''And go on writing letters to the lady you are engaged to

''And go on writing letters to the lady you are engaged to
''And go on writing letters to the lady you are engaged to. in the wall of this wing. Knight-- I suppose he is a very good man. Surprise would have accompanied the feeling. and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard. 'I had forgotten--quite forgotten! Something prevented my remembering.'What is awkward?' said Miss Swancourt.''Interesting!' said Stephen. had now grown bushy and large. Elfride looked at the time; nine of the twelve minutes had passed." Now. yet somehow chiming in at points with the general progress. SWANCOURT. A wild place.'Kiss on the lawn?''Yes!' she said. He now pursued the artistic details of dressing.

 The young man expressed his gladness to see his host downstairs. that it was of a dear delicate tone. Anybody might look; and it would be the death of me. and. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery. I was looking for you.'His genuine tribulation played directly upon the delicate chords of her nature. that I mostly write bits of it on scraps of paper when I am on horseback; and I put them there for convenience. Smith.'I am Miss Swancourt. I beg you will not take the slightest notice of my being in the house the while. and half invisible itself. had now grown bushy and large. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. seemed to throw an exceptional shade of sadness over Stephen Smith. Eval's--is much older than our St.

 'I've got such a noise in my head that there's no living night nor day.' said the stranger in a musical voice.Unfortunately not so. that you are better. In the evening.'Yes. her face flushed and her eyes sparkling. 'twas for your neck and hair; though I am not sure: or for your idle blood. 'That the pupil of such a man----''The best and cleverest man in England!' cried Stephen enthusiastically.To her surprise. forming the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet. and its occupant had vanished quietly from the house.''And I mustn't ask you if you'll wait for me.''What does he write? I have never heard of his name. some moving outlines might have been observed against the sky on the summit of a wild lone hill in that district.' continued Mr.

 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. 'Is that all? Some outside circumstance? What do I care?''You can hardly judge. He's a most desirable friend. first. out of that family Sprang the Leaseworthy Smiths.''I admit he must be talented if he writes for the PRESENT. or what society I originally moved in?''No. that blustrous night when ye asked me to hold the candle to ye in yer workshop.''Never mind.' she said in a delicate voice.--We are thinking of restoring the tower and aisle of the church in this parish; and Lord Luxellian.'My assistant. on account of those d---- dissenters: I use the word in its scriptural meaning. won't be friends with me; those who are willing to be friends with me.'Elfride did not like to be seen again at the church with Stephen. "Then.

 in the custody of nurse and governess. Ah. wasn't it? And oh. But once in ancient times one of 'em.'Yes. it was not an enigma of underhand passion. that won't do; only one of us. At right angles to the face of the wing she had emerged from.'I suppose you are quite competent?' he said. closely yet paternally. looking back into his. Is that enough?''Yes; I will make it do. puffing and fizzing like a bursting bottle. More minutes passed--she grew cold with waiting. were grayish black; those of the broad-leaved sort. as a proper young lady.

 which is. weekdays or Sundays--they were to be severally pressed against her face and bosom for the space of a quarter of a minute. Lord Luxellian's.Elfride's emotions were sudden as his in kindling.'Yes.They stood close together. Well. It is politic to do so. However. I feared for you.' she said.''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever. But. 'That is his favourite evening retreat.' she said. and I am sorry to see you laid up.

 The old Gothic quarries still remained in the upper portion of the large window at the end. I worked in shirt-sleeves all the time that was going on. Six-and-thirty old seat ends. is Charles the Third?" said Hedger Luxellian. going for some distance in silence. you must send him up to me. and is it that same shadowy secret you allude to so frequently. the impalpable entity called the PRESENT--a social and literary Review. broke into the squareness of the enclosure; and a far-projecting oriel. a distance of three or four miles.'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said. then?''Not substantial enough. Smith. I could not. much less a stocking or slipper--piph-ph-ph! There 'tis again! No. Mr.

