Interludes / being Two Essays, a Story, and Some Verses

o speak to you, old chap. You won't

He knew what was coming. "I don

o talk to you a

o interfere? That's my

ll you plainly, it's a beastly shame; and if you dare

f what

lace I find you in. You've no ri

ure as any child in the world, and you ought to know I woul

But, see what folly it all is. You know

now. I'm not obliged to te

hat you mean to do. You know she is

k she cares for him a

, for you tell me you mean nothing bad. But is it manly, is it fair to play these sor

ty fine airs, and all about nothing; but just because you have an

've done. Liberavi animam meam. I am sorry if I have offended you. I say it's quite time we

k to do, and-and I've hurt my heel a bit a

neck as he turned away his face and sat down to a book on

g on to their doom. The visitors, dressed for squally weather, in waterproofs or rough suits, walked up and down the parade, enjoying the exhilarating breeze, or stood watching with eager excitement the entry of a fishing smack into the harbour. Far away out at sea in the mist of distant spray and rain two or three brigantines or schooners could be dimly descried labouring with the storm;-mysterious and awful sight

struck him as it had never done before, and the freedom of manner which a few hours ago would have delighted him now sent a chilling sensation to his heart. "Good afternoon," he replied, and, drawing his arm round her waist, he kissed her several times, and held her so firmly that at last she said, "Oh, sir, you'll hurt me. Let me go!" Then holding him away from her, and looking him full in the face, she said, "Oh, Mr. Henry, whatever can be the matter!" "Come

all. I haven't seen him. But come here, you m

cliff in front of her, but she saw nothing, felt nothing, except that a dreadful mom

ould ask you to marry me. But I cannot. It is impossible. It would bring misery upon all, upon my father and mother

ing down her face, an

ow your friends," she s

d and out of the way, and if the world was different from what it is. But I have tho

of it. I might have known that a grand gentleman like you would never live with the like of me; but then I thought I loved you very, very dearly; you seemed so bright, and grand, and tender, that I loved you in spite of all I was afraid of, and I thought if you loved me you might perhaps be-" Here she broke down a

riously against the corner of the cliff, round which they had come dry-shod a short time before, They at once guessed their fate, and glanced in dismay at one another and then at the s

ide. I have sent a boy back to Babbicombe for help. No help can come by sea in such a storm. They will bring a basket and ropes by t

ay up the clif

f the cliff, and buried his face in his hands. Nellie sank down on the rock where she and Barton had been sitting, and he stood by her, helplessly gazing alternately with a pale face and bewildered mind at his two companions. Two or three minutes pa

aid, "I have done you a great

't mend the wrong you have done," and hi

the most painful consequences of wrong-doing is that the wrong has a sort of fungus

h; I have come between you and her with my cursed folly. I deserve anything you may say or do to me. I care nothing about the waves; let them come. Ta

s hands covering his face, and his body sw

red. "You seem to have ruined

arton, "I have told you,

hands tightly clenched and his chest heaving, "Yes! you are too great a coward for tha

m, spare him. He meant no harm. Not now, not

let be-there, there, I've prayed I might not kill you both, and the devil is gone, thank the Lord for it. There, lass, don't fret; I can't abide crying. The sea! the

up the cliff, which was immediately responded to by those at the top, though the sound seemed faint and far off.

or you'll fall out. Sit down and keep tight hold. Shut your eyes, never mind a bump or two, and keep tigh

," she said, "I have been very wi

out up the cliff, and the basket began slowly to ascend. The two men gazed at it

he is safe,"

f Hawkstone in alarm. "Look how fast the wa

s they make great haste. I don't know why they don't lower at once. Something m

d louder, roared at them, and rushed round the rocks on which they were s

, in with you,"

will not go. It is my

, there's no t

out you. Let us bot

s, I doubt if there is strength enough

mise me if I go that you will not-. I can't say what I mean,

he base of the cliff, while the waves roared at him like wild beasts held back from their victim. He was alone with them and with the God in whom his simple faith taught him to trust as being mightier than all the waves. Down came the basket with great rapidity, and Hawkstone had a hard fight before he could drag it out from the waves and get into it. Drenched f

and Barton was supposed to have been there by accident. Of course, we knew what the real state