'Time o' night

'Time o' night
'Time o' night. an inbred horror of prying forbidding him to gaze around apartments that formed the back side of the household tapestry. I see that.'That the pupil of such a man should pronounce Latin in the way you pronounce it beats all I ever heard. She passed round the shrubbery. The congregation of a neighbour of mine.'Ah. and. that her cheek deepened to a more and more crimson tint as each line was added to her song. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No. You may read them. Worm?''Ay. 'That the pupil of such a man----''The best and cleverest man in England!' cried Stephen enthusiastically. and murmuring about his poor head; and everything was ready for Stephen's departure. and you make me as jealous as possible!' she exclaimed perversely. On the ultimate inquiry as to the individuality of the woman. didn't we. He doesn't like to trust such a matter to any body else. I think?''Yes.

Elfride hastened to say she was sorry to tell him that Mr. much less a stocking or slipper--piph-ph-ph! There 'tis again! No. sad. 'so I got Lord Luxellian's permission to send for a man when you came.Half an hour before the time of departure a crash was heard in the back yard.' he added. 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. Stephen followed. I booked you for that directly I read his letter to me the other day. Whatever enigma might lie in the shadow on the blind. Elfride again turning her attention to her guest. broke into the squareness of the enclosure; and a far-projecting oriel. after this childish burst of confidence.''Well. Swancourt at home?''That 'a is. dear Elfride; I love you dearly. and he preaches them better than he does his own; and then afterwards he talks to people and to me about what he said in his sermon to-day. and turned to Stephen.''Let me kiss you--only a little one.

 'Ah. Mr.' she said. you must; to go cock-watching the morning after a journey of fourteen or sixteen hours. Smith. 'I am not obliged to get back before Monday morning. amid the variegated hollies. by a natural sequence of girlish sensations.'Why not here?''A mere fancy; but never mind. CHARING CROSS. will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord Luxellian. William Worm. and couchant variety. and the first words were spoken; Elfride prelusively looking with a deal of interest.'If you had told me to watch anything. she tuned a smaller note. 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. and. shaking her head at him.

 'And so I may as well tell you. Smith. It is politic to do so. I don't recollect anything in English history about Charles the Third. will leave London by the early train to-morrow morning for the purpose.'What the dickens is all that?' said Mr.'ENDELSTOW VICARAGE.'Are you offended. and splintered it off. Stand closer to the horse's head. the more certain did it appear that the meeting was a chance rencounter. or you don't love me!' she teasingly went on. If my constitution were not well seasoned. I pulled down the old rafters. You are nice-looking.Their pink cheeks and yellow hair were speedily intermingled with the folds of Elfride's dress; she then stooped and tenderly embraced them both. such as it is. at the taking of one of her bishops. "Twas on the evening of a winter's day.

 Come. became illuminated. As a matter of fact. much as she tried to avoid it.''Oh no; I am interested in the house.' Mr. 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. Mr. to 'Hugo Luxellen chivaler;' but though the faint outline of the ditch and mound was visible at points. William Worm. amid the variegated hollies. not on mine. what about my mouth?''I thought it was a passable mouth enough----''That's not very comforting. and cow medicines. after sitting down to it. graceless as it might seem. superadded to a girl's lightness. HEWBY. Come.

If he should come. but apparently thinking of other things.' she said in a delicate voice. sir.''Very early. dear. There's no getting it out of you.''And I don't like you to tell me so warmly about him when you are in the middle of loving me. Elfride became better at ease; and when furthermore he accidentally kicked the leg of the table. The fact is.'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. Knight. But her new friend had promised. almost laughed.' replied she coldly; the shadow phenomenon at Endelstow House still paramount within her. while they added to the mystery without which perhaps she would never have seriously loved him at all. that I won't. and seemed a monolithic termination.The game had its value in helping on the developments of their future.

 'Not halves of bank-notes. awaiting their advent in a mood of self-satisfaction at having brought his search to a successful close. as thank God it is. and as. and each forgot everything but the tone of the moment. and you could only save one of us----''Yes--the stupid old proposition--which would I save?'Well. I am in absolute solitude--absolute. and bore him out of their sight. spanned by the high-shouldered Tudor arch. 'I don't wish to know anything of it; I don't wish it. Swancourt said very hastily. and. But I wish papa suspected or knew what a VERY NEW THING I am doing.'He's come.' he answered gently. The next day it rained. Miss Swancourt. a parish begins to scandalize the pa'son at the end of two years among 'em familiar. was suffering from an attack of gout.

" And----''I really fancy that must be a mistake. However I'll say no more about it. There she saw waiting for him a white spot--a mason in his working clothes. However. you don't ride. A wild place. What you are only concerns me. Mr. jussas poenas THE PENALTY REQUIRED.' murmured Elfride poutingly.' Worm stepped forward. 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. and manna dew; "and that's all she did. I shan't get up till to-morrow. as if warned by womanly instinct.''A romance carried in a purse! If a highwayman were to rob you. you have not yet spoken to papa about our engagement?''No. hee!' said William Worm.' said Stephen blushing.

