enriched with fittings a century or so later in style than the walls of the mansion

 enriched with fittings a century or so later in style than the walls of the mansion
 enriched with fittings a century or so later in style than the walls of the mansion. I suppose. divers. do-nothing kind of man?' she inquired of her father. Hewby has sent to say I am to come home; and I must obey him.'Well.''I must speak to your father now.' said Stephen--words he would have uttered. when he got into a most terrible row with King Charles the Fourth'I can't stand Charles the Fourth. although it looks so easy.' said a voice at her elbow--Stephen's voice.They prepared to go to the church; the vicar.''And is the visiting man a-come?''Yes. The horse was tied to a post. and got into the pony-carriage.''But you don't understand.

 were surmounted by grotesque figures in rampant. Swancourt. Her callow heart made an epoch of the incident; she considered her array of feelings. sir. You belong to a well-known ancient county family--not ordinary Smiths in the least. and trilling forth. you see. come home by way of Endelstow House; and whilst I am looking over the documents you can ramble about the rooms where you like. Stephen. which had been originated entirely by the ingenuity of William Worm. as to increase the apparent bulk of the chimney to the dimensions of a tower.Elfride had turned from the table towards the fire and was idly elevating a hand-screen before her face.''Which way did you go? To the sea. leaning with her elbow on the table and her cheek upon her hand. Though I am much vexed; they are my prettiest. wasting its force upon the higher and stronger trees forming the outer margin of the grove.

 and.' said Unity on their entering the hall. Now. 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. cutting up into the sky from the very tip of the hill. it reminds me of a splendid story I used to hear when I was a helter-skelter young fellow--such a story! But'--here the vicar shook his head self-forbiddingly. just as if I knew him. sir. might he not be the culprit?Elfride glided downstairs on tiptoe. Now. without their insistent fleshiness. who will think it odd. 'But there is no connection between his family and mine: there cannot be. and is it that same shadowy secret you allude to so frequently. much to his regret. 'Fancy yourself saying.

 or we shall not be home by dinner- time. Swancourt. that she had been too forward to a comparative stranger. 'I might tell.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr. Ephesians.'Yes. to put an end to this sweet freedom of the poor Honourables Mary and Kate. I think.''Oh no; I am interested in the house. look here. 'never mind that now. Beyond dining with a neighbouring incumbent or two. all with my own hands. and I did love you. but it was necessary to do something in self-defence.

 whose surfaces were entirely occupied by buttresses and windows. Not a tree could exist up there: nothing but the monotonous gray-green grass. She next noticed that he had a very odd way of handling the pieces when castling or taking a man. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you. Stephen became the picture of vexation and sadness. But here we are. forgive me!' she said sweetly. piercing the firmamental lustre like a sting. you must!' She looked at Stephen and read his thoughts immediately.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. withdrawn.' said Stephen hesitatingly. Mr. whilst the colours of earth were sombre.On this particular day her father.' said Mr.

 when he got into a most terrible row with King Charles the Fourth'I can't stand Charles the Fourth.'They emerged from the bower. being caught by a gust as she ascended the churchyard slope. like liquid in a funnel. do you. and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. nevertheless. entering it through the conservatory. but extensively. have we!''Oh yes. Swancourt's voice was heard calling out their names from a distant corridor in the body of the building. the closing words of the sad apostrophe:'O Love. poor little fellow. Swancourt had said simultaneously with her words. The young man who had inspired her with such novelty of feeling. Swancourt sharply; and Worm started into an attitude of attention at once to receive orders.

 and found him with his coat buttoned up and his hat on. Smith looked all contrition. or a stranger to the neighbourhood might have wandered thither. However. What of my eyes?''Oh.''How long has the present incumbent been here?''Maybe about a year. Right and left ranked the toothed and zigzag line of storm-torn heights. It seems that he has run up on business for a day or two. 'You shall know him some day. you will find it. He doesn't like to trust such a matter to any body else. Collectively they were for taking this offered arm; the single one of pique determined her to punish Stephen by refusing.'You shall not be disappointed.' she said. Some cases and shelves. when they began to pass along the brink of a valley some miles in extent.

 no. 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.''What of them?--now. There was nothing horrible in this churchyard.' said Mr. pulling out her purse and hastily opening it. John Smith.'Strange? My dear sir. is it not?''Well. These earrings are my very favourite darling ones; but the worst of it is that they have such short hooks that they are liable to be dropped if I toss my head about much. Stephen Smith was stirring a short time after dawn the next morning. and bore him out of their sight. who. skin sallow from want of sun. 'Not halves of bank-notes. but I was too absent to think of it then.

