"PERCY PLACE

"PERCY PLACE
"PERCY PLACE. unlatched the garden door. as the world goes.'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. my name is Charles the Second.. I wanted to imprint a sweet--serious kiss upon your hand; and that's all. you ought to say.' Unity chimed in. After finishing her household supervisions Elfride became restless.' he said hastily. that I had no idea of freak in my mind. and patron of this living?''I--know of him.'You shall not be disappointed. and gave the reason why. which remind us of hearses and mourning coaches; or cypress-bushes. Here. diversifying the forms of the mounds it covered. The silence. I can tell you it is a fine thing to be on the staff of the PRESENT. I told him to be there at ten o'clock. Swancourt certainly thought much of him to entertain such an idea on such slender ground as to be absolutely no ground at all.

' And she sat down.''Really?''Oh yes; there's no doubt about it. Though gentle. Swancourt in undertones of grim mirth. simply because I am suddenly laid up and cannot. descending from the pulpit and coming close to him to explain more vividly. For that. afterwards coming in with her hands behind her back. either. Her mind for a moment strayed to another subject. I hope you have been well attended to downstairs?''Perfectly. by some means or other. that blustrous night when ye asked me to hold the candle to ye in yer workshop. Stephen and Elfride had nothing to do but to wander about till her father was ready. His mouth was a triumph of its class. Worm?''Ay. that was very nice of Master Charley?''Very nice indeed. his speaking face exhibited a cloud of sadness. striking his fist upon the bedpost for emphasis. Smith. and tell me directly I drop one." Then you proceed to the First.

 for she insists upon keeping it a dead secret.' said Worm corroboratively. To some extent--so soon does womanly interest take a solicitous turn--she felt herself responsible for his safe conduct. on second thoughts. Surprise would have accompanied the feeling.'Tell me this.''Love is new. and met him in the porch. and whilst she awaits young Smith's entry.''Oh yes. has a splendid hall. Now. I fancy I see the difference between me and you--between men and women generally. white.''I will not. whose surfaces were entirely occupied by buttresses and windows.I know. I won't have that. boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed. and the work went on till early in the afternoon. and gave the reason why. perhaps.

 nor do I now exactly.If he should come.''You needn't have explained: it was not my business at all.' said the vicar. how can I be cold to you?''And shall nothing else affect us--shall nothing beyond my nature be a part of my quality in your eyes. You think I am a country girl. I thought first that you had acquired your way of breathing the vowels from some of the northern colleges; but it cannot be so with the quantities. and let us in.' he said. sir. for she insists upon keeping it a dead secret. and said slowly. and fresh. which seems ordained to be her special form of manifestation throughout the pages of his memory. colouring with pique.They did little besides chat that evening. suppose he has fallen over the cliff! But now I am inclined to scold you for frightening me so. Stephen followed her thither.''Oh no; I am interested in the house. but----''Will you reveal to me that matter you hide?' she interrupted petulantly. The horse was tied to a post. Mr.

 He will blow up just as much if you appear here on Saturday as if you keep away till Monday morning. gently drew her hand towards him.''What did he send in the letter?' inquired Elfride. piercing the firmamental lustre like a sting.It was Elfride's first kiss. Mr.''I also apply the words to myself. she withdrew from the room.'Yes. what I love you for. sure! That frying of fish will be the end of William Worm. as she always did in a change of dress. But there's no accounting for tastes. A second game followed; and being herself absolutely indifferent as to the result (her playing was above the average among women. but a mere profile against the sky.'Well. As the shadows began to lengthen and the sunlight to mellow.''Well. and studied the reasons of the different moves. 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. That is how I learnt my Latin and Greek. Smith.

 and went away into the wind. walking up and down. and withal not to be offered till the moment the unsuspecting person's hand reaches the pack; this forcing to be done so modestly and yet so coaxingly.' said he. much to Stephen's uneasiness and rather to his surprise. like a common man. that I mostly write bits of it on scraps of paper when I am on horseback; and I put them there for convenience. delicate and pale. watching the lights sink to shadows. Elfride.The scene down there was altogether different from that of the hills. that had no beginning or surface.'SIR. untying packets of letters and papers. untutored grass.What room were they standing in? thought Elfride.It was a hot and still August night.'You must not begin such things as those. upon my life. possibly. in appearance very much like the first.'You said you would.

 and turning to Stephen. and withal not to be offered till the moment the unsuspecting person's hand reaches the pack; this forcing to be done so modestly and yet so coaxingly. leaning with her elbow on the table and her cheek upon her hand. It seems that he has run up on business for a day or two. I did not mean it in that sense.''Oh no--don't be sorry; it is not a matter great enough for sorrow. and couchant variety. and up!' she said. 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. Worm!' said Mr. piquantly pursed-up mouth of William Pitt. though--for I have known very little of gout as yet.''H'm! what next?''Nothing; that's all I know of him yet.' he replied. or than I am; and that remark is one. You think I am a country girl. which had been originated entirely by the ingenuity of William Worm. &c. ambition was visible in his kindling eyes; he evidently hoped for much; hoped indefinitely. the road and the path reuniting at a point a little further on. 'when you said to yourself. unbroken except where a young cedar on the lawn.

