The White Peacock

great grief; the chief trouble was the unanswered crying of failure. But we were change

erything. She seemed to hear the water laughing, and the leaves tittering and giggling like young girls; the aspen

ght in a gin, and she had noticed the traps for the fierce little murderers, trap

. She looked out over Nethermere to Highclose, vague in the September mist. Had it not been for the scarlet light on her face, I should have thought her look was sad and serious. She nestled up to the window, and leaned her head against the wooden shaft. Gradually s

r; his person was exceedingly attractive; one watched him move about, and felt pleasure. His face was less pleasing than his person. He was not handsome; his eyebrows were t

room to look at her. The sweet carelessness of her attitude, the appealing, half-pitiful girlishness of her face tou

and gently drew her head against him, looking down at her with a tender, soothing smile. I thought she was

loosed her, and rose, looking at her reproachfully. She shook

imed, looking very flushe

You shouldn't go to sleep then an

she said, frowni

ht we were proud of our unconventi

question of me, n

you are

r is c

u had bette

very fond

e said, "why ar

e into

kissing her when she was

boy, to play Princ

was sadly out of chara

ghed and f

at her and smiling, "I ca

ly afternoon,

ed at him

dreadful

ed, "you'll wake up. G

patient. She

o be smilin

eyes and went

id to himself, and to me. "She

she came in again, drawing o

e as wel

d stared at her i

inish this sketch," I sa

my hand, and drew me from my chair. The blood flushed into

rily. "Women like to fan

Iron Duke, they

heir histories," he said, since s

, my general,

d, with a splendid curl o

w, he conquered,

?" he said, get

e," she replied

-land that should have been park-like, but which was shaggy with loose grass and yellow mole-hills, ra

chattered under our steps. The water was mild a

lls of arid Derbyshire, and seeing them not, because it was autumn. We came in sight of the head-st

e were all quite gay as we turned off the high road and went along the bridle path, with the woods on our right, the high Strelley hills shutting in our small valley in front, and the fields and the common to the left. About half wa

nd called to us to come and help. We pushed

No;-come, that sounds bad! Going a walk I guess. You see what it is to get fat," and he pulled a wry

ll do some,"

our wrists and break your stays. Hark at my ha

had not noticed us. He contin

e movement!"

the tying, "and our George enjoys a bit o' mowing. It puts y

planted, he swung with a beautiful rhythm from the waist. On the hip of his belted breeches hung the scythestone; his shirt, faded almost white, was torn just abov

betraying smile. He was remarkably handsome. He tried to say some words of greeti

und nothing to say. Les

k mowing is a

lie picked up the scythe, "but it will mak

a little, threw off his

g for a reply he proceeded. George

said, a trifle awkwardly,

ou?" h

, laughed, and turned to p

bind the cor

e way to hold them. Instead of attending, she looked at h

k I could do

derfully ready at everything, was doing fairly well, but he had not the inv

l sweat," s

ou?" she

I'm not d

ms tempt me to touch them. They are such a

her finger tips on the smooth brown muscle, and drew them along.

laugh, at once pleasan

he standing corn, and the dim blue woods. He followed h

e said emp

ront, and gently rubbing the muscles of his side. "It's a pleasure to

physical beauty, as if he wer

e up, wipi

d he, "I do

s coat and helped h

y take

ice form of exe

r tip, now took out his pen-knife and

you must have

hing, but she r

cuse to straighten his ba

nough," he said,

rom the corn, go coursing through the hedge, dodging and bounding the sheaves. The standin

d the father, picking up a short rake, and goi

er, "if you see the he

round the p

her excitedly, and immediately af

eading its terrified course through the maze of lying sheaves, spurting on in a painful zigzag, now bounding over an untied bundle of corn, now swerving from the sound of a shout. The little wretch

e standing corn. I heard Lettie calling, and turning round saw Emily

other!" sho

at in her hand and her hair flying, whirled upon him, and she and the little fragile lad sent him back again. The rabbit was getting tired. It dodged the sheaves badly, running towards the top hedge. I went after it. If I could have let myself fall on it I could have caught it, but this was impossible to me, and I merely prevented its dashing through the hole into safety.

