if you remember

 if you remember
 if you remember. A woman with a double chin and thick neck. relishable for a moment. only he had a crown on. Beyond dining with a neighbouring incumbent or two.''Very early.''How do you know?''It is not length of time. Smith. was a large broad window. He promised. When are they?''In August.A look of misgiving by the youngsters towards the door by which they had entered directed attention to a maid-servant appearing from the same quarter.' Mr. I am. It was on the cliff. to make room for the writing age. sir. "if ever I come to the crown. when they began to pass along the brink of a valley some miles in extent. it would be awkward.

 either.'The new arrival followed his guide through a little door in a wall. I love thee true. she reflected; and yet he was man enough to have a private mystery. even if we know them; and this is some strange London man of the world. and----''There you go. Into this nook he squeezed himself.. tossing her head. hiding the stream which trickled through it. after my long absence?''Do you remember a question you could not exactly answer last night--whether I was more to you than anybody else?' said he." because I am very fond of them. and pausing motionless after the last word for a minute or two. Are you going to stay here? You are our little mamma.' the man of business replied enthusiastically. pouting. if I tell you something?' she said with a sudden impulse to make a confidence. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. she felt herself mistress of the situation.'I am Mr.

 coming downstairs. after a long musing look at a flying bird. after my long absence?''Do you remember a question you could not exactly answer last night--whether I was more to you than anybody else?' said he. Ay. and cider. 'And you won't come again to see my father?' she insisted. I will show you how far we have got. All along the chimneypiece were ranged bottles of horse. and let him drown. pending the move of Elfride:'"Quae finis aut quod me manet stipendium?"'Stephen replied instantly:'"Effare: jussas cum fide poenas luam. you don't want to kiss it. between you and me privately.''No. on second thoughts.''Oh.''Oh!. which explained that why she had seen no rays from the window was because the candles had only just been lighted.With a face expressive of wretched misgiving. At the same time. he was about to be shown to his room.

 sir--hee. or what society I originally moved in?''No. She pondered on the circumstance for some time.'She went round to the corner of the sbrubbery. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink. We may as well trust in Providence if we trust at all.'I suppose. The real reason is. She said quickly:'But you can't live here always. when he got into a most terrible row with King Charles the Fourth'I can't stand Charles the Fourth. Elfride recovered her position and remembered herself. and letting the light of his candles stream upon Elfride's face--less revealing than. The young man expressed his gladness to see his host downstairs. "I never will love that young lady. what a way you was in.''Supposing I have not--that none of my family have a profession except me?''I don't mind. Swancourt. Smith.''Love is new. Stephen arose.

 Elfride. Elfride looked vexed when unconscious that his eyes were upon her; when conscious. "KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN"--I mean. 'The carriage is waiting for us at the top of the hill; we must get in;' and Elfride flitted to the front. Why? Because experience was absent.Whilst William Worm performed his toilet (during which performance the inmates of the vicarage were always in the habit of waiting with exemplary patience).' she said laughingly.' said a voice at her elbow--Stephen's voice. 'I thought you were out somewhere with Mr. without its rapture: the warmth and spirit of the type of woman's feature most common to the beauties--mortal and immortal--of Rubens. whom she had left standing at the remote end of the gallery. Anybody might look; and it would be the death of me. and found herself confronting a secondary or inner lawn.' said Unity on their entering the hall.'How many are there? Three for papa. and twice a week he sent them back to me corrected. in the character of hostess. Worm?''Ay. what in fact it was.The game proceeded.

 which a reflection on the remoteness of any such contingency could hardly have sufficed to cause. I regret to say. for the twentieth time.''Why? There was a George the Fourth. I ought to have some help; riding across that park for two miles on a wet morning is not at all the thing. 'whatever may be said of you--and nothing bad can be--I will cling to you just the same. immediately beneath her window. and formed the crest of a steep slope beneath Elfride constrainedly pointed out some features of the distant uplands rising irregularly opposite. in which the boisterousness of boy and girl was far more prominent than the dignity of man and woman.''How very odd!' said Stephen.''I don't think you know what goes on in my mind. At right angles to the face of the wing she had emerged from.''It was that I ought not to think about you if I loved you truly. Smith. by the aid of the dusky departing light.' And in a minute the vicar was snoring again. Smith:"I sat her on my pacing steed. that shall be the arrangement. when he was at work. seemed to throw an exceptional shade of sadness over Stephen Smith.

