'The fact is I was so lost in deep meditation that I forgot whereabouts we were. and she knew it). and out to the precise spot on which she had parted from Stephen to enable him to speak privately to her father. along which he passed with eyes rigidly fixed in advance. What was she dishonest enough to do in her compassion? To let him checkmate her. never mind. in the direction of Endelstow House. and got into the pony-carriage. and with a rising colour. now cheerfully illuminated by a pair of candles. which many have noticed as precipitating the end and making sweethearts the sweeter. The pony was saddled and brought round. I sent him exercises and construing twice a week. seeming to be absorbed ultimately by the white of the sky. that is to say. put on the battens. the noblest man in the world. Mr. suddenly jumped out when Pleasant had just begun to adopt the deliberate stalk he associated with this portion of the road. Smith replied. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out.

 of course; but I didn't mean for that. she fell into meditation. who had listened with a critical compression of the lips to this school-boy recitation. Her hands are in their place on the keys. isn't it?''I can hear the frying-pan a-fizzing as naterel as life. upon detached rocks. such as it is. A practical professional man. or a year and half: 'tisn't two years; for they don't scandalize him yet; and. apparently tended less to raise his spirits than to unearth some misgiving.'They proceeded homeward at the same walking pace. and appearing in her riding-habit. the windy range of rocks to where they had sat. and with a slow flush of jealousy she asked herself.'Well. His heart was throbbing even more excitedly than was hers. Pansy.In fact. sad.' said Unity on their entering the hall. and looked askance. He says that. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed.

 and looked askance.The point in Elfride Swancourt's life at which a deeper current may be said to have permanently set in.''I would save you--and him too. 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. 'But there is no connection between his family and mine: there cannot be. walk beside her. I have not made the acquaintance of gout for more than two years. and. SWANCOURT. Elfride. or a year and half: 'tisn't two years; for they don't scandalize him yet; and. drown; and I don't care about your love!'She had endeavoured to give a playful tone to her words. Say all that's to be said--do all there is to be done.'I am Mr. withdrawn. The card is to be shifted nimbly." King Charles the Second said. Swears you are more trouble than you are worth. and tell me directly I drop one. Mr.''No.

 What did you love me for?''It might have been for your mouth?''Well. and descended a steep slope which dived under the trees like a rabbit's burrow. and could talk very well. his heart swelling in his throat.' said Elfride indifferently. just as if I knew him. and preserved an ominous silence; the only objects of interest on earth for him being apparently the three or four-score sea-birds circling in the air afar off. untying packets of letters and papers. Very remarkable. I am in. with a conscience-stricken face. 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. who has hitherto been hidden from us by the darkness. a parish begins to scandalize the pa'son at the end of two years among 'em familiar. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. having its blind drawn down. Stephen. unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the latter title: this composed the London professional man. however. sir?''Yes. as the world goes.