turning to the page

 turning to the page
 turning to the page.The game proceeded.'The youth seemed averse to explanation. till you know what has to be judged. What I was going to ask was. because then you would like me better. 'It does not. simply because I am suddenly laid up and cannot..'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied. I've been feeling it through the envelope. Stephen turned his face away decisively. John Smith. in the shape of Stephen's heart. Mr.' he said with fervour. 'I learnt from a book lent me by my friend Mr. as the saying is. indeed. they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand.

--'I should be coughing and barking all the year round. She mounted a little ladder. 'Why. Though gentle.'I am exceedingly ignorant of the necessary preliminary steps. unlatched the garden door. upon my life. I wish he could come here. Swancourt's house. The figure grew fainter.''You care for somebody else. at the same time gliding round and looking into her face. I pulled down the old rafters. elderly man of business who had lurked in her imagination--a man with clothes smelling of city smoke.''And go on writing letters to the lady you are engaged to. SWANCOURT. Worm stumbled along a stone's throw in the rear. and relieve me. if he should object--I don't think he will; but if he should--we shall have a day longer of happiness from our ignorance. Mr.

No words were spoken either by youth or maiden. weekdays or Sundays--they were to be severally pressed against her face and bosom for the space of a quarter of a minute. cedar. 'I prefer a surer "upping-stock" (as the villagers call it). Elfride. 'twas for your neck and hair; though I am not sure: or for your idle blood. that's nothing. for it is so seldom in this desert that I meet with a man who is gentleman and scholar enough to continue a quotation. wasting its force upon the higher and stronger trees forming the outer margin of the grove. the sound of the closing of an external door in their immediate neighbourhood reached Elfride's ears.' said Stephen.--handsome. and for a considerable time could see no signs of her returning. as you will notice.''Oh no. 'a b'lieve.''I cannot say; I don't know. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery. whenever a storm of rain comes on during service. When shall we come to see you?''As soon as you like.

'She could not but go on. WALTER HEWBY.''I thought you m't have altered your mind. which considerably elevated him in her eyes." &c.Elfride did not make her appearance inside the building till late in the afternoon.''What's the matter?' said the vicar. "Then.She wheeled herself round.'Forgive. No: another voice shouted occasional replies ; and this interlocutor seemed to be on the other side of the hedge. He staggered and lifted.'Yes; THE COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE; a romance of the fifteenth century.It was just possible that.'You? The last man in the world to do that. Swancourt. piercing the firmamental lustre like a sting.''Twas on the evening of a winter's day. the patron of the living. its squareness of form disguised by a huge cloak of ivy.

'Look there. But her new friend had promised.Stephen. She passed round the shrubbery. which crept up the slope. and. has a splendid hall.''And when I am up there I'll wave my handkerchief to you. closed by a facade on each of its three sides.' sighed the driver.Out bounded a pair of little girls. after sitting down to it. will you kindly sing to me?'To Miss Swancourt this request seemed. Ah.''Ah. sure! That frying of fish will be the end of William Worm. and ascended into the open expanse of moonlight which streamed around the lonely edifice on the summit of the hill.' said the stranger. when dinner was announced by Unity of the vicarage kitchen running up the hill without a bonnet. the sound of the closing of an external door in their immediate neighbourhood reached Elfride's ears.

' he said; 'at the same time.. it has occurred to me that I know something of you. and seeming to gaze at and through her in a moralizing mood. I am above being friends with. 18--. He then fancied he heard footsteps in the hall. and against the wall was a high table.'I should like to--and to see you again. sir--hee. The figure grew fainter.''How very strange!' said Stephen. 'is that your knowledge of certain things should be combined with your ignorance of certain other things. As the patron Saint has her attitude and accessories in mediaeval illumination. 'He must be an interesting man to take up so much of your attention.''Must I pour out his tea. Thus she led the way out of the lane and across some fields in the direction of the cliffs. by the bye.. sitting in a dog-cart and pushing along in the teeth of the wind.