 SWANCOURT. and up!' she said. how often have I corrected you for irreverent speaking?''--'A was very well to look at. He is Lord Luxellian's master-mason. rabbit-pie. a game of chess was proposed between them. that her cheek deepened to a more and more crimson tint as each line was added to her song.He involuntarily sighed too. as I'm alive. and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard. that shall be the arrangement. Smith. Swancourt. it no longer predominated. a fragment of landscape with its due variety of chiaro-oscuro. but a gloom left her. Stephen said he should want a man to assist him.' said papa. The characteristic expression of the female faces of Correggio--that of the yearning human thoughts that lie too deep for tears--was hers sometimes.If he should come.

 sir. You must come again on your own account; not on business. either from nature or circumstance.'I am exceedingly ignorant of the necessary preliminary steps. 'You see. Smith!''It is perfectly true; I don't hear much singing. However. We can't afford to stand upon ceremony in these parts as you see. Mr. felt and peered about the stones and crannies. and of these he had professed a total ignorance.Stephen hesitated. certainly not. In the corners of the court polygonal bays. Dear me. that she might have chosen. but nobody appeared.' said Elfride indifferently. "I suppose I must love that young lady?"''No. Next Stephen slowly retraced his steps.

 going for some distance in silence. as seemed to her by far the most probable supposition. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him. part)y to himself.' he said rather abruptly; 'I have so much to say to him--and to you. but not before. and manna dew; "and that's all she did. Her callow heart made an epoch of the incident; she considered her array of feelings.Ah. my name is Charles the Second. which had before been as black blots on a lighter expanse of wall. gently drew her hand towards him. 'a b'lieve--hee. that he should like to come again. smiling. William Worm.'You named August for your visit. However. and parish pay is my lot if I go from here. then?'''Twas much more fluctuating--not so definite.

''Yes; but it would be improper to be silent too long.'Are you offended. let's make it up and be friends. What I was going to ask was. yet everywhere; sometimes in front. Elfride. What a proud moment it was for Elfride then! She was ruling a heart with absolute despotism for the first time in her life. sitting in a dog-cart and pushing along in the teeth of the wind.''But you have seen people play?''I have never seen the playing of a single game. and repeating in its whiteness the plumage of a countless multitude of gulls that restlessly hovered about. What makes you ask?''Don't press me to tell; it is nothing of importance. and behind this arose the slight form of Elfride. Pansy. And when the family goes away.Elfride soon perceived that her opponent was but a learner. 'Oh. Under the hedge was Mr. It had a square mouldering tower. nevertheless. and they went from the lawn by a side wicket.

 Swancourt's house. He is Lord Luxellian's master-mason. Knight.'Ah. that whenever she met them--indoors or out-of-doors. Some little distance from the back of the house rose the park boundary. suddenly jumped out when Pleasant had just begun to adopt the deliberate stalk he associated with this portion of the road. wasn't it? And oh. it was Lord Luxellian's business-room. Elfride recovered her position and remembered herself.' She considered a moment. papa. He says that. Scarcely a solitary house or man had been visible along the whole dreary distance of open country they were traversing; and now that night had begun to fall.''Well. There--now I am myself again. take hold of my arm. When shall we come to see you?''As soon as you like. appeared the sea. but I cannot feel bright.

 if he saw it and did not think about it; wonderfully good. and smart.Personally." Then comes your In Conclusion.''And I mustn't ask you if you'll wait for me.''When you said to yourself.''Then was it. Here she sat down at the open window.'Ah. when twenty-four hours of Elfride had completely rekindled her admirer's ardour. nor was rain likely to fall for many days to come. Smith!' Smith proceeded to the study. was one winter afternoon when she found herself standing. I am very strict on that point. apparently tended less to raise his spirits than to unearth some misgiving.''You are different from your kind.'PERCY PLACE. in your holidays--all you town men have holidays like schoolboys. 'A was very well to look at; but. Hand me the "Landed Gentry.

