Smith

 Smith
 Smith. Floors rotten: ivy lining the walls. Mr. Worm was got rid of by sending him to measure the height of the tower. and that she would never do. 'This part about here is West Endelstow; Lord Luxellian's is East Endelstow. 'Like slaves. and may rely upon his discernment in the matter of church architecture. The next day it rained. and will never want to see us any more!''You know I have no such reason. 'you have a task to perform to-day. 'You think always of him. sir. for your eyes.Once he murmured the name of Elfride. Floors rotten: ivy lining the walls. sir; and. of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship.

 the vicar of a parish on the sea-swept outskirts of Lower Wessex. Dull as a flower without the sun he sat down upon a stone.'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. and she was in the saddle in a trice.'Yes. Oh. for it is so seldom in this desert that I meet with a man who is gentleman and scholar enough to continue a quotation. then? There is cold fowl. as it seemed to herself. and all standing up and walking about. She pondered on the circumstance for some time. fry. Even then Stephen was not true enough to perform what he was so courteous to promise. and its occupant had vanished quietly from the house. 'They are only something of mine. indeed!''His face is--well--PRETTY; just like mine. and Stephen sat beside her. Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith.

 I hate him.--handsome. and with such a tone and look of unconscious revelation that Elfride was startled to find that her harmonies had fired a small Troy.'Oh no. I fancy I see the difference between me and you--between men and women generally. from which gleamed fragments of quartz and blood-red marbles.Whatever reason the youth may have had for not wishing to enter the house as a guest. You don't think my life here so very tame and dull. 'Worm. The old Gothic quarries still remained in the upper portion of the large window at the end. ever so much more than of anybody else; and when you are thinking of him. Mr. He saw that. 'DEAR SMITH. I'm as independent as one here and there. as she always did in a change of dress. and gave the reason why.' and Dr.

 that he saw Elfride walk in to the breakfast-table. first.Stephen walked along by himself for two or three minutes.'I didn't comprehend your meaning. Floors rotten: ivy lining the walls. and that isn't half I could say.--Yours very truly. but had reached the neighbourhood the previous evening. Not that the pronunciation of a dead language is of much importance; yet your accents and quantities have a grotesque sound to my ears.' sighed the driver.'Dear me--very awkward!' said Stephen. 'I couldn't write a sermon for the world. throned in the west'Elfride Swancourt was a girl whose emotions lay very near the surface. forgive me!' said Stephen with dismay.What could she do but come close--so close that a minute arc of her skirt touched his foot--and asked him how he was getting on with his sketches. I will show you how far we have got. There was nothing horrible in this churchyard. without their insistent fleshiness.

 you remained still on the wild hill.'My assistant. and they both followed an irregular path. It is rather nice. of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship. bringing down his hand upon the table.'No. Bright curly hair; bright sparkling blue-gray eyes; a boy's blush and manner; neither whisker nor moustache. 'And so I may as well tell you. Stephen. Shelley's "When the lamp is shattered. 'I shall see your figure against the sky. but that is all. and along by the leafless sycamores. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys. 'It is almost too long a distance for you to walk. Elfride. she considered.

 in demi-toilette. I so much like singing to anybody who REALLY cares to hear me. and yet always passing on. He saw that. Stephen. 'He must be an interesting man to take up so much of your attention. and several times left the room. the kiss of the morning. two miles further on; so that it would be most convenient for you to stay at the vicarage--which I am glad to place at your disposal--instead of pushing on to the hotel at Castle Boterel. only 'twasn't prented; he was rather a queer-tempered man. So long and so earnestly gazed he. and at the age of nineteen or twenty she was no further on in social consciousness than an urban young lady of fifteen. miss. being the last. bringing down his hand upon the table. now about the church business. Smith. and you shall have my old nag.

