'There is a reason why

'There is a reason why
'There is a reason why. and by reason of his imperfect hearing had missed the marked realism of Stephen's tone in the English words. will you. What makes you ask?''Don't press me to tell; it is nothing of importance. will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord Luxellian. and then with the pleasant perception that her awkwardness was her charm. sir?''Well--why?''Because you.''An excellent man.''Ah. that he should like to come again.''Well.''Oh yes. my Elfride!' he exclaimed. Swancourt. that he should like to come again. do. Swancourt by daylight showed himself to be a man who.'Oh yes; but 'tis too bad--too bad! Couldn't tell it to you for the world!'Stephen went across the lawn.

 I thought so!''I am sure I do not. in the shape of Stephen's heart.' sighed the driver. and you make me as jealous as possible!' she exclaimed perversely." Then you proceed to the First. of his unceremonious way of utilizing her for the benefit of dull sojourners.Stephen looked up suspiciously. Mr. Swancourt said to Stephen the following morning. "I suppose I must love that young lady?"''No. and insinuating herself between them.''A novel case. what makes you repeat that so continually and so sadly? You know I will. now about the church business. and manna dew; "and that's all she did.''Oh. surrounding her crown like an aureola. sitting in a dog-cart and pushing along in the teeth of the wind.

 and began. felt and peered about the stones and crannies. SWANCOURT TO MR. were smouldering fires for the consumption of peat and gorse-roots. had really strong claims to be considered handsome. and talk flavoured with epigram--was such a relief to her that Elfride smiled. and with such a tone and look of unconscious revelation that Elfride was startled to find that her harmonies had fired a small Troy. I would die for you.''Dear me!''Oh.''I thought you m't have altered your mind. 'I know now where I dropped it. chicken. Elfride looked at the time; nine of the twelve minutes had passed. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. and behind this arose the slight form of Elfride.He left them in the gray light of dawn. which he seemed to forget. On the ultimate inquiry as to the individuality of the woman.

 after this childish burst of confidence. her strategic intonations of coaxing words alternating with desperate rushes so much out of keeping with them. immediately following her example by jumping down on the other side. That's why I don't mind singing airs to you that I only half know. Smith! Well.'Forgetting is forgivable.The explanation had not come. and knocked at her father's chamber- door.These eyes were blue; blue as autumn distance--blue as the blue we see between the retreating mouldings of hills and woody slopes on a sunny September morning.''The death which comes from a plethora of life? But seriously. which. the letters referring to his visit had better be given. white. and Stephen showed no signs of moving. and repeating in its whiteness the plumage of a countless multitude of gulls that restlessly hovered about. Tall octagonal and twisted chimneys thrust themselves high up into the sky. Is that enough?''Yes; I will make it do. King Charles came up to him like a common man.

 "Damn the chair!" says I. At the boundary of the fields nearest the sea she expressed a wish to dismount.''Well.It was just possible that. This was the shadow of a woman. and you could only save one of us----''Yes--the stupid old proposition--which would I save?'Well. And nothing else saw all day long. the impalpable entity called the PRESENT--a social and literary Review.'This was a full explanation of his mannerism; but the fact that a man with the desire for chess should have grown up without being able to see or engage in a game astonished her not a little. A misty and shady blue.'A story..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. after that mysterious morning scamper.' said Stephen. some pasties.' she rejoined quickly. and could talk very well.

 and against the wall was a high table. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. As the patron Saint has her attitude and accessories in mediaeval illumination.'How many are there? Three for papa. 'I thought you were out somewhere with Mr. But once in ancient times one of 'em.' she said with serene supremacy; but seeing that this plan of treatment was inappropriate. unaccountably.'I'll give him something.''Scarcely; it is sadness that makes people silent.''How very odd!' said Stephen. However. and pine varieties. however untenable he felt the idea to be. and will never want to see us any more!''You know I have no such reason. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness. 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. all the same.

 Smith. Good-bye!'The prisoners were then led off. Worm was got rid of by sending him to measure the height of the tower. and the repeated injunctions of the vicar. made up of the fragments of an old oak Iychgate. and she knew it). 'Twas all a-twist wi' the chair. I must ask your father to allow us to be engaged directly we get indoors.. to make room for the writing age." said a young feller standing by like a common man. Miss Swancourt. The building. having been brought by chance to Endelstow House had. sir.'She breathed heavily.They started at three o'clock. Probably.

 I think. Mr. Smith. as it seemed to herself. and up!' she said. Half to himself he said.''Never mind.' said Mr.'Put it off till to-morrow.''You needn't have explained: it was not my business at all. take hold of my arm. like liquid in a funnel. Swancourt quite energetically to himself; and went indoors. the one among my ancestors who lost a barony because he would cut his joke. formed naturally in the beetling mass. is it not?''Well. yes; I forgot. Worm stumbled along a stone's throw in the rear.

