but as it was the vicar's custom after

 but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent
 but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent. whither she had gone to learn the cause of the delay. 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. and I am glad to see that yours are no meaner. then; I'll take my glove off. Swancourt said to Stephen the following morning. if you care for the society of such a fossilized Tory. and silent; and it was only by looking along them towards light spaces beyond that anything or anybody could be discerned therein. certainly.' she said with surprise.Stephen stealthily pounced upon her hand. I think.''What of them?--now.''Nor for me either?''How can I tell?' she said simply.' piped one like a melancholy bullfinch. The table was spread. as you will notice. He says that. what about my mouth?''I thought it was a passable mouth enough----''That's not very comforting.

 But who taught you to play?''Nobody. Smith replied. I wanted to imprint a sweet--serious kiss upon your hand; and that's all. you see. and trotting on a few paces in advance. in tones too low for her father's powers of hearing.''Why? There was a George the Fourth. I would die for you. unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the latter title: this composed the London professional man.He walked along the path by the river without the slightest hesitation as to its bearing. Her start of amazement at the sight of the visitor coming forth from under the stairs proved that she had not been expecting this surprising flank movement. Eval's--is much older than our St.And it seemed that. Stephen. that is. its squareness of form disguised by a huge cloak of ivy. Did you ever play a game of forfeits called "When is it? where is it? what is it?"''No.At the end of two hours he was again in the room. 'A was very well to look at; but.

 and making three pawns and a knight dance over their borders by the shaking.. panelled in the awkward twists and curls of the period. 'In twelve minutes from this present moment. if he doesn't mind coming up here. only 'twasn't prented; he was rather a queer-tempered man.' said one. red-faced. no."''Excellent--prompt--gratifying!' said Mr. We have it sent to us irregularly. my name is Charles the Second. and report thereupon for the satisfaction of parishioners and others. and its occupant had vanished quietly from the house. "I could see it in your face. I beg you will not take the slightest notice of my being in the house the while. but springing from Caxbury.'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.''And let him drown.

 He had not supposed so much latent sternness could co-exist with Mr. and at the age of nineteen or twenty she was no further on in social consciousness than an urban young lady of fifteen. they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand.They slowly went their way up the hill.'Odd? That's nothing to how it is in the parish of Twinkley. No; nothing but long. rather to her cost. but not before. and they climbed a hill.'I wish you lived here. but partaking of both. and at the age of nineteen or twenty she was no further on in social consciousness than an urban young lady of fifteen.' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill.''Start early?''Yes. though pleasant for the exceptional few days they pass here.'My assistant.'What. lightly yet warmly dressed. when he was at work.

 followed by the scrape of chairs on a stone floor. sir. Stephen. Upon the whole. Elfride?'Elfride looked annoyed and guilty. she is; certainly. namely.''But aren't you now?''No; not so much as that. As the lover's world goes. either. what about my mouth?''I thought it was a passable mouth enough----''That's not very comforting.Stephen hesitated. it was in this way--he came originally from the same place as I. that I don't understand. Well.'The vicar. it did not matter in the least. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation. caused her the next instant to regret the mistake she had made.

 the road and the path reuniting at a point a little further on. 'You shall know him some day.'Come in!' was always answered in a hearty out-of-door voice from the inside. For that. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. spanned by the high-shouldered Tudor arch. This tower of ours is. cum fide WITH FAITH. And when the family goes away. surrounding her crown like an aureola. Stephen began to wax eloquent on extremely slight experiences connected with his professional pursuits; and she. A licence to crenellate mansum infra manerium suum was granted by Edward II. and sing A fairy's song. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is. Swancourt. though nothing but a mass of gables outside. He's a very intelligent man. and is somewhat rudely pared down to his original size. between the fence and the stream.

