A Pair of Blue Eyes

me you kne

o be required. Six-and-thirty old seat ends, of exquisite fifteenth-century workmanship, were rapidly decaying in an aisle of the church; and it

lfride when she casually discovered that he had not come that minute post-haste from London, but had reached the neighbourhood the previous evening. Surprise would

art, on his hopes and prospects from the profession he had embraced. Stephen gave vague answers. The next day it rained. In the e

in helping on the devel

rmance must be gone through by all players in the same manner; she was taught by his differing action that all ordinary players, who learn the game by sight, unconsciously touch the men in a stereotyped way. This i

you handle the

am sorry

t a matter great enough for sor

arnt from a book lent me by my friend Mr

ave seen p

ad the opportunity of playing with a living opponent. I have worked out many gam

s should have grown up without being able to see or engage in a game astonished her not a litt

e board, but apparently thinking of other things. H

ut quod me man

replied

sas cum fide

eir borders by the shaking. 'I was musing on those words as applicable to a strange course I am steering-but enough of that. I am delighted with you, Mr

ords to myself,' sa

the world to do that,

nsinuating herself between them, 'tell me

d slowly, and in a voice full of a far-off meanin

AT FINE, manet me AWAITS ME? Effare SPEAK OUT; luam I WILL P

my curiosity), though your translation was unexceptionably correct and close, you have a way of pronouncing your Latin which to me seems most peculiar. Not that the pronunciation of a dead language is of much importance; yet your accents and quantities have a grotesque sound

xford man-Fellow

all

ere's no do

id Mr. Swancourt, starting with astoni

man in England!' cried S

e Latin in the way you pronounce it beats all

r ye

r ye

nd construing twice a week, and twice a week he sent them back to me corrected, with marginal notes of instruction. That i

ngular instance of pati

He says that, much to his regret, he sees a time coming when every man will pronounce even the common words of his own tongue as seem

ory, namely, what circumstances could have necessitated such an unusual method of education. But no further explanation was voluntee

o in her compassion? To let him checkmate her. A second game followed; and being herself absolutely indifferent as to the result (her playing was above the average among women, and

citedly than was hers, which itself had quickened when she seriously

he exclaimed, his face flushing. 'You did

e of vexation and sadness, which, relishable for a moment, ca

s like contempt for your skill. But, indeed, I did not mean it in that sense. I could not, upon my conscienc

thing-I can do nothing! O Miss Swancourt!' he burst out wildly, his heart swelling in his th

d round to her side, and almost before she suspected it his ar

as from the emotion itself. Then she suddenly withdrew herself and stood upright, vexed that she had submi

with coquettish hauteur of a very transparent natu

aid with his usual delicacy, and without

not

n your

N

reh

ainly

ebody else, then?

ure I d

or me

f her manner and speech. There were the semitone of voice and half-hidden expression o

court then entered the room, a

ancourt proposed a drive to the cliffs beyond

he back yard, and presently Worm came in, saying partly to the w

he end of William Worm. They be at it again

aid Mr. Swancourt. 'What was t

I was so dazed wi' it that down fell a piece of leg-wood across the shaft of the pony-shay, and splintered it off. "Ay," says I, "I feel it as

owed more warmth of temper than the accident seemed to demand, much to Stephen's uneasiness and rather to his sur

t is almost too long a distance for you to walk. Elfride can

n horseback-Oh, you must!' She looked at Stephen and read

ry to say

ble to ride!' said

ad other lessons to learn. Now, I recommend this plan: let El

all the advantages of a long slow ramble with Elfride, without the contingent possibility

y very favourite darling ones; but the worst of it is that they have such short hooks that they are liable to be dropped if I toss my head about much, and when I am riding I can't give my mind to them. It would be doing me knight service i

ave!' said Unity with r

at I found one of them,' p

gate into Eighteen Ac

arpet in my own room,' r

iss; and then 'twas down your back, miss, wasn't it? And oh, wh

t foot upon his hand: 'One,

d round; and Elfride was ultimately deposited upon the ground rat

little accomplishment that requires some practice, although i

pic look of indignation. 'Worm, come here, and help me to moun

of the valley being occasionally brushed from their faces by a coo

imself nor help another person into one seems a useless incumbrance; but

horsewoman's address to a benighted walker, 'is that your knowledge of cert

his eyes earn

't trouble about that particular bit of knowledge. I thought it would be useless to me; but I don't think so now. I w

him with critical medit

she began suddenly, without replying to his

on my pac

else saw a

would she b

ry's

e roots of

wild, and

's all s

oung man stilly, and

language str

thee

f!' And Elfride started; and Stephen beheld her light figure contracting

ng. Dull as a flower without the sun he sat down upon a stone, and not for fifteen minutes was an

her face flushed and her eyes sparkling. She turned th

say to me, Mr. Smith,

t exactly answer last night-whether I wa

actly answer

can't

w if I am more to yo

ice of intensest appreciation, at the same t

layfully; and she blushingly

on lips?' continue

ook; and it would be the death of m

through a glove, and that a riding-glove, w

n't it a pretty white hand? Ah, you don'

ride! You know I think more of you than I can tell;

tively. What a proud moment it was for Elfride then! She was ruli

thily pounced

said intractably; 'and you s

hich the boisterousness of boy and girl was far more prominent than the dignity of man an

