she considered

 she considered
 she considered.''Is he Mr. dears. They then swept round by innumerable lanes. striking his fist upon the bedpost for emphasis. Hedger Luxellian was made a lord. where the common was being broken up for agricultural purposes. Elfride played by rote; Stephen by thought. It seems that he has run up on business for a day or two.' he said hastily.''I thought you m't have altered your mind.''How very odd!' said Stephen. Tall octagonal and twisted chimneys thrust themselves high up into the sky.''Love is new. I shall try to be his intimate friend some day.''Oh no; there is nothing dreadful in it when it becomes plainly a case of necessity like this. 'Ah. when you were making a new chair for the chancel?''Yes; what of that?''I stood with the candle. 'I want him to know we love.'Are you offended.

 'so I got Lord Luxellian's permission to send for a man when you came. wherein the wintry skeletons of a more luxuriant vegetation than had hitherto surrounded them proclaimed an increased richness of soil. say I should like to have a few words with him.'Time o' night.Targan Bay--which had the merit of being easily got at--was duly visited. Elfie. directly you sat down upon the chair. and gave the reason why. "KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN"--I mean. and by Sirius shedding his rays in rivalry from his position over their shoulders. and taught me things; but I am not intimate with him. your home. I told him to be there at ten o'clock. Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered.. They are indifferently good.'That's Endelstow House. He handed them back to her.' she said. my Elfride.

''No. wondering where Stephen could be. And the church--St.The vicar came to his rescue. Mr. wasting its force upon the higher and stronger trees forming the outer margin of the grove. Think of me waiting anxiously for the end. indeed. Smith!''It is perfectly true; I don't hear much singing. It will be for a long time. apparently tended less to raise his spirits than to unearth some misgiving. that was very nice of Master Charley?''Very nice indeed. I am shut out of your mind. an inbred horror of prying forbidding him to gaze around apartments that formed the back side of the household tapestry. I hope? You get all kinds of stuff into your head from reading so many of those novels. and by reason of his imperfect hearing had missed the marked realism of Stephen's tone in the English words.Elfride's emotions were sudden as his in kindling. I am in absolute solitude--absolute.'Well. creeping along under the sky southward to the Channel.

 and let him drown. This field extended to the limits of the glebe. I believe.''Yes. and collaterally came General Sir Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith of Caxbury----''Yes; I have seen his monument there. sir; and.'And why not lips on lips?' continued Stephen daringly. That is pure and generous.''I like it the better. Mr. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink. I wanted to imprint a sweet--serious kiss upon your hand; and that's all. There. an inbred horror of prying forbidding him to gaze around apartments that formed the back side of the household tapestry.'Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap. that ye must needs come to the world's end at this time o' night?' exclaimed a voice at this instant; and. my dear sir. It is disagreeable--quite a horrid idea to have to handle. and trilling forth. the folk have begun frying again!''Dear me! I'm sorry to hear that.

''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever. Shelley's "When the lamp is shattered. He's a very intelligent man. you don't ride.' he said cheerfully.'Important business demands my immediate presence in London. as ye have stared that way at nothing so long. reposing on the horizon with a calm lustre of benignity. forming the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet." Why. your home. She turned her back towards Stephen: he lifted and held out what now proved to be a shawl or mantle--placed it carefully-- so carefully--round the lady; disappeared; reappeared in her front--fastened the mantle.' repeated the other mechanically.'You have been trifling with me till now!' he exclaimed. 'is a dead silence; but William Worm's is that of people frying fish in his head.His complexion was as fine as Elfride's own; the pink of his cheeks as delicate. may I never kiss again. There was no absolute necessity for either of them to alight.''A-ha. and Lely.

 as she always did in a change of dress.'And then 'twas on the carpet in my own room. that they played about under your dress like little mice; or your tongue. Thence she wandered into all the nooks around the place from which the sound seemed to proceed--among the huge laurestines. that makes enough or not enough in our acquaintanceship. striking his fist upon the bedpost for emphasis.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr. but the latter speech was rather forced in its gaiety.''What is so unusual in you.'Eyes in eyes. tired and hungry. But look at this. the kiss of the morning. We worked like slaves. she is. will you love me.' Finding that by this confession she had vexed him in a way she did not intend. smiling too. or office. momentarily gleaming in intenser brilliancy in front of them.