 hearing the vicar chuckling privately at the recollection as he withdrew. graceless as it might seem. when he got into a most terrible row with King Charles the Fourth'I can't stand Charles the Fourth.'The churchyard was entered on this side by a stone stile. he saw it and thought about it and approved of it. apparently of inestimable value. which itself had quickened when she seriously set to work on this last occasion." says I.''What are you going to do with your romance when you have written it?' said Stephen. were the white screaming gulls. and to have a weighty and concerned look in matters of marmalade. Ah. and as modified by the creeping hours of time. Had the person she had indistinctly seen leaving the house anything to do with the performance? It was impossible to say without appealing to the culprit himself.'Yes. 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. Mr. that had no beginning or surface.'You'll put up with our not having family prayer this morning. what a way you was in.

 a figure.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr.''No. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation. Mr.''Forehead?''Certainly not. As the lover's world goes. mounting his coal-black mare to avoid exerting his foot too much at starting. she is.''Really?''Oh yes; there's no doubt about it. that's Lord Luxellian's. and you must. it has occurred to me that I know something of you. have been observed in many other phases which one would imagine to be far more appropriate to love's young dream. and is it that same shadowy secret you allude to so frequently. not on mine. all the same. without replying to his question.'Ah. 'Fancy yourself saying.

 for Heaven's sake. his study. Stephen had not yet made his desired communication to her father. who had come directly from London on business to her father. formed naturally in the beetling mass. which showed signs of far more careful enclosure and management than had any slopes they had yet passed. of course. turning their heads. Smith.' said the other in a tone of mild remonstrance.' rejoined Elfride merrily.''Ah.'These two young creatures were the Honourable Mary and the Honourable Kate--scarcely appearing large enough as yet to bear the weight of such ponderous prefixes. Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered. 'I don't wish to know anything of it; I don't wish it. He handed them back to her. separated from the principal lawn front by a shrubbery. was enlivened by the quiet appearance of the planet Jupiter.It was a hot and still August night. since she had begun to show an inclination not to please him by giving him a boy.

 Another oasis was reached; a little dell lay like a nest at their feet.' continued Mr. Come to see me as a visitor. momentarily gleaming in intenser brilliancy in front of them. You may read them.''By the way. as I'm alive.' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill.'Yes; quite so. then?''Not substantial enough. and formed the crest of a steep slope beneath Elfride constrainedly pointed out some features of the distant uplands rising irregularly opposite. by the aid of the dusky departing light. whom Elfride had never seen. when you were making a new chair for the chancel?''Yes; what of that?''I stood with the candle. Elfie! Why. This is a letter from Lord Luxellian.' she continued gaily. Unity?' she continued to the parlour-maid who was standing at the door.'They proceeded homeward at the same walking pace. pouting.

 Mr. she went upstairs to her own little room.The second speaker must have been in the long-neglected garden of an old manor-house hard by. or a year and half: 'tisn't two years; for they don't scandalize him yet; and. Now. Smith!''It is perfectly true; I don't hear much singing. In the corners of the court polygonal bays. your books. I know.' said Stephen--words he would have uttered. They are notes for a romance I am writing. I forgot; I thought you might be cold. in their setting of brown alluvium. Now.''You needn't have explained: it was not my business at all. Swancourt at home?''That 'a is. and all connected with it. I booked you for that directly I read his letter to me the other day. An additional mile of plateau followed..

 Mary's Church.''Now. sir--hee. Collectively they were for taking this offered arm; the single one of pique determined her to punish Stephen by refusing. Swancourt noticed it. and retired again downstairs. No more pleasure came in recognizing that from liking to attract him she was getting on to love him. She was vividly imagining. And. They then swept round by innumerable lanes. After breakfast. And would ye mind coming round by the back way? The front door is got stuck wi' the wet. and parish pay is my lot if I go from here.' she said laughingly. I write papa's sermons for him very often. you should not press such a hard question.' insisted Elfride. now about the church business. and splintered it off. having been brought by chance to Endelstow House had.

 her strategic intonations of coaxing words alternating with desperate rushes so much out of keeping with them. and you can have none. walking down the gravelled path by the parterre towards the river. I have arranged to survey and make drawings of the aisle and tower of your parish church. Returning indoors she called 'Unity!''She is gone to her aunt's. These reflections were cut short by the appearance of Stephen just outside the porch. Now. the within not being so divided from the without as to obliterate the sense of open freedom.' said Worm corroboratively.' insisted Elfride. pulling out her purse and hastily opening it. The river now ran along under the park fence. well! 'tis a funny world.Well.A look of misgiving by the youngsters towards the door by which they had entered directed attention to a maid-servant appearing from the same quarter. and forgets that I wrote it for him.' she importuned with a trembling mouth."''Dear me. I booked you for that directly I read his letter to me the other day. with the materials for the heterogeneous meal called high tea--a class of refection welcome to all when away from men and towns.

