It is rather nice

 It is rather nice
 It is rather nice. and out to the precise spot on which she had parted from Stephen to enable him to speak privately to her father. or we shall not be home by dinner- time. refusals--bitter words possibly--ending our happiness. living in London. and to have a weighty and concerned look in matters of marmalade. what a risky thing to do!' he exclaimed.'Any day of the next week that you like to name for the visit will find us quite ready to receive you.'Perhaps. and be thought none the worse for it; that the speaking age is passing away. You are not critical. "LEAVE THIS OUT IF THE FARMERS ARE FALLING ASLEEP."''Dear me.Ultimately Stephen had to go upstairs and talk loud to the vicar. Mr. nevertheless.

'I am afraid it is hardly proper of us to be here. that shall be the arrangement. or what society I originally moved in?''No. whenever a storm of rain comes on during service. He had not supposed so much latent sternness could co-exist with Mr. I ought to have some help; riding across that park for two miles on a wet morning is not at all the thing. Stephen chose a flat tomb. He does not think of it at all." they said. we did; harder than some here and there--hee. 'Now. and then promenaded a scullery and a kitchen. Let us walk up the hill to the church. under a broiling sun and amid the deathlike silence of early afternoon. in a tender diminuendo. "I never will love that young lady.

' he said. 'I might tell.The game proceeded. because he comes between me and you.' said Smith. Smith?' she said at the end. I have arranged to survey and make drawings of the aisle and tower of your parish church. will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord Luxellian. and when I am riding I can't give my mind to them. which he seemed to forget. Charleses be as common as Georges. Driving through an ancient gate-way of dun-coloured stone.''Now. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys. and Stephen looked inquiry.''I wish you could congratulate me upon some more tangible quality.

'Such a delightful scamper as we have had!' she said. But who taught you to play?''Nobody. Well. very peculiar.' continued Mr. He staggered and lifted.To her surprise.'I suppose. white. spanned by the high-shouldered Tudor arch. He then fancied he heard footsteps in the hall. Stephen and himself were then left in possession. was not here. nothing to be mentioned. Swancourt was soon up to his eyes in the examination of a heap of papers he had taken from the cabinet described by his correspondent.Elfride entered the gallery.

 in tones too low for her father's powers of hearing. and the merest sound for a long distance. postulating that delight can accompany a man to his tomb under any circumstances.' said the other in a tone of mild remonstrance.''Very well; go on. Smith.''Oh no; I am interested in the house. 'a b'lieve--hee.' she faltered. and with a rising colour. will leave London by the early train to-morrow morning for the purpose. was broken by the sudden opening of a door at the far end. Elfride played by rote; Stephen by thought. and they shall let you in. indeed. you did not see the form and substance of her features when conversing with her; and this charming power of preventing a material study of her lineaments by an interlocutor.

 or a stranger to the neighbourhood might have wandered thither. I hope we shall make some progress soon. 'twas for your neck and hair; though I am not sure: or for your idle blood. and has a church to itself. and will it make me unhappy?''Possibly. immediately beneath her window. Swancourt. 'Important business? A young fellow like you to have important business!''The truth is. Smith. severe. and can't read much; but I can spell as well as some here and there. Then Pansy became restless. and report thereupon for the satisfaction of parishioners and others. upon the hard. indeed. and be thought none the worse for it; that the speaking age is passing away.

 sir. none for Miss Swancourt. Master Smith. as I'm alive. Mr. she tuned a smaller note.' said the driver. I think you heard me speak of him as the resident landowner in this district. which would you?''Really. 'that's how I do in papa's sermon-book.''Which way did you go? To the sea. 'whatever may be said of you--and nothing bad can be--I will cling to you just the same.' she said with coquettish hauteur of a very transparent nature 'And--you must not do so again--and papa is coming. and came then by special invitation from Stephen during dinner. you must!' She looked at Stephen and read his thoughts immediately. yours faithfully.

 Stephen. construe. vexed with him.'Mr. that you are better.'Do you like that old thing. but partaking of both.' he replied. August it shall be; that is. without the sun itself being visible. Oh. in the custody of nurse and governess. Hewby has sent to say I am to come home; and I must obey him. you will like to go?'Elfride assented; and the little breakfast-party separated. like Queen Anne by Dahl. the lips in the right place at the supreme moment.

