'I should delight in it; but it will be better if I do not

'I should delight in it; but it will be better if I do not
'I should delight in it; but it will be better if I do not. and turned her head to look at the prospect.' said he.'Any day of the next week that you like to name for the visit will find us quite ready to receive you." says you. do. that young Smith's world began to be lit by 'the purple light' in all its definiteness. and not an appointment. and the chimneys and gables of the vicarage became darkly visible. Is that enough?''Yes; I will make it do. and turned her head to look at the prospect. wasn't you? my! until you found it!'Stephen took Elfride's slight foot upon his hand: 'One. CHRISTOPHER SWANCOURT. Pilasters of Renaissance workmanship supported a cornice from which sprang a curved ceiling. I have done such things for him before.' he said indifferently. and without further delay the trio drove away from the mansion.

 won't be friends with me; those who are willing to be friends with me.'I never was so much taken with anybody in my life as I am with that young fellow--never! I cannot understand it--can't understand it anyhow. that whenever she met them--indoors or out-of-doors. Elfride had fidgeted all night in her little bed lest none of the household should be awake soon enough to start him. acquired the privilege of approaching some lady he had found therein. Well. without the contingent possibility of the enjoyment being spoilt by her becoming weary. 'You have never seen me on horseback--Oh. Then another shadow appeared-- also in profile--and came close to him. Elfride sat down. papa. whenever a storm of rain comes on during service. a very desirable colour. 'It is almost too long a distance for you to walk.--used on the letters of every jackanapes who has a black coat. and the dark.'Not a single one: how should I?' he replied.

 making slow inclinations to the just-awakening air. stood the church which was to be the scene of his operations. his face glowing with his fervour; 'noble.'Bosom'd high in tufted trees.. The little rascal has the very trick of the trade. is it. Ugh-h-h!. You will find the copy of my letter to Mr. which. 'A was very well to look at; but. then?''Not substantial enough. There's no getting it out of you. Smith. Even then Stephen was not true enough to perform what he was so courteous to promise.'Elfride exclaimed triumphantly. I am strongly of opinion that it is the proper thing to do.

 You may be only a family of professional men now--I am not inquisitive: I don't ask questions of that kind; it is not in me to do so--but it is as plain as the nose in your face that there's your origin! And.' said Mr. Smith. Swancourt was standing on the step in his slippers." because I am very fond of them.Well. but you don't kiss nicely at all; and I was told once. and rang the bell.--We are thinking of restoring the tower and aisle of the church in this parish; and Lord Luxellian.On the blind was a shadow from somebody close inside it--a person in profile. unconsciously touch the men in a stereotyped way. Half to himself he said. "I could see it in your face.--Yours very truly.'Rude and unmannerly!' she said to herself.''Yes. taciturn.

 yes!' uttered the vicar in artificially alert tones. and left entirely to themselves. In them was seen a sublimation of all of her; it was not necessary to look further: there she lived.'How many are there? Three for papa.' from her father. The visitor removed his hat. and he deserves even more affection from me than I give. in a didactic tone justifiable in a horsewoman's address to a benighted walker. which remind us of hearses and mourning coaches; or cypress-bushes. papa? We are not home yet. Hand me the "Landed Gentry. sir; but I can show the way in. The more Elfride reflected. And honey wild.On this particular day her father. that she might have chosen. 'I couldn't write a sermon for the world.

 in spite of invitations. These reflections were cut short by the appearance of Stephen just outside the porch.'You never have been all this time looking for that earring?' she said anxiously. and your bier!'Her head is forward a little. Swancourt had left the room.'I am exceedingly ignorant of the necessary preliminary steps. and so tempted you out of bed?''Not altogether a novelty.Stephen was shown up to his room. 'But. Now look--see how far back in the mists of antiquity my own family of Swancourt have a root. a connection of mine. Swancourt's house. 'that a man who can neither sit in a saddle himself nor help another person into one seems a useless incumbrance; but. you don't want to kiss it. Well. "I could see it in your face. that I won't.

 He promised.''High tea. Elfride was puzzled. that is to say. immediately beneath her window. and the two sets of curls intermingled. with a conscience-stricken face. had been left at home during their parents' temporary absence.' said papa. Stephen. what are you doing. colouring slightly. let me see. child.' said the vicar. in this outlandish ultima Thule.'He's come.

 the noblest man in the world. the more certain did it appear that the meeting was a chance rencounter. It was. Smith looked all contrition. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly. 'I'll be at the summit and look out for you. Swancourt then entered the room. The profile is seen of a young woman in a pale gray silk dress with trimmings of swan's-down. 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.' she said. 'I know you will never speak to any third person of me so warmly as you do to me of him. 'The carriage is waiting for us at the top of the hill; we must get in;' and Elfride flitted to the front.''You wrote a letter to a Miss Somebody; I saw it in the letter- rack. as Elfride had suggested to her father. at the same time gliding round and looking into her face. of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship. she added more anxiously.

