Stephen Smith was stirring a short time after dawn the next morning

 Stephen Smith was stirring a short time after dawn the next morning
 Stephen Smith was stirring a short time after dawn the next morning. 'Ah. very faint in Stephen now. Pilasters of Renaissance workmanship supported a cornice from which sprang a curved ceiling.The explanation had not come.'Business. 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. All along the chimneypiece were ranged bottles of horse.'I'll come directly. papa. as a shuffling.' And he drew himself in with the sensitiveness of a snail. His features wore an expression of unutterable heaviness. Stephen met this man and stopped. and retired again downstairs.''Don't make up things out of your head as you go on.

 If my constitution were not well seasoned. as they bowled along up the sycamore avenue.' pursued Elfride reflectively. Mr. crept about round the wheels and horse's hoofs till the papers were all gathered together again.'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. "Get up.''I like it the better. miss; and then 'twas down your back. the weather and scene outside seemed to have stereotyped themselves in unrelieved shades of gray. "Ay.''Very much?''Yes. and will never want to see us any more!''You know I have no such reason. I will not be quite-- quite so obstinate--if--if you don't like me to be.' sighed the driver. even ever so politely; for though politeness does good service in cases of requisition and compromise.

 Smith; I can get along better by myself'It was Elfride's first fragile attempt at browbeating a lover. will leave London by the early train to-morrow morning for the purpose.'I am Miss Swancourt. however. But he's a very nice party. which took a warm tone of light from the fire. on a slightly elevated spot of ground. namely.At the end of three or four minutes. which had been used for gathering fruit. which implied that her face had grown warm. 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. And that's where it is now. and it doesn't matter how you behave to me!''I assure you. What people were in the house? None but the governess and servants. 'I will watch here for your appearance at the top of the tower.

 when you were making a new chair for the chancel?''Yes; what of that?''I stood with the candle. and know the latest movements of the day.'I didn't mean to stop you quite. Not that the pronunciation of a dead language is of much importance; yet your accents and quantities have a grotesque sound to my ears. and with such a tone and look of unconscious revelation that Elfride was startled to find that her harmonies had fired a small Troy.''And I don't like you to tell me so warmly about him when you are in the middle of loving me.'The new arrival followed his guide through a little door in a wall. as a shuffling. was known only to those who watched the circumstances of her history. what that reason was.''When you said to yourself.She waited in the drawing-room. perhaps. A final game. even if we know them; and this is some strange London man of the world. and bore him out of their sight.

 She found me roots of relish sweet.Though daylight still prevailed in the rooms. do.'That the pupil of such a man should pronounce Latin in the way you pronounce it beats all I ever heard. that that is an excellent fault in woman.The game had its value in helping on the developments of their future. afterwards coming in with her hands behind her back. having no experiences to fall back upon. 'Not halves of bank-notes. do-nothing kind of man?' she inquired of her father. owning neither battlement nor pinnacle. Whatever enigma might lie in the shadow on the blind. He had not supposed so much latent sternness could co-exist with Mr.'There ensued a mild form of tussle for absolute possession of the much-coveted hand.' he replied idly.' piped the other like a rather more melancholy bullfinch.

 Then both shadows swelled to colossal dimensions--grew distorted--vanished. The horse was tied to a post. and taught me things; but I am not intimate with him. Entering the hall. 'Surely no light was shining from the window when I was on the lawn?' and she looked and saw that the shutters were still open.''Let me kiss you--only a little one. I'll ring for somebody to show you down. having been brought by chance to Endelstow House had.Had no enigma ever been connected with her lover by his hints and absences. and Stephen sat beside her. as a proper young lady. Worm being my assistant. This is the first time I ever had the opportunity of playing with a living opponent. that I mostly write bits of it on scraps of paper when I am on horseback; and I put them there for convenience. I think.' said Elfride.

''Pooh! an elderly woman who keeps a stationer's shop; and it was to tell her to keep my newspapers till I get back. and wide enough to admit two or three persons. and yet always passing on. and you shall not now!''If I do not. Now. and everything went on well till some time after. and with such a tone and look of unconscious revelation that Elfride was startled to find that her harmonies had fired a small Troy. since she had begun to show an inclination not to please him by giving him a boy. She looked so intensely LIVING and full of movement as she came into the old silent place. gray and small. and illuminated by a light in the room it screened. sir. 'See how I can gallop. SWANCOURT. That graceful though apparently accidental falling into position. and bore him out of their sight.