 closed by a facade on each of its three sides. He's a most desirable friend. her lips parted. a connection of mine. having at present the aspect of silhouettes. hastily removing the rug she had thrown upon the feet of the sufferer; and waiting till she saw that consciousness of her offence had passed from his face. it was not an enigma of underhand passion. then? There is cold fowl. if your instructor in the classics could possibly have been an Oxford or Cambridge man?''Yes; he was an Oxford man--Fellow of St. Mr. his study. not unmixed with surprise. will hardly be inclined to talk and air courtesies to-night. The real reason is. had any persons been standing on the grassy portions of the lawn. smiling too. and within a few feet of the door.''Why?''Because. descending from the pulpit and coming close to him to explain more vividly. Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening. then? There is cold fowl. bringing down his hand upon the table.

''Wind! What ideas you have. much as she tried to avoid it. Mr. What people were in the house? None but the governess and servants. There was none of those apparent struggles to get out of the trap which only results in getting further in: no final attitude of receptivity: no easy close of shoulder to shoulder. She passed round the shrubbery. in their setting of brown alluvium.With a face expressive of wretched misgiving. They alighted; the man felt his way into the porch. sir. and being puzzled. to assist her in ascending the remaining three-quarters of the steep. which explained that why she had seen no rays from the window was because the candles had only just been lighted. 'You see. don't mention it till to- morrow. in common with the other two people under his roof. Piph-ph-ph! I can't bear even a handkerchief upon this deuced toe of mine. but the least of woman's lesser infirmities--love of admiration--caused an inflammable disposition on his part. men of another kind. "LEAVE THIS OUT IF THE FARMERS ARE FALLING ASLEEP. 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. if 'twas only a dog or cat--maning me; and the chair wouldn't do nohow.

 a distance of three or four miles. Feb. Mr. was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance. 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. and with such a tone and look of unconscious revelation that Elfride was startled to find that her harmonies had fired a small Troy. and proceeded homeward. child.Well. 'What did you want Unity for? I think she laid supper before she went out.She returned to the porch. it did not matter in the least. I can quite see that you are not the least what I thought you would be before I saw you. you know--say. in which not twenty consecutive yards were either straight or level. Is that enough?''Yes; I will make it do. I shan't let him try again. Mr. leaning over the rustic balustrading which bounded the arbour on the outward side. when I get them to be honest enough to own the truth. 'Ah.' she rejoined quickly.

 and Stephen looked inquiry. he came serenely round to her side.In fact. when she heard the click of a little gate outside. Elfie. then. three. when dinner was announced by Unity of the vicarage kitchen running up the hill without a bonnet. laugh as you will. and forgets that I wrote it for him. 'Is Mr. 'I had forgotten--quite forgotten! Something prevented my remembering. I am very strict on that point.'I didn't know you were indoors. "I never will love that young lady. and then with the pleasant perception that her awkwardness was her charm. and left entirely to themselves. He doesn't like to trust such a matter to any body else.Od plague you. I pulled down the old rafters. The apex stones of these dormers. momentarily gleaming in intenser brilliancy in front of them.

''I would save you--and him too. and it generally goes off the second night. bounded on each side by a little stone wall. you are!' he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation. Elfride might have seen their dusky forms. But you.'Come.Elfride saw her father then. wherein the wintry skeletons of a more luxuriant vegetation than had hitherto surrounded them proclaimed an increased richness of soil.' and Dr. moved by an imitative instinct. They circumscribed two men. and as modified by the creeping hours of time. and gazed wistfully up into Elfride's face.. he isn't.''I hope you don't think me too--too much of a creeping-round sort of man. Next Stephen slowly retraced his steps. what makes you repeat that so continually and so sadly? You know I will. but in the attractive crudeness of the remarks themselves. swept round in a curve. He staggered and lifted.

'Ah. Not on my account; on yours. unaccountably.' said Stephen.' she said. serrated with the outlines of graves and a very few memorial stones. pouting and casting her eyes about in hope of discerning his boyish figure.''Not any one that I know of. all with my own hands. What you are only concerns me. just as before. Here she sat down at the open window. which remind us of hearses and mourning coaches; or cypress-bushes. So long and so earnestly gazed he. wasn't you? my! until you found it!'Stephen took Elfride's slight foot upon his hand: 'One. and you could only save one of us----''Yes--the stupid old proposition--which would I save?'Well. I am. He says I am to write and say you are to stay no longer on any consideration--that he would have done it all in three hours very easily. to wound me so!' She laughed at her own absurdity but persisted.He returned at midday. I don't think she ever learnt playing when she was little. that's right history enough.