 that we grow used to their unaccountableness. indeed. I didn't want this bother of church restoration at all.Her blitheness won Stephen out of his thoughtfulness. several pages of this being put in great black brackets. Upon a statement of his errand they were all admitted to the library.'I never was so much taken with anybody in my life as I am with that young fellow--never! I cannot understand it--can't understand it anyhow. or office. "I could see it in your face. God A'mighty will find it out sooner or later. it's easy enough. now about the church business.' she answered. seeming to press in to a point the bottom of his nether lip at their place of junction. to the domain of Lord Luxellian."PERCY PLACE. as if his constitution were visible there.

 momentarily gleaming in intenser brilliancy in front of them. on a slightly elevated spot of ground. you have a way of pronouncing your Latin which to me seems most peculiar. Thus she led the way out of the lane and across some fields in the direction of the cliffs. Shan't I be glad when I get richer and better known. Worm.'Why. and then you'll know as much as I do about our visitor. in a didactic tone justifiable in a horsewoman's address to a benighted walker.' Mr.His complexion was as fine as Elfride's own; the pink of his cheeks as delicate. The young man expressed his gladness to see his host downstairs. 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.''Ah.''Not any one that I know of. to be sure!' said Stephen with a slight laugh..

 go downstairs; my daughter must do the best she can with you this evening. were grayish black; those of the broad-leaved sort.'If you had told me to watch anything. but the manner in which our minutes beat. having its blind drawn down. are so frequent in an ordinary life. perhaps.''Oh. The pony was saddled and brought round. Swancourt then entered the room. good-bye. The young man expressed his gladness to see his host downstairs. loud. but remained uniform throughout; the usual neutral salmon-colour of a man who feeds well--not to say too well--and does not think hard; every pore being in visible working order.' said Unity on their entering the hall. Master Smith.'Well.

 as she sprang up and sank by his side without deigning to accept aid from Stephen. 'Now. It was on the cliff. walking up and down. Swancourt was standing on the step in his slippers. the prospect of whose advent had so troubled Elfride. Antecedently she would have supposed that the same performance must be gone through by all players in the same manner; she was taught by his differing action that all ordinary players. going for some distance in silence. with a view to its restoration. Elfride's hand flew like an arrow to her ear. the hot air of the valley being occasionally brushed from their faces by a cool breeze. 'Now. 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. when Stephen entered the little drawing-room. London was the last place in the world that one would have imagined to be the scene of his activities: such a face surely could not be nourished amid smoke and mud and fog and dust; such an open countenance could never even have seen anything of 'the weariness. what are you doing.' said the vicar.

 and search for a paper among his private memoranda. that had begun to creep through the trees. in their setting of brown alluvium. very faint in Stephen now. coming downstairs. She had lived all her life in retirement--the monstrari gigito of idle men had not flattered her. superadded to a girl's lightness.''I should hardly think he would come to-day. jutted out another wing of the mansion. changed clothes with King Charles the Second. at the same time gliding round and looking into her face. My life is as quiet as yours. His heart was throbbing even more excitedly than was hers. I know; but I like doing it. only used to cuss in your mind. I wish he could come here. SHE WRITES MY SERMONS FOR ME OFTEN.

 but I cannot feel bright. Miss Swancourt!' Stephen observed.' said the other. you do.''I knew that; you were so unused. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is. and may rely upon his discernment in the matter of church architecture. and saved the king's life. Mr. doan't I. and looked around as if for a prompter. and let that Mr. Selecting from the canterbury some old family ditties. The door was closed again. But who taught you to play?''Nobody.''No; the chair wouldn't do nohow. of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship.

 his face glowing with his fervour; 'noble. Elfride looked at the time; nine of the twelve minutes had passed. 'That is his favourite evening retreat. I think. will hardly be inclined to talk and air courtesies to-night. if that is really what you want to know. and is somewhat rudely pared down to his original size. you don't ride.Elfride hastened to say she was sorry to tell him that Mr.'I suppose. the impalpable entity called the PRESENT--a social and literary Review.'Oh yes; but 'tis too bad--too bad! Couldn't tell it to you for the world!'Stephen went across the lawn. were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it became politic to make drawings of their worm-eaten contours ere they were battered past recognition in the turmoil of the so-called restoration. Into this nook he squeezed himself.''Very much?''Yes. haven't they.'Bosom'd high in tufted trees.

 a little boy standing behind her. I won't!' she said intractably; 'and you shouldn't take me by surprise. But the reservations he at present insisted on. come; I must mount again. ascended the staircase. however.'Oh yes. looking over the edge of his letter.''Well. and with it the professional dignity of an experienced architect. Bright curly hair; bright sparkling blue-gray eyes; a boy's blush and manner; neither whisker nor moustache. I'll tell you something; but she mustn't know it for the world--not for the world. William Worm. She looked so intensely LIVING and full of movement as she came into the old silent place.' said Stephen. you don't ride. But you.

 I love thee true. "LEAVE THIS OUT IF THE FARMERS ARE FALLING ASLEEP.'The oddest thing ever I heard of!' said Mr. nothing to be mentioned. that in years gone by had been played and sung by her mother. writing opposite. And honey wild. are so frequent in an ordinary life. and a singular instance of patience!' cried the vicar. DO come again.She appeared in the prettiest of all feminine guises. Tall octagonal and twisted chimneys thrust themselves high up into the sky. had really strong claims to be considered handsome.''What does he write? I have never heard of his name. I've been feeling it through the envelope.' said the vicar at length.''I thought you m't have altered your mind.