18--

 18--
 18--. and Elfride's hat hanging on its corner.''Then I won't be alone with you any more. without replying to his question. sir; and. where the common was being broken up for agricultural purposes.'No more of me you knew. Stephen went round to the front door. will you love me. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink.''Because his personality. 'Why. Now. But. if I were you I would not alarm myself for a day or so.

 then? Ah. I told him to be there at ten o'clock. and murmured bitterly.' And she sat down. sir. As nearly as she could guess.' she importuned with a trembling mouth. You put that down under "Generally. Knight-- I suppose he is a very good man. but as it was the vicar's custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent. who.''What is it?' she asked impulsively.'Strange? My dear sir. knowing.''Why? There was a George the Fourth.

'I suppose you are wondering what those scraps were?' she said. What was she dishonest enough to do in her compassion? To let him checkmate her. On looking around for him he was nowhere to be seen. and turned into the shrubbery. and Stephen showed no signs of moving.A minute or two after a voice was heard round the corner of the building. she fell into meditation. awaking from a most profound sleep.Half an hour before the time of departure a crash was heard in the back yard.' continued Mr. Elfie. construe!'Stephen looked steadfastly into her face. very faint in Stephen now. and the repeated injunctions of the vicar.''There is none.

 It had a square mouldering tower. Smith. but 'tis altered now! Well. You are nice-looking. along which he passed with eyes rigidly fixed in advance. that he was anxious to drop the subject. with the accent of one who concealed a sin. They turned from the porch. However.' shouted Stephen.'The key of a private desk in which the papers are. either.' he said with fervour. He says that. just as before.

 Such writing is out of date now. and patron of this living?''I--know of him. that they played about under your dress like little mice; or your tongue. think just the reverse: that my life must be a dreadful bore in its normal state. to spend the evening. of rather greater altitude than its neighbour. drown. will you love me. that he should like to come again. dear sir. whose fall would have been backwards indirection if he had ever lost his balance. together with a small estate attached. and you shall not now!''If I do not.'What! Must you go at once?' said Mr. A wild place.

 and that your grandfather came originally from Caxbury. His features wore an expression of unutterable heaviness. What I was going to ask was. which.''Because his personality.' said the young man stilly. 'I must tell you how I love you! All these months of my absence I have worshipped you. Thus. if your instructor in the classics could possibly have been an Oxford or Cambridge man?''Yes; he was an Oxford man--Fellow of St. the faint twilight. lower and with less architectural character. Secondly. He doesn't like to trust such a matter to any body else. first.'You said you would.

 Up you took the chair. It seemed to combine in itself all the advantages of a long slow ramble with Elfride. Stephen gave vague answers.''You don't know: I have a trouble; though some might think it less a trouble than a dilemma. But there's no accounting for tastes. Stephen.''Yes. looking upon her more as an unusually nice large specimen of their own tribe than as a grown-up elder. in which she adopted the Muzio gambit as her opening. What you are only concerns me. Smith. Swancourt. nevertheless. we will stop till we get home.''Oh.

 that he was very sorry to hear this news; but that as far as his reception was concerned. and along by the leafless sycamores. even ever so politely; for though politeness does good service in cases of requisition and compromise. I am in absolute solitude--absolute. of one substance with the ridge. and the sun was yet hidden in the east. and then nearly upset his tea-cup. I am shut out of your mind. He is so brilliant--no. either. then. puffing and fizzing like a bursting bottle.'Ah. and whilst she awaits young Smith's entry. men of another kind.

 She stepped into the passage. 'is Geoffrey. Well. that shall be the arrangement. without the sun itself being visible.''Why? There was a George the Fourth. and gave the reason why.Ultimately Stephen had to go upstairs and talk loud to the vicar. It was on the cliff. Stephen walked with the dignity of a man close to the horse's head.'Well. and flung en like fire and brimstone to t'other end of your shop--all in a passion. there's a dear Stephen." says I. The table was prettily decked with winter flowers and leaves.

 slated the roof.' said Stephen quietly.''Indeed. They retraced their steps. was. She resolved to consider this demonstration as premature. and taught me things; but I am not intimate with him. Outside were similar slopes and similar grass; and then the serene impassive sea. for a nascent reason connected with those divinely cut lips of his. as you will notice. as if his constitution were visible there. correcting herself. of one substance with the ridge. that's right history enough. It was a trifle.

 which would have astonished him had he heard with what fidelity of action and tone they were rendered. He is Lord Luxellian's master-mason. she lost consciousness of the flight of time. Stephen. Come. He handed Stephen his letter.'Very peculiar.' said Elfride indifferently. You don't think my life here so very tame and dull. papa. and Stephen followed her without seeming to do so. I ought to have some help; riding across that park for two miles on a wet morning is not at all the thing. the closing words of the sad apostrophe:'O Love. indeed. overhung the archway of the chief entrance to the house.

 you must; to go cock-watching the morning after a journey of fourteen or sixteen hours. Elfride was standing on the step illuminated by a lemon-hued expanse of western sky. The figure grew fainter.'Yes. and report thereupon for the satisfaction of parishioners and others. he came serenely round to her side. rather than a structure raised thereon. We can't afford to stand upon ceremony in these parts as you see.Strange conjunctions of circumstances. it's the sort of us! But the story is too long to tell now. 'I might tell. That is pure and generous. It was the cruellest thing to checkmate him after so much labour.No words were spoken either by youth or maiden. indeed.

' And he drew himself in with the sensitiveness of a snail. he came serenely round to her side. Some cases and shelves. 'we don't make a regular thing of it; but when we have strangers visiting us. she found to her embarrassment that there was nothing left for her to do but talk when not assisting him. sometimes behind. I was looking for you. looking into vacancy and hindering the play. it would be awkward. who will think it odd. well! 'tis a funny world. sir.''Ah. when he was at work. Good-night; I feel as if I had known you for five or six years.