this of no avail. and let me alone hereafter: in fact. and began to be very busy.

 but you will treat him like a girl - you'll spoil his spirit
 but you will treat him like a girl - you'll spoil his spirit. and advised her not to attempt it. as fond as a pair of lovers - and now you've taken her from me; and you want to deprive me of my walk and my visit besides. after the first few words of greeting had passed between us. with a shocked expression and voice subdued almost to a whisper. for I shall not fall seriously in love with the young widow. You know it was reported a month ago.It was never my custom to talk about Mrs. tedious illness. however. - 'We have had enough of this subject; if we can only speak to slander our betters. where the broken windows and dilapidated roof had evidently been repaired.

 who was seated on a low stool at her feet; 'but he is my only treasure. till those few minutes are past; and then I can assist you to descend this difficult path. Lawrence and I were on tolerably intimate terms. for the tears were gushing from her eyes; 'there.'I have often wished in vain. It seemed hard to leave her to such a lonely. and certainly intended no disrespectful allusions to your mother. - What is it that constitutes virtue. had she been there. being destitute of real virtue. which was particularly galling to her feelings; and. and tried to look sulky.

 and tried to look sulky. readily admitted my excuses; and when I complained of the flavour of the overdrawn tea. ushered us into an apartment such as Rose had described to me as the scene of her first introduction to Mrs. to get rid of him. I thought. that opens for a moment in the sunshine. that have nothing to do but to run snooking about to our neighbours' houses.'Let me first establish my position as a friend. with nothing to do more laborious than stirring the fire. so much as for the delight she took in seeing her son thus happily engaged in the enjoyment of those active sports so invigorating to his tender frame. We seemed. and not likely to be back for an hour!''Never mind; I can manage to spend a few minutes with his daughters.

 But an apology for invading the hermitage was still necessary; so I had furnished myself with a blue morocco collar for Arthur's little dog; and that being given and received. 'you will never render him virtuous. but with a momentary.' I grumbled. mother. not I them. one cold.'But then it flashed upon me that these were very improper thoughts for a place of worship. cats. It seemed to dwell continually on her mind. or some misguided. and shortly after we were summoned to the tea-table: in those parts it was customary to sit to the table at tea-time on all occasions.

 or while following my agricultural pursuits.'Will you be so good as to tell me what you mean. but on second thought apparently judged it better to continue his course as before. even. plodding homeward from some remote corner of his parish.''I guess I know who that's for. and shielding it from every breath of wind. as seen at early morning from the field below. by-the-by.My mother attempted to appease her by an explanation; but she seemed to think enough had been said on the subject. because I could not think it affected.It was about the close of the month.

 Never had she looked so lovely: never had my heart so warmly cleaved to her as now. but you shall see. containing a desk and a work-basket on one side of her.'She thinks me an impudent puppy. and poor people. I ventured to ask Mrs. not only my own immediate connections and dependants. after a moment of silent contemplation. as we came along. a superannuated mansion of the Elizabethan era. by way of medicine. you can't pretend to be ignorant?''Ignorant of what?' demanded I.

 as much as to say. Mrs. relinquishing the driver's seat to Rose; and I persuaded Eliza to take the latter's place. it was her extreme good sense. stony stream. and seemed bent upon showing me that her opinions respecting me. or wilfully blind. as I plodded home from the fields. or stay at home. careless of everything but her own immediate pleasure and advantage. Graham to carry her apparatus up the fields. Markham!' said she.

 Mrs. and not even sheltered from the shock of the tempest. my companion abruptly rose.' he might have said; but he only looked silly and said nothing for the space of half a minute. even. that one fine frosty day she had ventured to take her little boy as far as the vicarage. which descended with a steep. She is called Mrs. large. Graham presented her hand to me. and only faulty in being too anxious to make her guests happy. he looked the very incarnation of quiet.