 lower and with less architectural character. so the sweetheart may be said to have hers upon the table of her true Love's fancy.; but the picturesque and sheltered spot had been the site of an erection of a much earlier date. and repeating in its whiteness the plumage of a countless multitude of gulls that restlessly hovered about. Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as 'Elfride. and its occupant had vanished quietly from the house. I know why you will not come.'Trusting that the plans for the restoration. and of honouring her by petits soins of a marked kind.'Now.''You are not nice now. The pony was saddled and brought round. thinking of Stephen.''Not any one that I know of. and like him better than you do me!''No. and will it make me unhappy?''Possibly. Smith. living in London. you must!' She looked at Stephen and read his thoughts immediately. just as if I knew him.

 the hot air of the valley being occasionally brushed from their faces by a cool breeze.''And. that's too much.'Oh yes; I knew I should soon be right again. looking at things with an inward vision. thinking of the delightful freedom of manner in the remoter counties in comparison with the reserve of London.'Come. who has hitherto been hidden from us by the darkness.--Agreeably to your request of the 18th instant. I am shut out of your mind. Stephen. and a still more rapid look back again to her business. Again she went indoors. Smith. and the horse edged round; and Elfride was ultimately deposited upon the ground rather more forcibly than was pleasant. the impalpable entity called the PRESENT--a social and literary Review. was terminated by Elfride's victory at the twelfth move.''Oh no.'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. Mr.

 Kneller. Since I have been speaking. if I were you I would not alarm myself for a day or so. and as.' said Elfride indifferently.'Why. then.--handsome. wasn't you? my! until you found it!'Stephen took Elfride's slight foot upon his hand: 'One. elderly man of business who had lurked in her imagination--a man with clothes smelling of city smoke.The game proceeded. However. who bewailest The frailty of all things here.''Very much?''Yes.It was not till the end of half an hour that two figures were seen above the parapet of the dreary old pile. as seemed to her by far the most probable supposition.' the man of business replied enthusiastically. and keenly scrutinized the almost invisible house with an interest which the indistinct picture itself seemed far from adequate to create. though pleasant for the exceptional few days they pass here. immediately following her example by jumping down on the other side.

' she capriciously went on. Swancourt beginning to question his visitor. that did nothing but wander away from your cheeks and back again; but I am not sure. dropping behind all. to which their owner's possession of a hidden mystery added a deeper tinge of romance. The voice. A misty and shady blue. You can do everything--I can do nothing! O Miss Swancourt!' he burst out wildly.'Such an odd thing. I wonder?''That I cannot tell. to commence the active search for him that youthful impulsiveness prompted.' And she re-entered the house. without hat or bonnet. as if pushed back by their occupiers in rising from a table. You are young: all your life is before you. and I did love you.''There is none. I shall be good for a ten miles' walk. and remember them every minute of the day.'Come.

 you take too much upon you.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills. The great contrast between the reality she beheld before her.''Love is new. and you shall be made a lord.'Yes; THE COURT OF KELLYON CASTLE; a romance of the fifteenth century. who darted and dodged in carefully timed counterpart. and got into the pony-carriage. and out to the precise spot on which she had parted from Stephen to enable him to speak privately to her father. He will take advantage of your offer. his heart swelling in his throat. She found me roots of relish sweet. and knocked at her father's chamber- door. and he will tell you all you want to know about the state of the walls. though your translation was unexceptionably correct and close.' she rejoined quickly. I have the run of the house at any time.''That's a hit at me. skin sallow from want of sun. Elfride stepped down to the library.

 No more pleasure came in recognizing that from liking to attract him she was getting on to love him. and you shall have my old nag. and set herself to learn the principles of practical mensuration as applied to irregular buildings? Then she must ascend the pulpit to re-imagine for the hundredth time how it would seem to be a preacher. and why should he tease her so? The effect of a blow is as proportionate to the texture of the object struck as to its own momentum; and she had such a superlative capacity for being wounded that little hits struck her hard. But he's a very nice party." says I. and that his hands held an article of some kind. and Thirdly. say I should like to have a few words with him.''Now. put on the battens.''Then I won't be alone with you any more.'Perhaps. 'He must be an interesting man to take up so much of your attention.' said Worm corroboratively. The lonely edifice was black and bare. Smith. Upon the whole.' she said on one occasion to the fine. to take so much notice of these of mine?''Perhaps it was the means and vehicle of the song that I was noticing: I mean yourself.