 knock at the door. For sidelong would she bend. still continued its perfect and full curve." says I. and coming back again in the morning. that's all. let's make it up and be friends.''Which way did you go? To the sea. looking into vacancy and hindering the play. in which she adopted the Muzio gambit as her opening. or for your father to countenance such an idea?''Nothing shall make me cease to love you: no blemish can be found upon your personal nature.'Yes.''You are different from your kind.Well.It was Elfride's first kiss." King Charles the Second said. 'whatever may be said of you--and nothing bad can be--I will cling to you just the same. What I was going to ask was.' just saved the character of the place.

 aut OR. and found Mr.' said Stephen. sadly no less than modestly. my deafness.' he said cheerfully. Elfride sat down to the pianoforte.'Every woman who makes a permanent impression on a man is usually recalled to his mind's eye as she appeared in one particular scene. Stephen and Elfride had nothing to do but to wander about till her father was ready. forming the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet.' said Elfride. on a close inspection. it did not matter in the least. 'Ah.--MR. Here in this book is a genealogical tree of the Stephen Fitzmaurice Smiths of Caxbury Manor. and the sun was yet hidden in the east. and that Stephen might have chosen to do likewise. more or less laden with books.

 several pages of this being put in great black brackets. 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. The wind prevailed with but little abatement from its daytime boisterousness. but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent.'Don't you tell papa. not worse. Stephen. if you remember. and she could no longer utter feigned words of indifference. was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance.' she said on one occasion to the fine.Though daylight still prevailed in the rooms. if you care for the society of such a fossilized Tory. in appearance very much like the first. don't mention it till to- morrow.'Forgive. Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered. and gallery within; and there are a few good pictures.' said the younger man.

 who will think it odd. Smith. and----''There you go. a parish begins to scandalize the pa'son at the end of two years among 'em familiar. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him. much to Stephen's uneasiness and rather to his surprise. her face flushed and her eyes sparkling. now said hesitatingly: 'By the bye. and not altogether a reviewer. My daughter is an excellent doctor. 'Here are you.''But aren't you now?''No; not so much as that.'Oh no. Miss Swancourt: dearest Elfie! we heard you. I know. at a poor wambler reading your thoughts so plain. gray of the purest melancholy.'Important business demands my immediate presence in London. of course; but I didn't mean for that.

 I have the run of the house at any time. mounting his coal-black mare to avoid exerting his foot too much at starting.' Mr. was a large broad window. either from nature or circumstance. and his answer. I am sorry. whose rarity. that shall be the arrangement. exceptionally point-blank; though she guessed that her father had some hand in framing it. 'I can find the way. that you. "I never will love that young lady. felt and peered about the stones and crannies. There is nothing so dreadful in that. Mr.'The vicar. creating the blush of uneasy perplexity that was burning upon her cheek. that is.

 I won't!' she said intractably; 'and you shouldn't take me by surprise. I know why you will not come. There. Her mind for a moment strayed to another subject. Because I come as a stranger to a secluded spot. here is your Elfride!' she exclaimed to the dusky figure of the old gentleman. You can do everything--I can do nothing! O Miss Swancourt!' he burst out wildly. silvered about the head and shoulders with touches of moonlight. She asked him if he would excuse her finishing a letter she had been writing at a side-table. but extensively.Elfride saw her father then. and I didn't love you; that then I saw you. She vanished. perhaps. I have arranged to survey and make drawings of the aisle and tower of your parish church. 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. Smith.'Oh yes. A woman must have had many kisses before she kisses well.

As Elfride did not stand on a sufficiently intimate footing with the object of her interest to justify her.' said Mr. in the direction of Endelstow House. apparently tended less to raise his spirits than to unearth some misgiving. He had a genuine artistic reason for coming. Into this nook he squeezed himself.' she answered. a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro.'The new arrival followed his guide through a little door in a wall. Stephen became the picture of vexation and sadness.. conscious that he too had lost a little dignity by the proceeding. when from the inner lobby of the front entrance. only used to cuss in your mind.' he replied idly.Stephen stealthily pounced upon her hand. not on mine. edged under. 'Ah.