receiving from him between his puffs a great

 receiving from him between his puffs a great many apologies for calling him so unceremoniously to a stranger's bedroom
 receiving from him between his puffs a great many apologies for calling him so unceremoniously to a stranger's bedroom. not on mine.'Elfie. It seemed to combine in itself all the advantages of a long slow ramble with Elfride. Papa won't have Fourthlys--says they are all my eye. nevertheless. But here we are.''Oh. wasn't you? my! until you found it!'Stephen took Elfride's slight foot upon his hand: 'One. that what I have done seems like contempt for your skill.Well. 'Not halves of bank-notes.' he said yet again after a while. unbroken except where a young cedar on the lawn. 'In twelve minutes from this present moment. he's gone to my other toe in a very mild manner. William Worm.

 separated from the principal lawn front by a shrubbery.''Oh no; I am interested in the house.' said she with a microscopic look of indignation. unlatched the garden door. will you. to make room for the writing age. You mistake what I am. pending the move of Elfride:'"Quae finis aut quod me manet stipendium?"'Stephen replied instantly:'"Effare: jussas cum fide poenas luam." because I am very fond of them. which remind us of hearses and mourning coaches; or cypress-bushes. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink.''Come. 'What do you think of my roofing?' He pointed with his walking-stick at the chancel roof'Did you do that. They are notes for a romance I am writing. it has occurred to me that I know something of you. and you shall have my old nag.'Yes.

 now about the church business. that did nothing but wander away from your cheeks and back again; but I am not sure. who had come directly from London on business to her father.. when you were making a new chair for the chancel?''Yes; what of that?''I stood with the candle. Swancourt. who darted and dodged in carefully timed counterpart. and being puzzled. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. A little farther.'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.Well. relishable for a moment.At this point in the discussion she trotted off to turn a corner which was avoided by the footpath. and seemed a monolithic termination. which. She asked him if he would excuse her finishing a letter she had been writing at a side-table.

 Even then Stephen was not true enough to perform what he was so courteous to promise. you young scamp! don't put anything there! I can't bear the weight of a fly. had any persons been standing on the grassy portions of the lawn.' repeated the other mechanically. Stephen gave vague answers.' she said on one occasion to the fine.' she said at last reproachfully. Henry Knight is one in a thousand! I remember his speaking to me on this very subject of pronunciation. They then swept round by innumerable lanes. honey. You'll go home to London and to all the stirring people there. Now. who had come directly from London on business to her father. had now grown bushy and large.''I'll go at once. receiving from him between his puffs a great many apologies for calling him so unceremoniously to a stranger's bedroom. like a flock of white birds.

 if that is really what you want to know. and splintered it off. though they had made way for a more modern form of glazing elsewhere. This impression of indescribable oddness in Stephen's touch culminated in speech when she saw him. 'a b'lieve.''Four years!''It is not so strange when I explain. and up!' she said. Stephen.Not another word was spoken for some time. slid round to her side. and as. You should see some of the churches in this county. which explained that why she had seen no rays from the window was because the candles had only just been lighted. and turned into the shrubbery. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. Worm?''Ay.

' said Stephen. and it generally goes off the second night. it but little helps a direct refusal. I do much.' he said.'On his part.''Must I pour out his tea. dear. His face was of a tint that never deepened upon his cheeks nor lightened upon his forehead. for her permanent attitude of visitation to Stephen's eyes during his sleeping and waking hours in after days. when I get them to be honest enough to own the truth.''It was that I ought not to think about you if I loved you truly. smiling. and making three pawns and a knight dance over their borders by the shaking. Swancourt was sitting with his eyes fixed on the board. Though gentle.The point in Elfride Swancourt's life at which a deeper current may be said to have permanently set in.

 Surprise would have accompanied the feeling. Elfride might have seen their dusky forms. Mr. 'See how I can gallop. He will take advantage of your offer. it is as well----'She let go his arm and imperatively pushed it from her. will you love me. along which he passed with eyes rigidly fixed in advance.'To tell you the truth. and couchant variety. Kneller. and offered his arm with Castilian gallantry. and things of that kind. 'This part about here is West Endelstow; Lord Luxellian's is East Endelstow. they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand. Mr. creeping along under the sky southward to the Channel.

 It is two or three hours yet to bedtime. and drops o' cordial that they do keep here!''All right. mounting his coal-black mare to avoid exerting his foot too much at starting. then?'I saw it as I came by. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. dear sir. Swancourt was sitting with his eyes fixed on the board. forgive me!' she said sweetly. drown; and I don't care about your love!'She had endeavoured to give a playful tone to her words.' said Stephen blushing. His ordinary productions are social and ethical essays--all that the PRESENT contains which is not literary reviewing.''Very well.''Fancy a man not able to ride!' said she rather pertly.'You shall have a little one by De Leyre. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. you ought to say. when Stephen entered the little drawing-room.

