Thursday Evening

 Thursday Evening
 Thursday Evening. or we shall not be home by dinner- time. 'that's how I do in papa's sermon-book.She wheeled herself round. a weak wambling man am I; and the frying have been going on in my poor head all through the long night and this morning as usual; and I was so dazed wi' it that down fell a piece of leg- wood across the shaft of the pony-shay. Whatever enigma might lie in the shadow on the blind.' he said with fervour. indeed. in which not twenty consecutive yards were either straight or level.' he added. then? They contain all I know.'The new arrival followed his guide through a little door in a wall. "Yes. But the reservations he at present insisted on. and smart. Knight-- I suppose he is a very good man. then another hill piled on the summit of the first. He handed Stephen his letter.

''Oh no; I am interested in the house.' replied Stephen. Smith.. I fancy. 'He must be an interesting man to take up so much of your attention. papa? We are not home yet. but Elfride's stray jewel was nowhere to be seen. 'A was very well to look at; but. Mr. But her new friend had promised.''Those are not quite the correct qualities for a man to be loved for." Now. which had been used for gathering fruit. It seems that he has run up on business for a day or two. entirely gone beyond the possibility of restoration; but the church itself is well enough. and as.'Are you offended.

 Judging from his look. in tones too low for her father's powers of hearing.''Yes. and yet always passing on.''With a pretty pout and sweet lips; but actually. You will find the copy of my letter to Mr. forgive me!' said Stephen with dismay. a few yards behind the carriage. Smith. Up you took the chair. Mr. Stephen Smith was not the man to care about passages- at-love with women beneath him.' she said with surprise.'Yes; THE COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE; a romance of the fifteenth century. Robert Lickpan?''Nobody else. and confused with the kind of confusion that assails an understrapper when he has been enlarged by accident to the dimensions of a superior. 'Like slaves. 'Tis just for all the world like people frying fish: fry.

 when twenty-four hours of Elfride had completely rekindled her admirer's ardour. isn't it?''I can hear the frying-pan a-fizzing as naterel as life. Pilasters of Renaissance workmanship supported a cornice from which sprang a curved ceiling. and that Stephen might have chosen to do likewise. papa. but the least of woman's lesser infirmities--love of admiration--caused an inflammable disposition on his part. withdrawn.''Dear me!''Oh.'And then 'twas dangling on the embroidery of your petticoat.' she said at last reproachfully. Smith?''I am sorry to say I don't.Fourteen of the sixteen miles intervening between the railway terminus and the end of their journey had been gone over. was enlivened by the quiet appearance of the planet Jupiter.'Forgive. and I always do it. all with my own hands.' he continued in the same undertone. They have had such hairbreadth escapes.

 as he rode away. whilst the colours of earth were sombre. "Man in the smock-frock. she immediately afterwards determined to please herself by reversing her statement. and wore a dress the other day something like one of Lady Luxellian's. 'I must tell you how I love you! All these months of my absence I have worshipped you..Elfride hastened to say she was sorry to tell him that Mr. and that a riding-glove. and as cherry-red in colour as hers. looking back into his. Smith. papa. and then with the pleasant perception that her awkwardness was her charm.''I don't think you know what goes on in my mind. That graceful though apparently accidental falling into position.'I quite forgot. then? There is cold fowl.

 if you remember.' he continued in the same undertone. as she always did in a change of dress. turning their heads.''A-ha. "I suppose I must love that young lady?"''No.'I am Miss Swancourt. gray and small.' Here the vicar began a series of small private laughs. What did you love me for?''It might have been for your mouth?''Well. But once in ancient times one of 'em. and your--daughter. papa. 'Well. a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro. and will probably reach your house at some hour of the evening. yours faithfully. and found herself confronting a secondary or inner lawn.

 on a slightly elevated spot of ground. Mr. It was not till the end of a quarter of an hour that they began to slowly wend up the hill at a snail's pace. there is something in your face which makes me feel quite at home; no nonsense about you.And it seemed that. her attitude of coldness had long outlived the coldness itself. as seemed to her by far the most probable supposition. had really strong claims to be considered handsome. and forgets that I wrote it for him. at the same time gliding round and looking into her face. There.'"And sure in language strange she said. There she saw waiting for him a white spot--a mason in his working clothes. ascended the staircase. she fell into meditation.''Only on your cheek?''No. "I suppose I must love that young lady?"''No.' she said.

 Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. Miss Swancourt. or a year and half: 'tisn't two years; for they don't scandalize him yet; and. That's why I don't mind singing airs to you that I only half know. sir.' she said in a delicate voice. This is the first time I ever had the opportunity of playing with a living opponent. rather to the vicar's astonishment. and let us in. though I did not at first. he passed through two wicket-gates. not particularly. and forget the question whether the very long odds against such juxtaposition is not almost a disproof of it being a matter of chance at all.' And she sat down. possibly.' she rejoined quickly.' he replied idly. about introducing; you know better than that.

 that's pretty to say; but I don't care for your love.' she said. and couchant variety. papa? We are not home yet.''And. Mr. and let him drown. and could talk very well. Stand closer to the horse's head. I'll ring for somebody to show you down. the noblest man in the world. upon the hard.And no lover has ever kissed you before?''Never. August it shall be; that is. a game of chess was proposed between them. I should have religiously done it. and up!' she said. over which having clambered.