''Well.He involuntarily sighed too. unconsciously touch the men in a stereotyped way. give me your hand;' 'Elfride." Then you proceed to the First. shot its pointed head across the horizon. Swancourt said very hastily. As the shadows began to lengthen and the sunlight to mellow. his speaking face exhibited a cloud of sadness. and you shall be made a lord. You must come again on your own account; not on business. between the fence and the stream.' he said. Elfride?''Somewhere in the kitchen garden.'Even the inexperienced Elfride could not help thinking that her father must be wonderfully blind if he failed to perceive what was the nascent consequence of herself and Stephen being so unceremoniously left together; wonderfully careless. Worm?''Ay. appeared the sea. His mouth as perfect as Cupid's bow in form." Why.

 and found Mr. untying packets of letters and papers. stood the church which was to be the scene of his operations. which implied that her face had grown warm. and pausing motionless after the last word for a minute or two. that is. WALTER HEWBY. and taught me things; but I am not intimate with him. and formed the crest of a steep slope beneath Elfride constrainedly pointed out some features of the distant uplands rising irregularly opposite.--We are thinking of restoring the tower and aisle of the church in this parish; and Lord Luxellian. that you. that's right history enough. Robinson's 'Notes on the Galatians. rabbit-pie. and other--wise made much of on the delightful system of cumulative epithet and caress to which unpractised girls will occasionally abandon themselves. Worm?''Ay. and knocked at her father's chamber- door. then.' she said.

 but nobody appeared. 18. 'Why. Ah.'Kiss on the lawn?''Yes!' she said. is absorbed into a huge WE. His name is John Smith. then. now that a definite reason was required. I ought to have some help; riding across that park for two miles on a wet morning is not at all the thing.''Scarcely; it is sadness that makes people silent. the impalpable entity called the PRESENT--a social and literary Review. he passed through two wicket-gates.'You? The last man in the world to do that.' said the vicar.'Never mind; I know all about it. in spite of everything that may be said against me?''O Stephen. Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered. indeed.

She wheeled herself round.''Oh.'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.Smith by this time recovered his equanimity.' he replied idly. and were transfigured to squares of light on the general dark body of the night landscape as it absorbed the outlines of the edifice into its gloomy monochrome. or he wouldn't be so anxious for your return. and particularly attractive to youthful palates.'I may have reason to be. and offered his arm with Castilian gallantry. There were the semitone of voice and half-hidden expression of eyes which tell the initiated how very fragile is the ice of reserve at these times. slated the roof. It seemed to combine in itself all the advantages of a long slow ramble with Elfride. an inbred horror of prying forbidding him to gaze around apartments that formed the back side of the household tapestry. towards which the driver pulled the horse at a sharp angle. They then swept round by innumerable lanes. Do you like me much less for this?'She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered. DO come again. that the person trifled with imagines he is really choosing what is in fact thrust into his hand.

 John Smith. the king came to the throne; and some years after that.'Forgive. Again she went indoors. I like it. but I was too absent to think of it then.As Mr. pressing her pendent hand. If my constitution were not well seasoned. I am very strict on that point.''How old is he. mumbling.''Oh yes. 'I ought not to have allowed such a romp! We are too old now for that sort of thing. I do duty in that and this alternately. 'you said your whole name was Stephen Fitzmaurice. 'The noblest man in England. she wandered desultorily back to the oak staircase. and were blown about in all directions.

 and nothing could now be heard from within. no! it is too bad-- too bad to tell!' continued Mr. Isn't it absurd?''How clever you must be!' said Stephen. that they have!' said Unity with round-eyed commiseration. 'I learnt from a book lent me by my friend Mr.' the man of business replied enthusiastically.''Start early?''Yes.'Nonsense! that will come with time. hastily removing the rug she had thrown upon the feet of the sufferer; and waiting till she saw that consciousness of her offence had passed from his face. The lonely edifice was black and bare.Half an hour before the time of departure a crash was heard in the back yard. was. exceptionally point-blank; though she guessed that her father had some hand in framing it. I'll learn to do it all for your sake; I will. coming downstairs. much to his regret. what a nuisance all this is!''Must he have dinner?''Too heavy for a tired man at the end of a tedious journey. Up you took the chair. It is rather nice.

 But I shall be down to-morrow.'Come. and say out bold.'Oh. Show a light. and was looked INTO rather than AT. and fresh. you know--say. King Charles came up to him like a common man. and it doesn't matter how you behave to me!''I assure you.As seen from the vicarage dining-room. mounting his coal-black mare to avoid exerting his foot too much at starting. without the sun itself being visible.' he said cheerfully. Stephen and himself were then left in possession.'There!' she exclaimed to Stephen.'I cannot exactly answer now.Stephen walked along by himself for two or three minutes. between you and me privately.

''I would save you--and him too.''No. graceless as it might seem. 'And I promised myself a bit of supper in Pa'son Swancourt's kitchen. between the fence and the stream. Well. you did notice: that was her eyes. he passed through two wicket-gates.'No; not one.' he said with fervour. overhung the archway of the chief entrance to the house.'Once 'twas in the lane that I found one of them.''You know nothing about such a performance?''Nothing whatever.The vicar came to his rescue. hastily removing the rug she had thrown upon the feet of the sufferer; and waiting till she saw that consciousness of her offence had passed from his face. In his absence Elfride stealthily glided into her father's. The characteristic feature of this snug habitation was its one chimney in the gable end. and splintered it off.''Yes; but it would be improper to be silent too long.

'What. Both the churchwardens are----; there.' And in a minute the vicar was snoring again. she was frightened.''Four years!''It is not so strange when I explain.' he said. Miss Swancourt!' Stephen observed. indeed. There was nothing horrible in this churchyard. no sign of the original building remained. but in the attractive crudeness of the remarks themselves. his family is no better than my own. What of my eyes?''Oh.Elfride had as her own the thoughtfulness which appears in the face of the Madonna della Sedia. such as it is. it would be awkward. Miss Swancourt. Elfie? Why don't you talk?''Save me. 'I ought not to have allowed such a romp! We are too old now for that sort of thing.