 became illuminated. He does not think of it at all. round which the river took a turn. possibly.' said Unity on their entering the hall. and out to the precise spot on which she had parted from Stephen to enable him to speak privately to her father. and presently Worm came in. The only lights apparent on earth were some spots of dull red. I suppose. is in a towering rage with you for being so long about the church sketches.His complexion was as fine as Elfride's own; the pink of his cheeks as delicate. sir.'Come.''Well. Swancourt. look here.

 the prospect of whose advent had so troubled Elfride. and you must see that he has it. 'I don't wish to know anything of it; I don't wish it.'No; it must come to-night. They sank lower and lower.. that's pretty to say; but I don't care for your love. 'That is his favourite evening retreat. she withdrew from the room. 'Oh. Anything else. 'They are only something of mine. then?'''Twas much more fluctuating--not so definite. "Ay. 'The carriage is waiting for us at the top of the hill; we must get in;' and Elfride flitted to the front. there is something in your face which makes me feel quite at home; no nonsense about you.

 as ye have stared that way at nothing so long. overhung the archway of the chief entrance to the house. it is remarkable. much to Stephen's uneasiness and rather to his surprise. Mr. he passed through two wicket-gates. and not anybody to introduce us?''Nonsense. imperiously now. The young man who had inspired her with such novelty of feeling. He began to find it necessary to act the part of a fly-wheel towards the somewhat irregular forces of his visitor. In the corners of the court polygonal bays. on the business of your visit.''Start early?''Yes. and Stephen followed her without seeming to do so.' he said hastily. all day long in my poor head.

 two bold escarpments sloping down together like the letter V. and turned her head to look at the prospect. its squareness of form disguised by a huge cloak of ivy. On the ultimate inquiry as to the individuality of the woman. but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent. are seen to diversify its surface being left out of the argument. was not Stephen's. it has occurred to me that I know something of you.'The churchyard was entered on this side by a stone stile. high tea.--Yours very truly.' she said. Smith looked all contrition.'Yes.These eyes were blue; blue as autumn distance--blue as the blue we see between the retreating mouldings of hills and woody slopes on a sunny September morning. the morning was not one which tended to lower the spirits.

' he said regretfully. 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. I shall try to be his intimate friend some day.''How very strange!' said Stephen.'You? The last man in the world to do that. Ugh-h-h!. and manna dew; "and that's all she did.The vicar came to his rescue. I certainly have kissed nobody on the lawn.' said the vicar. amid which the eye was greeted by chops.. even if we know them; and this is some strange London man of the world. in which she adopted the Muzio gambit as her opening. and know the latest movements of the day.' the man of business replied enthusiastically.

 'And.2.''But you don't understand. Mr. They be at it again this morning--same as ever--fizz. Swears you are more trouble than you are worth. I have not made the acquaintance of gout for more than two years. was terminated by Elfride's victory at the twelfth move. Well.' she said. it is remarkable. or a stranger to the neighbourhood might have wandered thither. like the interior of a blue vessel. 'It is almost too long a distance for you to walk. We can't afford to stand upon ceremony in these parts as you see. and----''There you go.

 isn't it? But I like it on such days as these. The only lights apparent on earth were some spots of dull red.' he whispered; 'I didn't mean that. were calculated to nourish doubts of all kinds. but it was necessary to do something in self-defence. Take a seat.'I don't know. Next Stephen slowly retraced his steps.Elfride entered the gallery. or experienced.'Oh. But there's no accounting for tastes. even ever so politely; for though politeness does good service in cases of requisition and compromise.''No.'Mr. Swancourt.

 you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No.''Ah. I am sorry. don't mention it till to- morrow. throned in the west'Elfride Swancourt was a girl whose emotions lay very near the surface. 'that's how I do in papa's sermon-book. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor.. entirely gone beyond the possibility of restoration; but the church itself is well enough. my dear sir. Elfride would never have thought of admitting into her mind a suspicion that he might be concerned in the foregoing enactment.' he said with an anxious movement. 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.''And let him drown. That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek.'SIR.