e neither of pleasure nor anger, but partaking of both. 'I ought not t

und sort of man,' said he in a penitent tone, conscious

he time we have known each other, Mr. Smith, you take too much upon you. Y

a of freak in my mind. I wanted to imprint a swe

ssed a wish to dismount. The horse was tied to a post, and they both followed an irregular path, which ultimately terminated upon a flat ledge passing round the face of the huge blue-black rock at a height about midway between the sea and the topmost verge. There, far beneath and before them, la

med naturally in the beetling mass, and wide enough to admit tw

her,' she said half inquiringly. 'We have not known ea

ied judicially; '

o you

in which our minutes beat, that makes enou

cted or knew what a VERY NEW THING I am

me to say it-I know it is-before you know more; but I wish

said in

served an ominous silence; the only objects of interest on earth for him bei

at he still remained silent, she added more anxiously, 'If you say that again,

!' he exclaimed

titude of receptivity: no easy close of shoulder to shoulder, hand upon hand, face upon face, and, in spite of coyness, the lips in the right place at the supreme moment. That graceful though apparently accidental

rcing a Card. The card is to be shifted nimbly, withdrawn, edged under, and withal not to be offered till the moment the unsuspecting person's hand reaches the

with a momentary regret that his kiss should be spoilt by her confused receipt

e for me and lo

es

y mu

es

if you'll wait for me,

' she sai

reason why,

one that

akes it almost impossible for you to agree to be my w

be found upon your personal nature. That is pure and gene

all nothing beyond my nature be a pa

reath of relief. 'Is that all? Some o

s to be judged. For that, we will stop till we get

phen, I fancy I see the difference between me and you-between men and women generally, perhaps. I am content to bui

years older than you are, or than I am; and that remark is one. I couldn't th

ev

u don't kiss nicely at all; and I was told once, by my

tood tethered. 'Instead of entrusting my weight to a young man's unstable palm,' she continued gaily, 'I pr

omeward at the s

s thoughtfulness, and each forgot ev

' she said, after a long m

now,' he r

u do,' insi

, for yo

't vex me by a light an

mentioned. They are

n't have that. What

ve been for

at about

was a passable

ot very c

lips; but actually, nothing

ead as you go on, there's a dear St

eeks and back again; but I am not sure. Or your hands and arms, that they eclipsed all other hands and arms; or your feet, that the

, and not being sure, and such cold reasoning; but what you FELT I was, you know, Stephen' (at this a steal

er sai

elf, then, "I never wil

say that

uppose I must love

N

t, t

e fluctuating-n

me; do

ot to think about you

you. And I'll not ask you ever any more-never more-to say o

thing: That at one time I had never seen you, and I didn't lov

you for. You are nice-looking, of course; but I didn't m

in rather a dissatisfied tone of self-criticism. 'Well, never mind. I must ask your f

...Stephen, don't ment

hy

f he should-we shall have a day longer of happiness from o

end Knight would enjoy this sce

red, with a jealous little toss. 'He must be an in

is face glowing with his fervo

lf satirically. 'The noblest man in

low, laugh as you

hero. But what do

writ

te? I have never

e him, is absorbed into a huge WE, namely, the impalpabl

nly a re

ine thing to be on the staff of the PRESENT

, and my poor COURT

altogether a reviewer. He writes things of a higher class than reviews, though he reviews a book occasionally. His

to us irregularly. I want papa to be a subscriber, but he's so conservati

hall try to be his int

en't yo

this way-he came originally from the same place as I, and taught me things; but I am not intimate with hi

de's soft lips. 'You think always of hi

ent quite. But I do like him, and he deserv

le!' she exclaimed perversely. 'I know you will never speak

He is so brilliant-no, it isn't exactly brilliant; so thoughtful-nor does thoughtful express him-th

tween me and you. You think of him night and day, ever so much more than of

fride; I lov

n the middle of loving me. Stephen, suppose that I and this man Kni

ld proposition-wh

which?

e said, pressing

n't do; only

It is disagreeable-quite a ho

, and let me drown, drown, drown;

tone to her words, but the latter sp

point a little further on. On again making her appearance she continually managed to look in a direction away from him, and left him in t

ed, Elfie? Why

r. Clever of yours drown. I ha

ld not press such a hard q

re. Unkind, to wound me so!' She laugh

et's make it up

ave me, then, an

ave you-an

e, or you don't love me

wn,' he ejaculat

he said, and a woman's flu

s I'm alive,' said Unity o

ched misgiving, Elfride's hand

Stephen, looking at him

d only remembered!' he answered,

, and turned into the shr

I should have religiously done it,' she capricio

ng is for

nt, and added more seriously, 'I know now where I dropped it, Stephen. It was on the cliff. I remember a faint sensation of

go at

of rocks to where they had sat, felt and peered about the stones and crannies, but Elfride's stray jewel was nowhere to be seen. Next Stephen slowly retraced

of the ground. As the shadows began to lengthen and the sunlight to mellow, he passed through two wicket-gates, and drew near the ou

in the gable end, its squareness of form disguised by a huge cloak of ivy, which had grown so luxuriantly and extended so far from its base, as to increase the apparent bulk of the chimney to the dim

front, went up to the cottage door, and op

crape of chairs on a stone floor, as if pushed back by their occupiers in rising from a table. The door wa