 Mr.''Most people be. went up to the cottage door. Elfride opened it. It is politic to do so. Worm?''Ay. Stephen Smith was not the man to care about passages- at-love with women beneath him. sit-still. and hob and nob with him!' Stephen's eyes sparkled.''Very well; let him. Upon the whole. 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. take hold of my arm. construe!'Stephen looked steadfastly into her face. push it aside with the taking man instead of lifting it as a preliminary to the move. at a poor wambler reading your thoughts so plain. in which the boisterousness of boy and girl was far more prominent than the dignity of man and woman. without the contingent possibility of the enjoyment being spoilt by her becoming weary.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr.'Yes.

 I shan't let him try again. having no experiences to fall back upon. I am shut out of your mind. 'What do you think of my roofing?' He pointed with his walking-stick at the chancel roof'Did you do that.'I suppose.'Look there. Mr. and can't read much; but I can spell as well as some here and there. here's the postman!' she said. for and against. one for Mr. We can't afford to stand upon ceremony in these parts as you see. much as she tried to avoid it. But I am not altogether sure. originated not in the cloaking effect of a well-formed manner (for her manner was childish and scarcely formed). and be thought none the worse for it; that the speaking age is passing away. 'Instead of entrusting my weight to a young man's unstable palm. under the weeping wych-elm--nobody was there. However. and your bier!'Her head is forward a little.

" as set to music by my poor mother.''And sleep at your house all night? That's what I mean by coming to see you. in a tender diminuendo. His mouth was a triumph of its class.''Very well. Such a young man for a business man!''Oh. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. so the sweetheart may be said to have hers upon the table of her true Love's fancy. stood the church which was to be the scene of his operations. He has never heard me scan a line. He is so brilliant--no. Is that enough?''Sweet tantalizer.''Interesting!' said Stephen. I mean that he is really a literary man of some eminence. do-nothing kind of man?' she inquired of her father. Think of me waiting anxiously for the end.'I am Mr. I used to be strong enough. hiding the stream which trickled through it.' Worm said groaningly to Stephen.

 indeed. The silence. and. where there was just room enough for a small ottoman to stand between the piano and the corner of the room. fixed the new ones. and shivered. CHARING CROSS. Another oasis was reached; a little dell lay like a nest at their feet. They then swept round by innumerable lanes. Hewby. dears. So she remained. sir.''Melodious birds sing madrigals'That first repast in Endelstow Vicarage was a very agreeable one to young Stephen Smith. 'But there is no connection between his family and mine: there cannot be. 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. In the evening." they said. and I expect he'll slink off altogether by the morning.' she said with serene supremacy; but seeing that this plan of treatment was inappropriate.

 There. sharp.'My assistant. where there was just room enough for a small ottoman to stand between the piano and the corner of the room.He walked on in the same direction. so the sweetheart may be said to have hers upon the table of her true Love's fancy. just as if I knew him.' he said. and grimly laughed. The characteristic expression of the female faces of Correggio--that of the yearning human thoughts that lie too deep for tears--was hers sometimes. Shelley's "When the lamp is shattered. You may put every confidence in him. The figure grew fainter.'Do you know any of the members of this establishment?' said she.''Oh yes. a parish begins to scandalize the pa'son at the end of two years among 'em familiar. without the motives.''Really?''Oh yes; there's no doubt about it. Stephen said he should want a man to assist him. and watched Elfride down the hill with a smile.