dn't,"

e palpitation of the heart under the brown fur, and I could see the shining dark eyes looking at me. I felt no pity for it, but still I could not actually hurt it. I beckoned to the father. He ran up, and aimed a blow with the rake. There was a sharp little cry which sent a

rls were at the gat

o more," sai

nstant Ma

one down

, so we dug it out with the rake handle. The stick w

her on the back, and the hole was opened out. Little mice seemed to swarm eve

have had rearing that lot!" He picked her up, handled her curiously a

gether they soon laid the proud, quivering heads low. Les

e engines at the distant coal-mine, as they drew up the last bantles of men. As we walked across the fields the tubes of stubble tinkled like du

ly weary, down the hill towards the farm. T

She merely glanced at us and said her formal greeting. Lettie picked up a book that lay in the ingle seat, and went to the window. George droppe

nd over his eyes, "makes you more tired than a who

ting while it las

than the rabbits do us

r," drawled her son, "it

e of days of

ng a piece of bread and butter,

p of tea," he

n such brutes," she replied, rele

e of bread and butter, "I'm not al

d Lettie, hotly, without

said Leslie, in m

began, in that deliberate

o touch the fur, and not be able

ttie opened her mouth sharply

"When it comes to killing i

ould be able to run to death. When you

tear the head off a little mite of a thing like a

ut a barbarian to beg

yourself-you'd be t

ce at Lettie. "Yes," he continued, "they're cruel enoug

good finicking! If you feel like

't courage," said

with dark eyes, su

"Don't you think it's brutal, now-that you do think-isn't

replied, "but it w

feeling," she

recatingly, bu

se. George got up and went out at the end. A moment or two after we he

th accumulated bitterness. Lettie looked out of the w

the end of the farm buildings rose high and grey, there was a plum-tree which had been crucified to the wall, and which had broken away and leaned forward from bondage. Now under the boughs were hidden great mist-bloomed, crimson treasures, splendid globes. I shook the old, ragged trunk, green, with even the fresh gum dulled over, and the treasures fell heavily, thudding down among the immense rhubarb leaves below. The girls l

of the culvert, in the gloom. They sat and wiped their sharp faces, stroking their whiskers. Then one would give a little rush and a little squirm of excitement and would jump vertically into the air, alighting on four feet, running, sliding into the black shadow. One dropped with an ugly plop into th

been inspecting the yard and the s

ing away from

to fetch you a plum. Look!" An

o pretty to

tasted yet,"

r his arm. "Let us go up to

made him lift her on to a leaning bough of willow. He sat with his head resting against her skir

is all so still-I lov

inclined to be sad and sentimental. We had forgotten that the darkness was weaving. I heard in the little distance Leslie's voice begin to m

arer, the hum of low words ceased. We went forward to meet George. Leslie

is going

er wish, put his hands under her arms, and set her gently down, as one would a child.

ether," said George quietly. Let

e-five now. Is it the

at you. I always think it wants to know something, and I always think

on us, we were washed off our feet in a vague sea of moonlight. We stood with the light like water on our faces. Lettie was glad, a little bit exalted; Emily was passionately troubled; her lips

dear"-and he

he bank of the pond, and acr

ing the steep bank of the orchard, "I feel as if I wa

" Leslie replied in a low

will race you

o the wicket leading on to the front lawns, he s

ter his half finished p

lawn which lay in grey shadow between

the grass is smooth and short-even if there

d. So she called to me, and there was a shade of anxiety in her voice, l

und, hissing through the dead leaves. The night, the low hung yellow moon, the pallor of the west, the blue cloud of evening overhead went round and through the fantastic branches of

s of extreme satisfaction, "that was

feeling the poetry in his heart

lse on wet grass, and through sh

s I jump,"

sprang with large strides, carrying her with him. It was a tremendous, irresistible dancing. Emily and I must join, making an inner ring. Now and again there was a

, nerved with triumph, and she w

inished?" L

safe from his q

ave danced. Give me my hat, plea

hat and ga

ful?" he

olemn to-night

it?" he repeat

e not looking. Then put it level. Now then! Why, your hands are

ughing and winking through those boughs. What business have they with their sadness!" She took a handful of pe