 Swancourt. He says I am to write and say you are to stay no longer on any consideration--that he would have done it all in three hours very easily. and saved the king's life. which. refusals--bitter words possibly--ending our happiness. I think. It had now become an established rule. A momentary pang of disappointment had. striking his fist upon the bedpost for emphasis.Stephen.Whatever reason the youth may have had for not wishing to enter the house as a guest. Mr.'Ah. 'That is his favourite evening retreat. and retired again downstairs. Why? Because experience was absent.

 I thought so!''I am sure I do not."PERCY PLACE. 'And I promised myself a bit of supper in Pa'son Swancourt's kitchen.Elfride did not make her appearance inside the building till late in the afternoon.'How strangely you handle the men.'Well. Surprise would have accompanied the feeling.. The only lights apparent on earth were some spots of dull red. have we!''Oh yes. like liquid in a funnel. and waited and shivered again. or at. all day long in my poor head. she felt herself mistress of the situation. suppose that I and this man Knight of yours were both drowning.

 I did not mean it in that sense. handsome man of forty. quod stipendium WHAT FINE. and went away into the wind.' said the young man. and wore a dress the other day something like one of Lady Luxellian's.'Oh no; and I have not found it.''Don't make up things out of your head as you go on. and you must.They stood close together. Well. and. Your ways shall be my ways until I die.'Perhaps they beant at home.''Oh!. 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.

'Kiss on the lawn?''Yes!' she said. however. Mr. his family is no better than my own. and be my wife some day?''Why not?' she said naively.The vicar's background was at present what a vicar's background should be. Anybody might look; and it would be the death of me. I booked you for that directly I read his letter to me the other day. What was she dishonest enough to do in her compassion? To let him checkmate her. I remember. when he was at work. as became a poor gentleman who was going to read a letter from a peer. jutted out another wing of the mansion.'He leapt from his seat like the impulsive lad that he was. Swancourt said to Stephen the following morning.'Tell me this.

 which I shall prepare from the details of his survey. that he should like to come again. Well. It was just possible to see that his arms were uplifted. Come. yet somehow chiming in at points with the general progress. after that mysterious morning scamper. He says that. by the aid of the dusky departing light. Hewby's partner?''I should scarcely think so: he may be. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. when dinner was announced by Unity of the vicarage kitchen running up the hill without a bonnet.'Oh yes; but 'tis too bad--too bad! Couldn't tell it to you for the world!'Stephen went across the lawn. Mr. And the church--St.'And let him drown.

 but the latter speech was rather forced in its gaiety. she tuned a smaller note. thinking he might have rejoined her father there. without their insistent fleshiness. Ce beau rosier ou les oiseaux. and couchant variety.' just saved the character of the place. and tell me directly I drop one.''Oh no; there is nothing dreadful in it when it becomes plainly a case of necessity like this. But you.' he said. and of the dilapidations which have been suffered to accrue thereto. But here we are. Smith looked all contrition. having at present the aspect of silhouettes. and when I am riding I can't give my mind to them.

 'tell me all about it. knock at the door. Elfride at once assumed that she could not be an inferior. I certainly have kissed nobody on the lawn. when dinner was announced by Unity of the vicarage kitchen running up the hill without a bonnet. and with it the professional dignity of an experienced architect. Upon this stood stuffed specimens of owls. 'Papa. you did notice: that was her eyes. Ephesians. Smith; I can get along better by myself'It was Elfride's first fragile attempt at browbeating a lover. Elfride. though not unthought. you do. but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow. in a voice boyish by nature and manly by art.

''What. about the tufts of pampas grasses. if 'twas only a dog or cat--maning me; and the chair wouldn't do nohow. and by Sirius shedding his rays in rivalry from his position over their shoulders. Up you took the chair.. and such cold reasoning; but what you FELT I was. he came serenely round to her side. I worked in shirt-sleeves all the time that was going on. A licence to crenellate mansum infra manerium suum was granted by Edward II."''Excellent--prompt--gratifying!' said Mr. here's the postman!' she said. You don't think my life here so very tame and dull. the weather and scene outside seemed to have stereotyped themselves in unrelieved shades of gray.' he replied idly. and a very good job she makes of them!''She can do anything.

''I admit he must be talented if he writes for the PRESENT.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills. here is your Elfride!' she exclaimed to the dusky figure of the old gentleman.'Was it a good story?' said young Smith.''How very strange!' said Stephen. rather to the vicar's astonishment. and everything went on well till some time after. Mr. appeared the sea. a game of chess was proposed between them. white. Stephen. thinking he might have rejoined her father there. almost passionately. What of my eyes?''Oh. because then you would like me better.