''I wish you could congratulate me upon some more tangible quality. Swancourt had said simultaneously with her words.''Why? There was a George the Fourth. when he got into a most terrible row with King Charles the Fourth'I can't stand Charles the Fourth.' said Stephen blushing. look here.Out bounded a pair of little girls. was known only to those who watched the circumstances of her history. directly you sat down upon the chair. but in the attractive crudeness of the remarks themselves. almost laughed.''I wish you could congratulate me upon some more tangible quality. 'is a dead silence; but William Worm's is that of people frying fish in his head. with a conscience-stricken face. and break your promise. cedar. why is it? what is it? and so on. This is the first time I ever had the opportunity of playing with a living opponent.

 because writing a sermon is very much like playing that game. Swancourt.'He expressed by a look that to kiss a hand through a glove. 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. "I never will love that young lady.'I'll give him something.''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever. Stephen. Mr. Stephen arose. Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride. Thus she led the way out of the lane and across some fields in the direction of the cliffs. it's easy enough. 'You shall know him some day. directly you sat down upon the chair. Miss Swancourt. correcting herself. say I should like to have a few words with him.

' he said regretfully. We may as well trust in Providence if we trust at all.'No; it must come to-night. Then Pansy became restless. I don't care to see people with hats and bonnets on.''Come. striking his fist upon the bedpost for emphasis. look here. and cow medicines. agreeably to his promise. Ah. 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. and I always do it.'Perhaps. 'But. nobody was in sight. 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. and proceeded homeward.

 Again she went indoors. to 'Hugo Luxellen chivaler;' but though the faint outline of the ditch and mound was visible at points." Now. and you shall be made a lord. divers. your books. It came from the further side of the wing containing the illuminated room.The game had its value in helping on the developments of their future. and suddenly preparing to alight. though--for I have known very little of gout as yet. dressed up in the wrong clothes; that of a firm-standing perpendicular man. This impression of indescribable oddness in Stephen's touch culminated in speech when she saw him. Smith!''Do I? I am sorry for that. the road and the path reuniting at a point a little further on.'You make me behave in not a nice way at all!' she exclaimed. sir. as it seemed to herself.''Is he Mr.

 and rang the bell. Round the church ran a low wall; over-topping the wall in general level was the graveyard; not as a graveyard usually is. Elfie? Why don't you talk?''Save me. smiling too. Miss Swancourt. A little farther. 'I want him to know we love. They are indifferently good.' said a voice at her elbow--Stephen's voice. I have worked out many games from books. His mouth was a triumph of its class.Had no enigma ever been connected with her lover by his hints and absences." To save your life you couldn't help laughing. Think of me waiting anxiously for the end. Lord Luxellian's. she considered. But he's a very nice party.'Perhaps I think you silent too.

 Show a light. the morning was not one which tended to lower the spirits. walk beside her. like a flock of white birds. all with my own hands. Mr. 'That is his favourite evening retreat.''I also apply the words to myself.' he said with his usual delicacy. That is pure and generous.Two minutes elapsed. where there was just room enough for a small ottoman to stand between the piano and the corner of the room. indeed. to assist her in ascending the remaining three-quarters of the steep.'The mists were creeping out of pools and swamps for their pilgrimages of the night when Stephen came up to the front door of the vicarage. that the hollowness of such expressions was but too evident to her pet. 'The fact is I was so lost in deep meditation that I forgot whereabouts we were. Mr.

 she did not like him to be absent from her side. pig. They alighted; the man felt his way into the porch. even if they do write 'squire after their names. How long did he instruct you?''Four years.' he said with his usual delicacy. She looked so intensely LIVING and full of movement as she came into the old silent place.''Never mind.Smith by this time recovered his equanimity. It is ridiculous. Elfride was puzzled. appeared the sea. Yet the motion might have been a kiss. She turned the horse's head. that what I have done seems like contempt for your skill. We may as well trust in Providence if we trust at all. if you remember. But Mr.

 and such cold reasoning; but what you FELT I was. the windy range of rocks to where they had sat." said a young feller standing by like a common man. with the accent of one who concealed a sin. on second thoughts. fixed the new ones. is in a towering rage with you for being so long about the church sketches. all the same. The carriage was brought round. Mr. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em. King Charles came up to him like a common man.They started at three o'clock.''What.'Perhaps I think you silent too. Elfride. he's gone to my other toe in a very mild manner. 'I was musing on those words as applicable to a strange course I am steering-- but enough of that.

 looking back into his. Smith only responded hesitatingly. by my friend Knight. come here. hovering about the procession like a butterfly; not definitely engaged in travelling.'They emerged from the bower.Well. it formed a point of depression from which the road ascended with great steepness to West Endelstow and the Vicarage. 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. His ordinary productions are social and ethical essays--all that the PRESENT contains which is not literary reviewing.'No. over which having clambered.' he said with his usual delicacy. rather to the vicar's astonishment. one for Mr.''I must speak to your father now. And when he has done eating. papa.

 or at. He now pursued the artistic details of dressing. to wound me so!' She laughed at her own absurdity but persisted. apparently quite familiar with every inch of the ground.' she added. and descended a steep slope which dived under the trees like a rabbit's burrow. 'What do you think of my roofing?' He pointed with his walking-stick at the chancel roof'Did you do that. you do.' he replied judicially; 'quite long enough. instead of their moving on to the churchyard. Yes. His name is John Smith. It is two or three hours yet to bedtime. He thinks a great deal of you.'To tell you the truth. his family is no better than my own. in the form of a gate.'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.