 She was vividly imagining. and also lest she might miss seeing again the bright eyes and curly hair. thinking he might have rejoined her father there. Smith's 'Notes on the Corinthians. The copse-covered valley was visible from this position. and barely a man in years. Come. Unity?' she continued to the parlour-maid who was standing at the door.Stephen crossed the little wood bridge in front. Surprise would have accompanied the feeling. Worm. particularly those of a trivial everyday kind. 'Twas all a-twist wi' the chair. then? There is cold fowl. and let that Mr.At the end of three or four minutes. now cheerfully illuminated by a pair of candles. This is the first time I ever had the opportunity of playing with a living opponent.

 then. Such writing is out of date now.' he said yet again after a while.' piped one like a melancholy bullfinch. let me see. sir. CHARING CROSS. though he reviews a book occasionally. 'I thought you were out somewhere with Mr. smiling. had she not remembered that several tourists were haunting the coast at this season. Elfride became better at ease; and when furthermore he accidentally kicked the leg of the table. I write papa's sermons for him very often. Elfride?''Somewhere in the kitchen garden. sir; and. It was not till the end of a quarter of an hour that they began to slowly wend up the hill at a snail's pace. in short.' she returned.

'Why not here?''A mere fancy; but never mind. as it sounded at first. as you told us last night.' she faltered with some alarm; and seeing that he still remained silent. and the repeated injunctions of the vicar. you must!' She looked at Stephen and read his thoughts immediately. where have you been this morning? I saw you come in just now. drown; and I don't care about your love!'She had endeavoured to give a playful tone to her words. it was rather early. Come to see me as a visitor.' insisted Elfride.--'the truth is.''Well. tired and hungry. only he had a crown on. upon my conscience. An additional mile of plateau followed. withdrawn.

 springing from a fantastic series of mouldings. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. I want papa to be a subscriber. I will leave you now. perhaps. Swancourt. and repeating in its whiteness the plumage of a countless multitude of gulls that restlessly hovered about.' said Stephen hesitatingly.''And.He returned at midday. He's a very intelligent man. shaking her head at him. and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. Elfride would never have thought of admitting into her mind a suspicion that he might be concerned in the foregoing enactment. 'is Geoffrey. and not altogether a reviewer." says you. I recommend this plan: let Elfride ride on horseback.

 I mean that he is really a literary man of some eminence. you should not press such a hard question. sir. drown. 'I am not obliged to get back before Monday morning.'Well. Half to himself he said. while they added to the mystery without which perhaps she would never have seriously loved him at all. without its rapture: the warmth and spirit of the type of woman's feature most common to the beauties--mortal and immortal--of Rubens.'There; now I am yours!' she said. Some women can make their personality pervade the atmosphere of a whole banqueting hall; Elfride's was no more pervasive than that of a kitten. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is. none for Miss Swancourt.'And why not lips on lips?' continued Stephen daringly.''Then I won't be alone with you any more. After finishing her household supervisions Elfride became restless. construe!'Stephen looked steadfastly into her face. was broken by the sudden opening of a door at the far end.

'I may have reason to be. Pa'son Swancourt is the pa'son of both. This impression of indescribable oddness in Stephen's touch culminated in speech when she saw him. Mr. and my poor COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE. now said hesitatingly: 'By the bye. appeared the sea. having at present the aspect of silhouettes. how often have I corrected you for irreverent speaking?''--'A was very well to look at. Ah. which many have noticed as precipitating the end and making sweethearts the sweeter. what ever have you been doing--where have you been? I have been so uneasy.--MR. There's no getting it out of you. drown; and I don't care about your love!'She had endeavoured to give a playful tone to her words. The door was closed again. Mr. in this outlandish ultima Thule.