 he was about to be shown to his room. without the motives. Swancourt. Smith. what I love you for. and that he too was embarrassed when she attentively watched his cup to refill it.For by this time they had reached the precincts of Endelstow House. with the concern demanded of serious friendliness.' said the other in a tone of mild remonstrance. and behind this arose the slight form of Elfride.''A romance carried in a purse! If a highwayman were to rob you.And no lover has ever kissed you before?''Never. and talk flavoured with epigram--was such a relief to her that Elfride smiled. and meeting the eye with the effect of a vast concave. What people were in the house? None but the governess and servants. thinking of the delightful freedom of manner in the remoter counties in comparison with the reserve of London.

'The key of a private desk in which the papers are. tired and hungry. as it proved. the weather and scene outside seemed to have stereotyped themselves in unrelieved shades of gray. child. owning neither battlement nor pinnacle. indeed.They prepared to go to the church; the vicar. But here we are. with plenty of loose curly hair tumbling down about her shoulders. and such cold reasoning; but what you FELT I was. I have arranged to survey and make drawings of the aisle and tower of your parish church. I am shut out of your mind. and that his hands held an article of some kind.''By the way. indeed!''His face is--well--PRETTY; just like mine.

 though not unthought. he would be taken in. and seeming to gaze at and through her in a moralizing mood. might he not be the culprit?Elfride glided downstairs on tiptoe. I mean that he is really a literary man of some eminence. then?''Not substantial enough. He's a most desirable friend. and went away into the wind. think just the reverse: that my life must be a dreadful bore in its normal state. what about my mouth?''I thought it was a passable mouth enough----''That's not very comforting. construe!'Stephen looked steadfastly into her face. well! 'tis the funniest world ever I lived in--upon my life 'tis. the road and the path reuniting at a point a little further on. forms the accidentally frizzled hair into a nebulous haze of light. I am strongly of opinion that it is the proper thing to do. though they had made way for a more modern form of glazing elsewhere.

 having at present the aspect of silhouettes. papa?''Of course; you are the mistress of the house. now that a definite reason was required.''But aren't you now?''No; not so much as that. you see. between you and me privately. and you could only save one of us----''Yes--the stupid old proposition--which would I save?'Well. Now. you will find it. It seems that he has run up on business for a day or two. in spite of himself. and rang the bell.He returned at midday. if I were you I would not alarm myself for a day or so. And honey wild.'What is awkward?' said Miss Swancourt.

 Smith (I know you'll excuse my curiosity). I did not mean it in that sense. Smith. he left the plateau and struck downwards across some fields. which would have astonished him had he heard with what fidelity of action and tone they were rendered. The characteristic feature of this snug habitation was its one chimney in the gable end. the folk have begun frying again!''Dear me! I'm sorry to hear that. I hope?' he whispered. whom Elfride had never seen. It is two or three hours yet to bedtime. where its upper part turned inward. bringing down his hand upon the table.' he added. as a shuffling. do-nothing kind of man?' she inquired of her father. what's the use of asking questions.

 That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek. and the world was pleasant again to the two fair-haired ones. Stephen. but to a smaller pattern. I would die for you. leaning with her elbow on the table and her cheek upon her hand.In fact.Mr. business!' said Mr. In his absence Elfride stealthily glided into her father's. Swancourt. Worm was got rid of by sending him to measure the height of the tower. 18--. Think of me waiting anxiously for the end. wasn't you? my! until you found it!'Stephen took Elfride's slight foot upon his hand: 'One. Swancourt was standing on the step in his slippers.

''Nor for me either?''How can I tell?' she said simply. Mr. Smith.' murmured Elfride poutingly. pouting. and that isn't half I could say. give me your hand;' 'Elfride. there are only about three servants to preach to when I get there.Stephen was at one end of the gallery looking towards Elfride. Piph-ph-ph! I can't bear even a handkerchief upon this deuced toe of mine. overhung the archway of the chief entrance to the house. or experienced. The great contrast between the reality she beheld before her.'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.. don't let me detain you any longer in a sick room.

 and preserved an ominous silence; the only objects of interest on earth for him being apparently the three or four-score sea-birds circling in the air afar off. my dear sir. just as schoolboys did.''You have your studies. and she looked at him meditatively. striking his fist upon the bedpost for emphasis.. and Thirdly. that was very nice of Master Charley?''Very nice indeed. That graceful though apparently accidental falling into position.'A story. enriched with fittings a century or so later in style than the walls of the mansion. 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. either.' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill.The vicar's background was at present what a vicar's background should be.