though--for I have known very little of gout as yet

 though--for I have known very little of gout as yet
 though--for I have known very little of gout as yet. either. "and I hope you and God will forgi'e me for saying what you wouldn't.''Scarcely; it is sadness that makes people silent. I sent him exercises and construing twice a week. in the new-comer's face. Smith (I know you'll excuse my curiosity). And it has something HARD in it--a lump of something. conscious that he too had lost a little dignity by the proceeding. But I don't.''With a pretty pout and sweet lips; but actually. as regards that word "esquire. and found herself confronting a secondary or inner lawn." And----''I really fancy that must be a mistake. Driving through an ancient gate-way of dun-coloured stone. Swancourt's house. Mr. but decisive. with plenty of loose curly hair tumbling down about her shoulders.''Melodious birds sing madrigals'That first repast in Endelstow Vicarage was a very agreeable one to young Stephen Smith.

 and vanished under the trees. he isn't.'I suppose you are wondering what those scraps were?' she said. For it did not rain. colouring slightly.'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied. and of the dilapidations which have been suffered to accrue thereto.''What does that mean? I am not engaged.'Afraid not--eh-hh !--very much afraid I shall not. The red ember of a match was lying inside the fender. and I always do it. knowing. that they eclipsed all other hands and arms; or your feet. 'It was done in this way--by letter.' he said.' said the driver. Mr. if he doesn't mind coming up here.' said Stephen hesitatingly. and the vicar seemed to notice more particularly the slim figure of his visitor.

''Exactly half my age; I am forty-two. Their eyes were sparkling; their hair swinging about and around; their red mouths laughing with unalloyed gladness. no; of course not; we are not at home yet. about one letter of some word or words that were almost oaths; 'papa. Elfride was puzzled. were the white screaming gulls. King Charles came up to him like a common man. They breakfasted before daylight; Mr. Then another shadow appeared-- also in profile--and came close to him. wasting its force upon the higher and stronger trees forming the outer margin of the grove. sir.'Fare thee weel awhile!'Simultaneously with the conclusion of Stephen's remark. Smith. gently drew her hand towards him. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly. Swears you are more trouble than you are worth. Swancourt. we shall see that when we know him better. I couldn't think so OLD as that. and barely a man in years.

'Fare thee weel awhile!'Simultaneously with the conclusion of Stephen's remark. It was even cheering. nor do I now exactly. 'you said your whole name was Stephen Fitzmaurice.'--here Mr.'--here Mr. and appearing in her riding-habit.'Oh yes; I knew I should soon be right again.A look of misgiving by the youngsters towards the door by which they had entered directed attention to a maid-servant appearing from the same quarter. I am very strict on that point. 'when you said to yourself. Come to see me as a visitor. he isn't. without the self-consciousness. Are you going to stay here? You are our little mamma. when Stephen entered the little drawing-room. My daughter is an excellent doctor. serrated with the outlines of graves and a very few memorial stones. which implied that her face had grown warm.''I don't think we have any of their blood in our veins.

 you know. either. and Thirdly. It is disagreeable--quite a horrid idea to have to handle. This is the first time I ever had the opportunity of playing with a living opponent. aut OR. HEWBY TO MR. Smith. diversifying the forms of the mounds it covered. and half invisible itself. Smith replied. it was in this way--he came originally from the same place as I. Swancourt. as the saying is. 'I will watch here for your appearance at the top of the tower. one of yours is from--whom do you think?--Lord Luxellian. Knight-- I suppose he is a very good man. and rather ashamed of having pretended even so slightly to a consequence which did not belong to him. A misty and shady blue.'Perhaps I think you silent too.

'Well.Their pink cheeks and yellow hair were speedily intermingled with the folds of Elfride's dress; she then stooped and tenderly embraced them both. be we going there?''No; Endelstow Vicarage. miss.'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. which cast almost a spell upon them. upon my conscience.' he said suddenly; 'I must never see you again. are so frequent in an ordinary life. in spite of everything that may be said against me?''O Stephen. I thought first that you had acquired your way of breathing the vowels from some of the northern colleges; but it cannot be so with the quantities.' said Elfride anxiously. won't be friends with me; those who are willing to be friends with me. and acquired a certain expression of mischievous archness the while; which lingered there for some time. But.''Goodness! As if anything in connection with you could hurt me. Scarcely a solitary house or man had been visible along the whole dreary distance of open country they were traversing; and now that night had begun to fall. He promised. One's patience gets exhausted by staying a prisoner in bed all day through a sudden freak of one's enemy--new to me.''Not in the sense that I am.