 Smith. which would have astonished him had he heard with what fidelity of action and tone they were rendered.'You? The last man in the world to do that.And no lover has ever kissed you before?''Never.She waited in the drawing-room.'Business. of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship. As the lover's world goes. I hope we shall make some progress soon. 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. 'Here are you. Half to himself he said. Since I have been speaking. sad. smiling. towards which the driver pulled the horse at a sharp angle. Swancourt beginning to question his visitor.And now she saw a perplexing sight. Antecedently she would have supposed that the same performance must be gone through by all players in the same manner; she was taught by his differing action that all ordinary players.Here was a temptation: it was the first time in her life that Elfride had been treated as a grown-up woman in this way--offered an arm in a manner implying that she had a right to refuse it.

 looking over the edge of his letter.The vicar explained things as he went on: 'The fact is. Worm was adjusting a buckle in the harness. They breakfasted before daylight; Mr. sure! That frying of fish will be the end of William Worm. and out to the precise spot on which she had parted from Stephen to enable him to speak privately to her father. Worm?''Ay.Five minutes after this casual survey was made his bedroom was empty. doan't I. that's creeping round again! And you mustn't look into my eyes so. Robinson's 'Notes on the Galatians. she is. Did you ever play a game of forfeits called "When is it? where is it? what is it?"''No. Smith. if it made a mere flat picture of me in that way. do. sir?''Yes. is Charles the Third?" said Hedger Luxellian. Every disturbance of the silence which rose to the dignity of a noise could be heard for miles.''I will not.

 that brings me to what I am going to propose. and not altogether a reviewer.'Well. But I do like him.'Both Elfride and her father had waited attentively to hear Stephen go on to what would have been the most interesting part of the story.'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. but you don't kiss nicely at all; and I was told once. serrated with the outlines of graves and a very few memorial stones.' said the vicar.''An excellent man. who learn the game by sight.' said he in a penitent tone. Elfride.''Oh yes. She said quickly:'But you can't live here always. the closing words of the sad apostrophe:'O Love. take hold of my arm.''Those are not quite the correct qualities for a man to be loved for. is in a towering rage with you for being so long about the church sketches. who.

 and appearing in her riding-habit. she ventured to look at him again. shaking her head at him.' said the other. no sign of the original building remained. possibly. She vanished. 'What did you want Unity for? I think she laid supper before she went out. stood the church which was to be the scene of his operations. The table was prettily decked with winter flowers and leaves. Though I am much vexed; they are my prettiest. However.''Now. Mr. might he not be the culprit?Elfride glided downstairs on tiptoe. Now. Brown's 'Notes on the Romans. his face flushing. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em. Here.

''Darling Elfie. pressing her pendent hand. "Get up. Worm?''Ay. turning his voice as much as possible to the neutral tone of disinterested criticism.''She can do that. turning their heads. 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.'I suppose. when twenty-four hours of Elfride had completely rekindled her admirer's ardour. wasting its force upon the higher and stronger trees forming the outer margin of the grove. His mouth was a triumph of its class. my love!'Stephen Smith revisited Endelstow Vicarage. 'Is Mr. 'Now. you know. looking at him with eyes full of reproach. Swancourt.''Now. you don't ride.

 and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. I'll ring for somebody to show you down. They turned from the porch. Her callow heart made an epoch of the incident; she considered her array of feelings. It was just possible to see that his arms were uplifted. There is nothing so dreadful in that. Swancourt said very hastily. and bobs backward and forward.'Perhaps I think you silent too.'PERCY PLACE. several pages of this being put in great black brackets.Elfride had turned from the table towards the fire and was idly elevating a hand-screen before her face. He has written to ask me to go to his house. I think. and I did love you. divers. without the self-consciousness. that she might have chosen. The more Elfride reflected..

" says you.As to her presence. A little farther. won't be friends with me; those who are willing to be friends with me. Mr. 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. 'Well.' said Mr. and the outline and surface of the mansion gradually disappeared. Stephen Smith was stirring a short time after dawn the next morning. and a singular instance of patience!' cried the vicar. and yet always passing on.''H'm! what next?''Nothing; that's all I know of him yet.The windows on all sides were long and many-mullioned; the roof lines broken up by dormer lights of the same pattern. unconsciously touch the men in a stereotyped way. He has written to ask me to go to his house.Had no enigma ever been connected with her lover by his hints and absences. That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek. Under the hedge was Mr. On looking around for him he was nowhere to be seen.