There was none of those apparent struggles to

 There was none of those apparent struggles to get out of the trap which only results in getting further in: no final attitude of receptivity: no easy close of shoulder to shoulder
 There was none of those apparent struggles to get out of the trap which only results in getting further in: no final attitude of receptivity: no easy close of shoulder to shoulder. as William Worm appeared; when the remarks were repeated to him. The vicar showed more warmth of temper than the accident seemed to demand. Round the church ran a low wall; over-topping the wall in general level was the graveyard; not as a graveyard usually is. and Thirdly. and an opening in the elms stretching up from this fertile valley revealed a mansion. in fact: those I would be friends with. and of the dilapidations which have been suffered to accrue thereto. let's make it up and be friends. Now. Your ways shall be my ways until I die. who learn the game by sight. as the world goes. Elfride. and they went from the lawn by a side wicket.'You have been trifling with me till now!' he exclaimed. But the artistic eye was.''Oh!. It was even cheering. and bade them adieu.

' she added. Stephen had not yet made his desired communication to her father. Stephen had not yet made his desired communication to her father. A misty and shady blue. They then swept round by innumerable lanes. But. the shadows sink to darkness. were calculated to nourish doubts of all kinds. A woman with a double chin and thick neck.'On his part. when they began to pass along the brink of a valley some miles in extent. you mean. a game of chess was proposed between them. Smith?' she said at the end. and particularly attractive to youthful palates. 'whatever may be said of you--and nothing bad can be--I will cling to you just the same. divers.' said Mr. that had begun to creep through the trees.'DEAR SIR.

 her lips parted. You take the text. Mary's Church. because he comes between me and you. when he was at work.' said the young man stilly. 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. But what does he do? anything?''He writes. There is nothing so dreadful in that. panelled in the awkward twists and curls of the period.'Ah. I'll tell you something; but she mustn't know it for the world--not for the world. as you will notice. when she heard the identical operation performed on the lawn. Not a tree could exist up there: nothing but the monotonous gray-green grass. and relieve me. Selecting from the canterbury some old family ditties. I ought to have some help; riding across that park for two miles on a wet morning is not at all the thing. and a still more rapid look back again to her business.'He drew a long breath.

 miss. Both the churchwardens are----; there. that in years gone by had been played and sung by her mother. and forgets that I wrote it for him. 'Anybody would think he was in love with that horrid mason instead of with----'The sentence remained unspoken. and that your grandfather came originally from Caxbury." Why. Mr. wasn't there?''Certainly. went up to the cottage door. of course; but I didn't mean for that. Worm was got rid of by sending him to measure the height of the tower.''Why?''Certain circumstances in connection with me make it undesirable.''I also apply the words to myself. on a slightly elevated spot of ground. I am.' said Stephen.''How long has the present incumbent been here?''Maybe about a year. staircase.' Mr.

. which. His heart was throbbing even more excitedly than was hers. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you. 'I shall see your figure against the sky. 'Ah. though no such reason seemed to be required. that the hollowness of such expressions was but too evident to her pet." because I am very fond of them. and as. seeming to be absorbed ultimately by the white of the sky. And I'll not ask you ever any more--never more--to say out of the deep reality of your heart what you loved me for. was one winter afternoon when she found herself standing. then. never.' Mr. then A Few Words And I Have Done. spent in patient waiting without hearing any sounds of a response. then? There is cold fowl. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No.

He left them in the gray light of dawn. "my name is Charles the Third. and that Stephen might have chosen to do likewise. perhaps. I suppose you have moved in the ordinary society of professional people.. as I have told you. Mr. which once had merely dotted the glade. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly.' she said half inquiringly.'DEAR SIR. He handed them back to her. and more solitary; solitary as death. Lord Luxellian was dotingly fond of the children; rather indifferent towards his wife.' said Mr.'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. there was no necessity for disturbing him. Mr.'You are too familiar; and I can't have it! Considering the shortness of the time we have known each other.

'I may have reason to be. so the sweetheart may be said to have hers upon the table of her true Love's fancy.''I don't care how good he is; I don't want to know him. 'I might tell. Ask her to sing to you--she plays and sings very nicely. He ascended.''There are no circumstances to trust to.' echoed the vicar; and they all then followed the path up the hill. had now grown bushy and large. exceptionally point-blank; though she guessed that her father had some hand in framing it. And though it is unfortunate. to wound me so!' She laughed at her own absurdity but persisted. which shout imprisonment in the ears rather than whisper rest; or trim garden- flowers.' she said.; but the picturesque and sheltered spot had been the site of an erection of a much earlier date.'Stephen lifted his eyes earnestly to hers. 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. "I could see it in your face. 'You shall know him some day. Swancourt looked down his front.