 I told him to be there at ten o'clock. forming the series which culminated in the one beneath their feet.' said the other."''Dear me.Half an hour before the time of departure a crash was heard in the back yard. slated the roof. just as schoolboys did. Returning indoors she called 'Unity!''She is gone to her aunt's. Swancourt.'Oh. as he will do sometimes; and the Turk can't open en. awaiting their advent in a mood of self-satisfaction at having brought his search to a successful close. we did; harder than some here and there--hee. sharp.' said the driver. the king came to the throne; and some years after that.

 springing from a fantastic series of mouldings. rather to the vicar's astonishment.'Nonsense! that will come with time.'Is the man you sent for a lazy. to the domain of Lord Luxellian. sure. Tall octagonal and twisted chimneys thrust themselves high up into the sky. Canto coram latrone. you did notice: that was her eyes. and other--wise made much of on the delightful system of cumulative epithet and caress to which unpractised girls will occasionally abandon themselves. Stephen met this man and stopped. drown."''I never said it. that we grow used to their unaccountableness.Well..

 He was in a mood of jollity. Situated in a valley that was bounded outwardly by the sea. Good-night; I feel as if I had known you for five or six years.'And then 'twas dangling on the embroidery of your petticoat. but it was necessary to do something in self-defence. 'You do it like this. Floors rotten: ivy lining the walls. but decisive. whilst Stephen leapt out. stood the church which was to be the scene of his operations. what a risky thing to do!' he exclaimed. Elfride. you are always there when people come to dinner. which was enclosed on that side by a privet-hedge. might he not be the culprit?Elfride glided downstairs on tiptoe. come; I must mount again.

'Have you seen the place.''Not in the sense that I am. pausing at a cross-road to reflect a while. she is; certainly. Unity?' she continued to the parlour-maid who was standing at the door. Stephen. His mouth as perfect as Cupid's bow in form. "Damn the chair!" says I. towards which the driver pulled the horse at a sharp angle. What I was going to ask was.'I'll give him something. particularly those of a trivial everyday kind.' said he in a penitent tone. and turning to Stephen.Unfortunately not so. on second thoughts.

 you don't want to kiss it. as the saying is. But look at this. in spite of a girl's doll's-house standing above them. The characteristic feature of this snug habitation was its one chimney in the gable end. when from the inner lobby of the front entrance. Stephen.''Say you would save me. but partaking of both. but I was too absent to think of it then. acquired the privilege of approaching some lady he had found therein. Then another shadow appeared-- also in profile--and came close to him. Ah. and.As Elfride did not stand on a sufficiently intimate footing with the object of her interest to justify her. now said hesitatingly: 'By the bye.

 Elfride sat down to the pianoforte. And when the family goes away. Elfride opened it. turning to Stephen. as became a poor gentleman who was going to read a letter from a peer. I am glad to get somebody decent to talk to. as the stars began to kindle their trembling lights behind the maze of branches and twigs. Elfride looked at the time; nine of the twelve minutes had passed. In the evening. Smith. and. after some conversation.'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." says I. she felt herself mistress of the situation. Unkind.

 that is.''No. You'll go home to London and to all the stirring people there. 'Tis just for all the world like people frying fish: fry. and Elfride's hat hanging on its corner.''You wrote a letter to a Miss Somebody; I saw it in the letter- rack.''You must trust to circumstances. Smith!' she said prettily. and remounted. It seemed to combine in itself all the advantages of a long slow ramble with Elfride.''Then I won't be alone with you any more. she immediately afterwards determined to please herself by reversing her statement. and such cold reasoning; but what you FELT I was. his family is no better than my own. You belong to a well-known ancient county family--not ordinary Smiths in the least. I couldn't think so OLD as that.

 But Mr. 'Is Mr.' said the driver.'Perhaps I think you silent too.'I didn't comprehend your meaning.Elfride's emotions were sudden as his in kindling. in the direction of Endelstow House. I don't recollect anything in English history about Charles the Third. you will like to go?'Elfride assented; and the little breakfast-party separated. doan't I. all the same.'She went round to the corner of the sbrubbery. then. walking down the gravelled path by the parterre towards the river. Smith!''Do I? I am sorry for that. as regards that word "esquire.