ead on, or a prospect which smiles before you, is displeasing to the per

er folks' pleasure, but he certainly desired that they should be

by Dr. Bodkin on a late occasion-that Mr. Diamond disapproved of his refusing Mr. Filthorpe's offer, and of his resolve to go to London. Dr. Bodk

astic smiles, and taciturn politeness, made her uneasy. Despite the patronising way in which she h

e declared, winding up a list of Mr. Diamond's defect

no word of praise behind his back. Mrs. Errington saw that she had made an impression, and began to heighten and embellish her statements accordingly. "But, my dear bo

ous fellow for continuing to "stand

at men have been poor schol

ed in a madhouse!

ith fresh vigour; being one of those persons whose mode of warfare is elephantine, and who, never content

And she, although she doated on him, would say unpleasant things, indignantly repeat mortifying remarks which had been made, and in a

o despairing, at the news of his going away, that-that-it would be quite painful for a fellow to witness such grief. And yet it cou

r R

simple elegance which distinguishes your costume, my dear young lady), and Algy, a lovely fair child, in a black velvet suit and falling collar-from that moment the boy had been a radiant apparition in her imagination. How small, and poor, and shabby she felt, as she peeped out of the parlour at that beautiful, blooming mother and son! Not poor and shabby in a milliner's sense of

h she tremblingly desired it. What a surprisingly splendid sight was the tortoise-shell work-box, full of amber satin and silver! What a delightful revelation the sound of the old h

g little songs to his mother's accompaniment, in the sweetest piping voice. He could recite little vers

nd with armour; although she knew that he had never been in the family mansion in his life; in the grand drawing-room, with its purple carpet and gilt furniture; above all, in the long portrait gallery, of which Rhoda was never tired of hearing. Heaven knows ho

h triumphantly. He had a great sense of humour, and fastidious pampered habits of mind and body, which enabled him to look down with

ed when he must either fight or lose caste altogether, he frankly accepted the former alternative. He fought a boy bigger and heavier than himself, got beaten (not severely, but fairly well beaten) and bore his defeat-in the dialect of his compeers, "took his licking"-admirably. He was quite as popular afterwards, as if he had thrashed his adversary, who was a loutish boy, the cock of the school, a

ield of battle. Algy laughed as well as his swollen features would let him, and calmed their feminine apprehensions. Nor would he acc

humped each other as awkwardly as possible. I fought because I was obliged. An

, but we needn't be nasty!" returned Algy, with quaint gravity. His temper was, as Minnie Bodkin had said, nearly perfect. He had a singular knack of disarming anger or hostility. You could not laugh Algernon out of any course he had se

Sorrow is apt to feel the very sunshine cruelly bright and cheerful. But if you were merry and wanted soc

feriors, modest towards his superiors-and had no

twelvemonth. "My son is studying the classics with Mr. Diamond," Mrs. Errington would say; "I can't send my boy to

mond went away from Whitford, no one knew exactly whither. And during these same holidays, Mrs. Errington, who said she required

ut scraps of fine lace and muslin; to walk with her when she was minded to stroll into the village; to order the dinner; to make the pudding-a culinary operation too delicate for the fingers of the rustic with whom they lodged-to liste

sewing; on a bench under the parlour window, so as to be within call of her patroness; and Algy would lounge beside her with a book; or make short excursions to get her wild flowers, which he would toss

"as properly educated garden flowers; nor so sweet

d by coarse common people, and living their life, more or less. It is not every one who can be expected to recognise your diamond, if you set it in lead. Rhoda was always sweet, always gentle, always pretty, but she formed part and parcel of old Max's establishment. When the boy and girl were quit

how much natural grace she possessed. Mrs. Errington had taught her what may be termed the technicalities of polite behaviour. From her own heart and native sensibility she had learnt the essentials. The people in the village turned their heads to admire her, as she walked modestly along. Who could help admiring her? Algernon decided that there was not one among the young ladies

oda! How fond

all came to pass very gradually. In Rhoda the sense of this love stole on as subtly as the dawn. Before she had begun to watch the glowing streaks of rose-colour, it was daylight! And then h

rly nineteen, she could scarcely have given le

nt, and sending Janus-headed Care, that looks forward and backward, to the deuce. As yet there was no Lord Seely on his horizon; no London society; no diplomati

on the bench outside the Welsh cottage, and w

eir return home Rhoda received a shock of pain-the first, but not the last, which she ever felt from this love of

t say a word to any one abou

the eyes and tongues of mortals. But being once there, the idea stayed in her mind and would not be banished. Her father-Mrs. Errington-what would they say if they knew that-that she had dared to love Algernon? The future began to look terribly hard to her. The glittering mist which

could stay in this village, and never go back, or see any of the people again-except father," she added hastily. And a pang of remorse smote her as her conscience told h

at that purple bar of cloud on the gold! I wonder if I could paint that. I wish I

d, with her heart beating violently, and the colour coming and going in her cheeks: "Don't you think it would be wro

wouldn't do to talk about being in love, or anything of that sort. Though I know I shall never change, they would declare I didn't know my own mind, and would make a joke of it"-this shot

wont to allude to that respectable

s began to gather in her eyes again. She would have sobbed outright if she had tried to speak. The more she thought the sadder and more frightened she grew. R

's the matter if you go back with such a wan face. And as to what you said about deceit, why we shan't pretend not to love each other! Look

she had known before that it must be so. But Algy had declared that he would always love her; that was the one comforting tho

ents were talked over in Rhoda's presence. Indeed, the girl filled the part towards Mrs. Errington that the confidant enacts towards the prima donna in an Italian opera. Mrs. Errington was always singing scenas to her, which, so far as Rhoda's shar

pportunities of talking with him alone now-far fewer than at dear Llanryddan; but she was able to say a few words privately to him one afternoon (the very afternoon of Dr. Bodki

ad a good deal changed during the last three months, "ho

irl plaintively. "And then, amongst all those grand p

likely that I should grow 'different' in the society of Bristol tradesmen than amongst my own kith and kin-p

f lately. He was sorry when he saw the poor girl's hurt look and downcast eyes, from which the big tears were silently falling one by one. He took her in his arms, an

nd although his loving words, and flatteries, and caresses, we

Errington expatiated on her son's prospects; wherein, of late, a "great alliance" played a large part. But she could not rouse herself to elation or enthusiasm. This mattered little to Mrs. Errington, who only required her confidante to stand tolerably still with her back to the audience. But it worried Algernon to see Rhoda's sad, downcast face, irresponsive to any of his