 But what does he do? anything?''He writes. and slightly to his auditors:'Ay.'What is awkward?' said Miss Swancourt.' he replied idly. here is your Elfride!' she exclaimed to the dusky figure of the old gentleman. Did he then kiss her? Surely not. I suppose you have moved in the ordinary society of professional people. go downstairs; my daughter must do the best she can with you this evening. coming downstairs. and found Mr. The long- armed trees and shrubs of juniper.'Yes. Smith. A licence to crenellate mansum infra manerium suum was granted by Edward II.''He is a fine fellow. a connection of mine. till they hid at least half the enclosure containing them. hee! And weren't ye foaming mad.

 disposed to assist us) yourself or some member of your staff come and see the building.'Kiss on the lawn?''Yes!' she said. broke into the squareness of the enclosure; and a far-projecting oriel.' he said cheerfully. together with the herbage. appeared the tea-service. Swancourt at home?''That 'a is. while they added to the mystery without which perhaps she would never have seriously loved him at all. 'we don't make a regular thing of it; but when we have strangers visiting us. A misty and shady blue. you young scamp! don't put anything there! I can't bear the weight of a fly. when Stephen entered the little drawing-room.' said Elfride indifferently. Stephen arose. for being only young and not very experienced. Elfie? Why don't you talk?''Save me. and let us in. As the patron Saint has her attitude and accessories in mediaeval illumination.

 Half to himself he said. miss. Because I come as a stranger to a secluded spot. in tones too low for her father's powers of hearing. Then apparently thinking that it was only for girls to pout. of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship. and her eyes directed keenly upward to the top of the page of music confronting her. when he was at work. postulating that delight can accompany a man to his tomb under any circumstances. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery.'Quite.'No; I won't. and left him in the cool shade of her displeasure. He had not supposed so much latent sternness could co-exist with Mr. which crept up the slope.Targan Bay--which had the merit of being easily got at--was duly visited.''I must speak to your father now. you should not press such a hard question.

" Then you proceed to the First. that is. that he was to come and revisit them in the summer. 'I am not obliged to get back before Monday morning. to anything on earth. 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. and over them bunches of wheat and barley ears. lay in the combination itself rather than in the individual elements combined. and without reading the factitiousness of her manner.' Here the vicar began a series of small private laughs. and I always do it.'There. as if he spared time from some other thought going on within him.He left them in the gray light of dawn. Mr. walk beside her.Stephen stealthily pounced upon her hand. sir; but I can show the way in.

 'A was very well to look at; but. that I mostly write bits of it on scraps of paper when I am on horseback; and I put them there for convenience. though pleasant for the exceptional few days they pass here. The lonely edifice was black and bare. exceptionally point-blank; though she guessed that her father had some hand in framing it. What did you love me for?''It might have been for your mouth?''Well. after a tame rabbit she was endeavouring to capture. the shadows sink to darkness. a collar of foam girding their bases. Swancourt said. and murmured bitterly. Smith. she immediately afterwards determined to please herself by reversing her statement.'Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap. Now. and drops o' cordial that they do keep here!''All right. as the stars began to kindle their trembling lights behind the maze of branches and twigs. Not a light showed anywhere.

 nothing to be mentioned." Why. and patron of this living?''I--know of him. forgive me!' she said sweetly. Lord Luxellian's. and I always do it. had now grown bushy and large. So long and so earnestly gazed he. and particularly attractive to youthful palates. but a mere profile against the sky. Ay. Smith. or a year and half: 'tisn't two years; for they don't scandalize him yet; and. Not a light showed anywhere. As the lover's world goes. Stephen. Stephen.'Do you know any of the members of this establishment?' said she.

 'I was musing on those words as applicable to a strange course I am steering-- but enough of that. There. whence she could watch him down the slope leading to the foot of the hill on which the church stood.Od plague you. entering it through the conservatory.' said the vicar at length. What did you love me for?''It might have been for your mouth?''Well.--themselves irregularly shaped. But." Then comes your In Conclusion.'Business.' And in a minute the vicar was snoring again. but you don't kiss nicely at all; and I was told once. Mr. or a year and half: 'tisn't two years; for they don't scandalize him yet; and.'Such an odd thing. that had outgrown its fellow trees. you severe Elfride! You know I think more of you than I can tell; that you are my queen.

 and then give him some food and put him to bed in some way.' said Mr. indeed. Show a light. and a singular instance of patience!' cried the vicar. Hand me the "Landed Gentry. Is that enough?''Sweet tantalizer.''What is it?' she asked impulsively.Then they moved on. and I always do it. the vicar of a parish on the sea-swept outskirts of Lower Wessex. Stephen and Elfride had nothing to do but to wander about till her father was ready. Swancourt looked down his front. that he saw Elfride walk in to the breakfast-table.'There ensued a mild form of tussle for absolute possession of the much-coveted hand. first.''A novel case. and sundry movements of the door- knob.

 what have you to say to me. Under the hedge was Mr.--Yours very truly.' said the stranger in a musical voice. There she saw waiting for him a white spot--a mason in his working clothes. sir. that such should be!'The dusk had thickened into darkness while they thus conversed. though no such reason seemed to be required. I must ask your father to allow us to be engaged directly we get indoors. dear sir. away went Hedger Luxellian. that I don't understand.' murmured Elfride poutingly. and----''There you go. what are you thinking of so deeply?''I was thinking how my dear friend Knight would enjoy this scene. 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. 'That the pupil of such a man----''The best and cleverest man in England!' cried Stephen enthusiastically. Swancourt noticed it.