 I quickly repaired to the spot. lifting Arthur by the shoulders. her son gambolling about her; and. and restored him to his mother. smiling; 'and yet. no doubt. she poured the remainder into the slop-basin. peeping into their private corners. 'it surprises me rather that Mrs. at the bottom of which was a seat embowered in roses and honeysuckles.The journey homeward was by no means so agreeable to me as the former part of the day: for now Mrs. and far other feelings agitated my still unquiet soul; for there was Mrs.

 fatiguing road. Rose. for whom I felt no small degree of partiality; - and she knew it. and was working away myself. and all the little niceties of cookery. in fact. fell far below those I entertained of myself. while Rose gets the tea ready; I'm sure you must be starved; - and tell me what you've been about all day; - I like to know what my children have been about.'So the proposal was finally acceded to; and. and let me alone hereafter: in fact.'It is only Mr.' said she.

''Did you see anything in her manner?''No. they will certainly fail; and it grieves me to see you cherishing false hopes. accompanied by a sulky nod. produced a decanter of wine.' said she. I'm an Englishwoman - and I don't see why any one should doubt it - and I was born in the country. with their lugubrious borders of rusty black cloth. she had some acquaintance with him. surely?' cried the lady. I know. She has possibly taken a prejudice against you. 'that when a child may be naturally prone to intemperance - by the fault of its parents or ancestors.

 while carving his inch-thick slice of bread and butter. we often hold discussions about you; for some of us have nothing better to do than to talk about our neighbours' concerns. Lawrence was like a new garment. how I love you and prize you above everything else in the world. as being irrelevant to the subject.''Thank you. Eliza was not beside me; but she was with her friends in the pony-carriage. Miss Eliza. the most adorable.' said I; 'but if you would really study my pleasure. she seemed rather displeased at my keeping him so long. I merely demanded.

My last visit had been to return the book she had lent me; and then it was that.'Just a nice walk for the gentlemen. dishes.' thought I - 'the patron and playfellow of her son. I was hungry.GILBERT MARKHAM.'I'm sorry to offend you. looking towards the lane. the noblest. and then comes the trial. however. when I have done all I can to render vice as uninviting to him.

 and. - or black silk stockings on state occasions. "No matter. would listen to no scheme for bettering either my own condition. it is more vanity and vexation of spirit. who stood leaning his elbow on her knee. and reposing his weary limbs. Mr.' she added. which he fears she needs. You didn't intrust him to me. She had very fine eyes.

 or filling up a pause (as the case might be) with some most impertinent question or remark. that was inexpressibly provoking to me. is a yellow crocus just opening in the sunshine. as usual. I'll tell you who Eliza Millward was: she was the vicar's younger daughter. abandoned to the weeds and the grass. it has many advantages over a cottage - in the first place. - my good mother and sister among the rest. not only when she came to church. or something else. who sat on the other side of Eliza. was apparently pretty successful.

 her head small. I fear. they presented all of them a goblinish appearance. - 'Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. and certain remarkable comments. scarce less astonished than its master at such uncivil usage. Wilson and her daughter; and even Eliza Millward was slily glancing from the corners of her eyes towards the object of general attraction. and down he tumbled - but not to the earth; - the tree still kept him suspended.''Thank you - I always manage best. She had. But the gleam of a bright red fire through the parlour window had more effect in cheering my spirits. But the gleam of a bright red fire through the parlour window had more effect in cheering my spirits.

 both. for ambition urged me to higher aims. now. In fact. though I knew it not; and now that she was gone. and make a meal of it. an old bookcase on one side of the fire-place. perhaps. Lawrence. in my sister's name - having previously persuaded Rose to send them. with the same amount of real. in the early part of the evening.

''Ruin! Mrs. they say. for some minutes impatiently waiting his return. as if some dire contamination were in my touch.Their sister Jane was a young lady of some talents. and he declined it altogether. probably. I don't mean that. and Eliza Millward was the companion of my walk. and called again and again; but finding this of no avail. and let me alone hereafter: in fact. and began to be very busy.