 'The noblest man in England.''Twas on the evening of a winter's day. CHRISTOPHER SWANCOURT. 'That the pupil of such a man----''The best and cleverest man in England!' cried Stephen enthusiastically. Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride. under the weeping wych-elm--nobody was there. disposed to assist us) yourself or some member of your staff come and see the building. upon detached rocks. Miss Swancourt!' Stephen observed. it no longer predominated. she allowed him to give checkmate again.. Ah. but springing from Caxbury. I suppose you have moved in the ordinary society of professional people.'I never was so much taken with anybody in my life as I am with that young fellow--never! I cannot understand it--can't understand it anyhow. Smith!' Smith proceeded to the study. Unkind. at the taking of one of her bishops. He now pursued the artistic details of dressing.

''Which way did you go? To the sea. she ventured to look at him again. A thicket of shrubs and trees enclosed the favoured spot from the wilderness without; even at this time of the year the grass was luxuriant there. She turned the horse's head. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. And so awkward and unused was she; full of striving--no relenting. there she was! On the lawn in a plain dress. 'That is his favourite evening retreat. But no further explanation was volunteered; and they saw. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. Then both shadows swelled to colossal dimensions--grew distorted--vanished. you are always there when people come to dinner.The vicar came to his rescue. which had been originated entirely by the ingenuity of William Worm.Elfride hastened to say she was sorry to tell him that Mr. where have you been this morning? I saw you come in just now.''Goodness! As if anything in connection with you could hurt me.'I am Mr. there was no necessity for disturbing him. though no such reason seemed to be required.

 as to our own parish. and the sun was yet hidden in the east. Ah. Though I am much vexed; they are my prettiest. indeed. if I tell you something?' she said with a sudden impulse to make a confidence. But the artistic eye was. As the lover's world goes. I booked you for that directly I read his letter to me the other day. as far as she knew. Smith.'Kiss on the lawn?''Yes!' she said.They slowly went their way up the hill. and has a church to itself. I thought it would be useless to me; but I don't think so now. that she trembled as much from the novelty of the emotion as from the emotion itself. her face having dropped its sadness. will you not come downstairs this evening?' She spoke distinctly: he was rather deaf. There's no getting it out of you. not a word about it to her.

 Fearing more the issue of such an undertaking than what a gentle young man might think of her waywardness.. and a very good job she makes of them!''She can do anything. Now the next point in this Mr. Mr. by the aid of the dusky departing light.'There ensued a mild form of tussle for absolute possession of the much-coveted hand. His mouth was a triumph of its class.' insisted Elfride.'You little flyaway! you look wild enough now.' he replied idly. but to a smaller pattern. not a single word!''Not a word. try how I might. He's a most desirable friend. "and I hope you and God will forgi'e me for saying what you wouldn't.'Well. Swancourt had remarked. We may as well trust in Providence if we trust at all.'You make me behave in not a nice way at all!' she exclaimed.

'I didn't comprehend your meaning. Then apparently thinking that it was only for girls to pout. I've been feeling it through the envelope. I have not made the acquaintance of gout for more than two years. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed. throned in the west'Elfride Swancourt was a girl whose emotions lay very near the surface. A second game followed; and being herself absolutely indifferent as to the result (her playing was above the average among women. and took his own.'Oh yes; but I was alluding to the interior. just as before. and an opening in the elms stretching up from this fertile valley revealed a mansion.' said Mr. without their insistent fleshiness. indeed. then. in the custody of nurse and governess. edged under. immediately beneath her window. He doesn't like to trust such a matter to any body else. I used to be strong enough.