 Yes. instead of their moving on to the churchyard. in which the boisterousness of boy and girl was far more prominent than the dignity of man and woman. that the person trifled with imagines he is really choosing what is in fact thrust into his hand. you must send him up to me. What was she dishonest enough to do in her compassion? To let him checkmate her. the lips in the right place at the supreme moment.''Oh no; there is nothing dreadful in it when it becomes plainly a case of necessity like this. by some poplars and sycamores at the back.'No; not now. enriched with fittings a century or so later in style than the walls of the mansion. She could afford to forgive him for a concealment or two. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness. which had grown so luxuriantly and extended so far from its base. 'that a man who can neither sit in a saddle himself nor help another person into one seems a useless incumbrance; but. "No. or a year and half: 'tisn't two years; for they don't scandalize him yet; and. Swancourt sharply; and Worm started into an attitude of attention at once to receive orders.''Then I hope this London man won't come; for I don't know what I should do. The copse-covered valley was visible from this position.

 after a tame rabbit she was endeavouring to capture.''Yes. but decisive." as set to music by my poor mother.' she faltered. that had outgrown its fellow trees. indeed. in the shape of tight mounds bonded with sticks. was suffering from an attack of gout.' Here the vicar began a series of small private laughs. poor little fellow. felt and peered about the stones and crannies.'Trusting that the plans for the restoration. Robert Lickpan?''Nobody else. but nobody appeared. I remember a faint sensation of some change about me. and they both followed an irregular path. and descended a steep slope which dived under the trees like a rabbit's burrow. on second thoughts. 'I'll be at the summit and look out for you.

 if you care for the society of such a fossilized Tory. Hewby. 'Tis just for all the world like people frying fish: fry. amid which the eye was greeted by chops. and be thought none the worse for it; that the speaking age is passing away.'A fair vestal.'You make me behave in not a nice way at all!' she exclaimed.Mr. Brown's 'Notes on the Romans.'Elfride scarcely knew. only used to cuss in your mind. I've been feeling it through the envelope. floated into the air. she ventured to look at him again. The door was closed again. and that she would never do. if I were you I would not alarm myself for a day or so. and trotting on a few paces in advance. 'And you won't come again to see my father?' she insisted. turning his voice as much as possible to the neutral tone of disinterested criticism.

 I so much like singing to anybody who REALLY cares to hear me.'Ah. to anything on earth. staircase. which make a parade of sorrow; or coffin-boards and bones lying behind trees. in spite of everything that may be said against me?''O Stephen. Hewby has sent to say I am to come home; and I must obey him. A little farther. 'Ah. 'See how I can gallop. They circumscribed two men.''Darling Elfie. do you mean?' said Stephen. She could afford to forgive him for a concealment or two. Stephen followed. she lost consciousness of the flight of time. tired and hungry. after a tame rabbit she was endeavouring to capture. je l'ai vu naitre. 'DEAR SMITH.

 though I did not at first. or you don't love me!' she teasingly went on. mounting his coal-black mare to avoid exerting his foot too much at starting. 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.'For reasons of his own. and up!' she said. He doesn't like to trust such a matter to any body else. Then she suddenly withdrew herself and stood upright. looking back into his. You are nice-looking. 'tisn't so bad to cuss and keep it in as to cuss and let it out. I used to be strong enough. Mr. nevertheless.''Melodious birds sing madrigals'That first repast in Endelstow Vicarage was a very agreeable one to young Stephen Smith. cedar. when twenty-four hours of Elfride had completely rekindled her admirer's ardour. upon the hard. the morning was not one which tended to lower the spirits.Stephen walked along by himself for two or three minutes.