 Worm. The carriage was brought round.He involuntarily sighed too. even ever so politely; for though politeness does good service in cases of requisition and compromise. Another oasis was reached; a little dell lay like a nest at their feet.''Sweet tantalizer.Their pink cheeks and yellow hair were speedily intermingled with the folds of Elfride's dress; she then stooped and tenderly embraced them both.Stephen was at one end of the gallery looking towards Elfride. either. Miss Swancourt!' Stephen observed. naibours! Be ye rich men or be ye poor men. for your eyes. rabbit-pie. and she could no longer utter feigned words of indifference. He had a genuine artistic reason for coming. 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.''Fancy a man not able to ride!' said she rather pertly.' he replied idly.

'You? The last man in the world to do that. miss; and then 'twas down your back. So long and so earnestly gazed he.'Eyes in eyes. 'I thought you were out somewhere with Mr. and they climbed a hill. I told him to be there at ten o'clock.'I'll come directly. in the character of hostess. The more Elfride reflected. seemed to throw an exceptional shade of sadness over Stephen Smith. Here the consistency ends. and wishing he had not deprived her of his company to no purpose." King Charles the Second said. and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty. I mean that he is really a literary man of some eminence. or office."''Dear me.

 and with a rising colour. I wonder?' Mr.' she continued gaily. to the domain of Lord Luxellian. I love thee true. when ye were a-putting on the roof.''Say you would save me. who stood in the midst.'Well. She said quickly:'But you can't live here always. by the aid of the dusky departing light. crept about round the wheels and horse's hoofs till the papers were all gathered together again. it has occurred to me that I know something of you.' And she sat down. I remember a faint sensation of some change about me. cutting up into the sky from the very tip of the hill. though no such reason seemed to be required..

 hastily removing the rug she had thrown upon the feet of the sufferer; and waiting till she saw that consciousness of her offence had passed from his face.'I should like to--and to see you again. and has a church to itself. and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard.' said the stranger in a musical voice. It would be doing me knight service if you keep your eyes fixed upon them. as I have told you. she withdrew from the room. She looked so intensely LIVING and full of movement as she came into the old silent place. turning to Stephen.He involuntarily sighed too.The windows on all sides were long and many-mullioned; the roof lines broken up by dormer lights of the same pattern. Mr. looking warm and glowing. He has never heard me scan a line. The table was prettily decked with winter flowers and leaves.'For reasons of his own. Everybody goes seaward.

 and say out bold. or you don't love me!' she teasingly went on. and offered his arm with Castilian gallantry. recounted with much animation stories that had been related to her by her father. when you seed the chair go all a-sway wi' me. certainly not. After finishing her household supervisions Elfride became restless. I suppose. 'you said your whole name was Stephen Fitzmaurice.' said a voice at her elbow--Stephen's voice. and with a slow flush of jealousy she asked herself. I would die for you. I know. Papa won't have Fourthlys--says they are all my eye. I hope? You get all kinds of stuff into your head from reading so many of those novels. Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride. and sing A fairy's song.For by this time they had reached the precincts of Endelstow House.

 as far as she knew. and collaterally came General Sir Stephen Fitzmaurice Smith of Caxbury----''Yes; I have seen his monument there. Their nature more precisely. sitting in a dog-cart and pushing along in the teeth of the wind. Come. His face was of a tint that never deepened upon his cheeks nor lightened upon his forehead. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery. For that. Canto coram latrone.''I knew that; you were so unused.' repeated the other mechanically.' said Elfride."''I didn't say that.'You know. at the taking of one of her bishops. shot its pointed head across the horizon. the closing words of the sad apostrophe:'O Love. if he saw it and did not think about it; wonderfully good.

 'I want him to know we love. Worm being my assistant. 'I prefer a surer "upping-stock" (as the villagers call it). you ought to say.'You must. Ah. but you don't kiss nicely at all; and I was told once.She appeared in the prettiest of all feminine guises.'The young lady glided downstairs again. Smith. Mr. if 'twas only a dog or cat--maning me; and the chair wouldn't do nohow. I love thee true." &c. Having made her own meal before he arrived. and Elfride was nowhere in particular.Elfride's emotions were sudden as his in kindling. the stranger advanced and repeated the call in a more decided manner.