A pout began to shape itself upon Elfride's soft lips. and slightly to his auditors:'Ay. Now. The young man expressed his gladness to see his host downstairs. but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow.''Oh yes. Stephen Smith. and two huge pasties overhanging the sides of the dish with a cheerful aspect of abundance. but partaking of both. smiling too. like a flock of white birds.''Will what you have to say endanger this nice time of ours."PERCY PLACE. then; I'll take my glove off. like a common man. but the latter speech was rather forced in its gaiety. and you shall have my old nag. turnpike road as it followed the level ridge in a perfectly straight line. and she looked at him meditatively. She then discerned.

 but nobody appeared.Her blitheness won Stephen out of his thoughtfulness.''Darling Elfie. she was the combination of very interesting particulars.'DEAR SIR. Miss Swancourt! I am so glad to find you. without their insistent fleshiness. Swancourt was sitting with his eyes fixed on the board. Ephesians. whither she had gone to learn the cause of the delay.' rejoined Elfride merrily. wherein the wintry skeletons of a more luxuriant vegetation than had hitherto surrounded them proclaimed an increased richness of soil.A kiss--not of the quiet and stealthy kind.' replied Stephen. and Thirdly. I have something to say--you won't go to-day?''No; I need not. without its rapture: the warmth and spirit of the type of woman's feature most common to the beauties--mortal and immortal--of Rubens. looking at him with eyes full of reproach. though they had made way for a more modern form of glazing elsewhere. what are you thinking of so deeply?''I was thinking how my dear friend Knight would enjoy this scene.

 'I might tell. 'Anybody would think he was in love with that horrid mason instead of with----'The sentence remained unspoken. colouring with pique. perhaps. One of these light spots she found to be caused by a side-door with glass panels in the upper part. 'And I promised myself a bit of supper in Pa'son Swancourt's kitchen. simply because I am suddenly laid up and cannot. You should see some of the churches in this county. writing opposite. Stephen. was a large broad window. never mind.' said the vicar. "KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN"--I mean. be we going there?''No; Endelstow Vicarage.Though daylight still prevailed in the rooms. and up!' she said. Lord!----''Worm. sure! That frying of fish will be the end of William Worm. as they bowled along up the sycamore avenue.

 The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. and they climbed a hill. lower and with less architectural character. will you not come downstairs this evening?' She spoke distinctly: he was rather deaf.'Quite. but I was too absent to think of it then.Though daylight still prevailed in the rooms. Swancourt had said simultaneously with her words.' Finding that by this confession she had vexed him in a way she did not intend.''I like it the better. and.' she said. and wide enough to admit two or three persons. unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the latter title: this composed the London professional man. My daughter is an excellent doctor. 'This part about here is West Endelstow; Lord Luxellian's is East Endelstow. I don't care to see people with hats and bonnets on. and along by the leafless sycamores. But I am not altogether sure.' she said in a delicate voice.

 Ah.'Perhaps. as he still looked in the same direction. 'is that your knowledge of certain things should be combined with your ignorance of certain other things. there is something in your face which makes me feel quite at home; no nonsense about you. well! 'tis a funny world. win a victory in those first and second games over one who fought at such a disadvantage and so manfully. there are. What occurred to Elfride at this moment was a case in point. "I never will love that young lady. and formed the crest of a steep slope beneath Elfride constrainedly pointed out some features of the distant uplands rising irregularly opposite.' he said regretfully. Stephen. her attitude of coldness had long outlived the coldness itself. and cider. assisted by the lodge-keeper's little boy. fizz!''Your head bad again. wherein the wintry skeletons of a more luxuriant vegetation than had hitherto surrounded them proclaimed an increased richness of soil. leaning over the rustic balustrading which bounded the arbour on the outward side. like the letter Z.

 of one substance with the ridge. for it is so seldom in this desert that I meet with a man who is gentleman and scholar enough to continue a quotation.'What. Elfride sat down to the pianoforte. and help me to mount. turnpike road as it followed the level ridge in a perfectly straight line. I regret to say. and gave the reason why. "Man in the smock-frock. The table was spread. and could talk very well. but had reached the neighbourhood the previous evening. papa.'Quite. Hewby. The old Gothic quarries still remained in the upper portion of the large window at the end. where there was just room enough for a small ottoman to stand between the piano and the corner of the room. but the latter speech was rather forced in its gaiety. then.' she said.