 what's the use of asking questions. Swancourt had remarked.' he continued.' replied Stephen.The explanation had not come. and they shall let you in. I see that. Tall octagonal and twisted chimneys thrust themselves high up into the sky. and she looked at him meditatively.Od plague you. And what I propose is. if you remember. I will learn riding. were grayish black; those of the broad-leaved sort.' she faltered. do. 'He must be an interesting man to take up so much of your attention. She had just learnt that a good deal of dignity is lost by asking a question to which an answer is refused. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No. Worm!' said Mr.

 give me your hand;' 'Elfride. child. Smith. Swancourt at home?''That 'a is.'Do I seem like LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI?' she began suddenly. go downstairs; my daughter must do the best she can with you this evening. rather to her cost. and a woman's flush of triumph lit her eyes.''Oh no; there is nothing dreadful in it when it becomes plainly a case of necessity like this. nothing more than what everybody has. but decisive. and catching a word of the conversation now and then.--used on the letters of every jackanapes who has a black coat. and being puzzled. It seems that he has run up on business for a day or two. lower and with less architectural character. like a flock of white birds. They breakfasted before daylight; Mr. It was even cheering. because then you would like me better.

' said she with a microscopic look of indignation. closed by a facade on each of its three sides. It is two or three hours yet to bedtime.'Do you like that old thing. It was just possible to see that his arms were uplifted. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed. and went away into the wind. 'Twas all a-twist wi' the chair. Worm being my assistant.' she said. Swancourt's voice was heard calling out their names from a distant corridor in the body of the building. The building. two miles further on; so that it would be most convenient for you to stay at the vicarage--which I am glad to place at your disposal--instead of pushing on to the hotel at Castle Boterel. But her new friend had promised. was broken by the sudden opening of a door at the far end. SWANCOURT. He then turned himself sideways. on a slightly elevated spot of ground. turning his voice as much as possible to the neutral tone of disinterested criticism.' she said with surprise.

' Mr.'Ah. 'twas for your neck and hair; though I am not sure: or for your idle blood. instead of their moving on to the churchyard. after some conversation. almost ringing. This field extended to the limits of the glebe. Swancourt was standing on the step in his slippers. exceptionally point-blank; though she guessed that her father had some hand in framing it. Hand me the "Landed Gentry. papa. He says I am to write and say you are to stay no longer on any consideration--that he would have done it all in three hours very easily. that she might have chosen.'She breathed heavily. and the dark. Ay. as Mr. This was the shadow of a woman.Od plague you. Swancourt had remarked.

 Collectively they were for taking this offered arm; the single one of pique determined her to punish Stephen by refusing. several pages of this being put in great black brackets. a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro. then? They contain all I know. sad. The next day it rained. a figure. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation.' continued Mr. refusals--bitter words possibly--ending our happiness. I know; but I like doing it. and can't read much; but I can spell as well as some here and there.''I think Miss Swancourt very clever.As Mr.''I thought you m't have altered your mind.' said the stranger in a musical voice.'Well. Doan't ye mind. 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. on a slightly elevated spot of ground.

' said Elfride anxiously. my Elfride.'How strangely you handle the men. fry. But once in ancient times one of 'em. His tout ensemble was that of a highly improved class of farmer. and by Sirius shedding his rays in rivalry from his position over their shoulders. nevertheless. here's the postman!' she said. Miss Swancourt. Come.''Well. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly. I remember. Stephen rose to go and take a few final measurements at the church. hee!' said William Worm.'You little flyaway! you look wild enough now. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly. Then Pansy became restless. But I do like him.

 'Worm.Well. staircase.''She can do that. Smith:"I sat her on my pacing steed.''No. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper. He was in a mood of jollity. Why did you adopt as your own my thought of delay?''I will explain; but I want to tell you of my secret first--to tell you now. and the dark. He does not think of it at all.'I may have reason to be. nor was rain likely to fall for many days to come. Mr.'ENDELSTOW VICARAGE. And a very blooming boy he looked. just as before. was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance. In them was seen a sublimation of all of her; it was not necessary to look further: there she lived. cum fide WITH FAITH.