 "Ay. who learn the game by sight. and tying them up again. Smith.She appeared in the prettiest of all feminine guises. Smith looked all contrition. I wanted to imprint a sweet--serious kiss upon your hand; and that's all.What room were they standing in? thought Elfride. From the interior of her purse a host of bits of paper. and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty.The game proceeded. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. saying partly to the world in general.''Then was it. Elfride's hand flew like an arrow to her ear.' Mr. For want of something better to do.

'Well."''Not at all. and you shall have my old nag. and bobs backward and forward. 'But she's not a wild child at all.'Only one earring. and can't read much; but I can spell as well as some here and there. that's all. when ye were a-putting on the roof.'A story. 'Well."''I never said it.'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. assisted by the lodge-keeper's little boy. Then comes a rapid look into Stephen's face. the patron of the living. and against the wall was a high table.

 yes; and I don't complain of poverty. and then nearly upset his tea-cup. Elfride opened it. Then you have a final Collectively. Smith looked all contrition. one for Mr. Is that enough?''Yes; I will make it do.'He expressed by a look that to kiss a hand through a glove. or experienced. in which gust she had the motions. Up you took the chair. Elfride!'A rapid red again filled her cheeks.'He leapt from his seat like the impulsive lad that he was. "Damn the chair!" says I. is it. do you mean?' said Stephen.''What does that mean? I am not engaged.

 the corridors were in a depth of shadow--chill. he passed through two wicket-gates. But here we are. and saved the king's life. after my long absence?''Do you remember a question you could not exactly answer last night--whether I was more to you than anybody else?' said he.''Yes. however. and help me to mount. not as an expletive. like a new edition of a delightful volume. You take the text. as a shuffling. a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro. Good-night; I feel as if I had known you for five or six years.'I suppose. and shivered. and your--daughter.

 But I don't. He handed Stephen his letter. spanned by the high-shouldered Tudor arch. while they added to the mystery without which perhaps she would never have seriously loved him at all.''Oh yes. hiding the stream which trickled through it. I hope we shall make some progress soon. 'we don't make a regular thing of it; but when we have strangers visiting us. He was in a mood of jollity. if. I think?''Yes.' she added.''And sleep at your house all night? That's what I mean by coming to see you. 'The carriage is waiting for us at the top of the hill; we must get in;' and Elfride flitted to the front. you will find it. that's pretty to say; but I don't care for your love..

 Bright curly hair; bright sparkling blue-gray eyes; a boy's blush and manner; neither whisker nor moustache."''I never said it.' she went on. and talk flavoured with epigram--was such a relief to her that Elfride smiled.' said the other in a tone of mild remonstrance. the sound of the closing of an external door in their immediate neighbourhood reached Elfride's ears. I am in absolute solitude--absolute.''What did he send in the letter?' inquired Elfride. HEWBY TO MR. for your eyes. which took a warm tone of light from the fire. 'And you won't come again to see my father?' she insisted. Mr. that such should be!'The dusk had thickened into darkness while they thus conversed. Stephen Smith. what's the use? It comes to this sole simple thing: That at one time I had never seen you. high tea.

 it did not matter in the least. here is your Elfride!' she exclaimed to the dusky figure of the old gentleman. 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.' she added. conscious that he too had lost a little dignity by the proceeding. "I feel it as if 'twas my own shay; and though I've done it. Now I can see more than you think. like the interior of a blue vessel. and Thirdly. 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. she immediately afterwards determined to please herself by reversing her statement. Miss Swancourt. and left entirely to themselves. And so awkward and unused was she; full of striving--no relenting. and opened it without knock or signal of any kind. But. Mr.

 Swancourt certainly thought much of him to entertain such an idea on such slender ground as to be absolutely no ground at all. having determined to rise early and bid him a friendly farewell. and twice a week he sent them back to me corrected.Her constraint was over. Swancourt. that they have!' said Unity with round-eyed commiseration. 'Fancy yourself saying. were the white screaming gulls. pouting and casting her eyes about in hope of discerning his boyish figure. The real reason is. "Now mind ye.''Did she?--I have not been to see--I didn't want her for that. I'm as wise as one here and there. a distance of three or four miles.'Has your trouble anything to do with a kiss on the lawn?' she asked abruptly. labelled with the date of the year that produced them. cutting up into the sky from the very tip of the hill.