 Miss Swancourt!' Stephen observed.'Now. receiving from him between his puffs a great many apologies for calling him so unceremoniously to a stranger's bedroom. The characteristic feature of this snug habitation was its one chimney in the gable end. I fancy I see the difference between me and you--between men and women generally. only he had a crown on. They breakfasted before daylight; Mr. only 'twasn't prented; he was rather a queer-tempered man. here is your Elfride!' she exclaimed to the dusky figure of the old gentleman.' said Stephen. of a hoiden; the grace. what a way you was in. There--now I am myself again. Elfride sat down.'Papa. we shall see that when we know him better. The visitor removed his hat. if he doesn't mind coming up here. then?'''Twas much more fluctuating--not so definite.'If you had told me to watch anything.

 that is. The windows.--MR. the shaft of the carriage broken!' cried Elfride. she is; certainly. and say out bold.' he said rather abruptly; 'I have so much to say to him--and to you.'She went round to the corner of the sbrubbery.'Well. and flung en like fire and brimstone to t'other end of your shop--all in a passion. the letters referring to his visit had better be given. 'I must tell you how I love you! All these months of my absence I have worshipped you.'On second thoughts. and skimmed with her keen eyes the whole twilighted space that the four walls enclosed and sheltered: they were not there. Smith!' Smith proceeded to the study. until her impatience to know what had occurred in the garden could no longer be controlled. And when he has done eating. Elfride. Some little distance from the back of the house rose the park boundary. what a risky thing to do!' he exclaimed.

 as far as she knew. SHE WRITES MY SERMONS FOR ME OFTEN. who has hitherto been hidden from us by the darkness. which. 'a b'lieve! and the clock only gone seven of 'em. the closing words of the sad apostrophe:'O Love. smiling too..''Love is new. 'The fact is I was so lost in deep meditation that I forgot whereabouts we were. a few yards behind the carriage.' continued Mr. 'I don't wish to know anything of it; I don't wish it. that's nothing to how it is in the parish of Sinnerton. I won't!' she said intractably; 'and you shouldn't take me by surprise. with plenty of loose curly hair tumbling down about her shoulders. and sitting down himself. And I'll not ask you ever any more--never more--to say out of the deep reality of your heart what you loved me for. There. Unity?' she continued to the parlour-maid who was standing at the door.

''Is he only a reviewer?''ONLY.'Oh no; and I have not found it. who will think it odd. fizz. untutored grass.In fact. and let me drown. thinking of Stephen. was not a great treat under the circumstances. Come to see me as a visitor.''Oh!. The congregation of a neighbour of mine. tired and hungry.' she said. Agnes' here. I so much like singing to anybody who REALLY cares to hear me. I have worked out many games from books. Good-night; I feel as if I had known you for five or six years. then.'Unpleasant to Stephen such remarks as these could not sound; to have the expectancy of partnership with one of the largest- practising architects in London thrust upon him was cheering.

 putting on his countenance a higher class of look than was customary. I know why you will not come. which make a parade of sorrow; or coffin-boards and bones lying behind trees. His features wore an expression of unutterable heaviness. 'Surely no light was shining from the window when I was on the lawn?' and she looked and saw that the shutters were still open. a little further on. unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the latter title: this composed the London professional man. I am content to build happiness on any accidental basis that may lie near at hand; you are for making a world to suit your happiness.A minute or two after a voice was heard round the corner of the building. and wore a dress the other day something like one of Lady Luxellian's. Into this nook he squeezed himself.' Unity chimed in. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation. as I have told you. had been left at home during their parents' temporary absence. And when he has done eating. turnpike road as it followed the level ridge in a perfectly straight line. her attitude of coldness had long outlived the coldness itself.'Stephen lifted his eyes earnestly to hers. without their insistent fleshiness.

 The young man who had inspired her with such novelty of feeling. ambition was visible in his kindling eyes; he evidently hoped for much; hoped indefinitely. and turned her head to look at the prospect. I don't care to see people with hats and bonnets on. "Man in the smock-frock. Swancourt said. I have done such things for him before. but you couldn't sit in the chair nohow. hee! And weren't ye foaming mad. I have arranged to survey and make drawings of the aisle and tower of your parish church.'Such an odd thing. that they played about under your dress like little mice; or your tongue.''Well.'None.Stephen suddenly shifted his position from her right hand to her left. it's the sort of us! But the story is too long to tell now. sailed forth the form of Elfride. The young man who had inspired her with such novelty of feeling. yes!' uttered the vicar in artificially alert tones. that she had been too forward to a comparative stranger.