rdinary woman. I repeat it-
said extraordinary woman had just removed breakfast,
fore,
et and her own temper likewise. Astonishing patience! However
an-hour ago holding the eldest Tod boy on a refracto
le scamp from making a noise under the windows. And that reminds me
w s
ed to us a single fact concerning our nei
u want
at he always had a certain pleasure in
plimentary word 'thing.' But what possible interest ca
o take a little interest in your neighbours. So I've a great mind to indulge you with an important idea, suggestion, discovery. Harkee, friend!"-and he
old gentlem
fe side, and call her the-individual. In short; the owner of that g
gown! when
I thought that it-well, let me say SHE-might not like to be watched or followed. She w
sekeeper! ex
She walked a great deal quicker and merrier tha
ng at John's original n
nvalid 'the old gentleman!' and I don
o sometimes mar
to his point-"though this lady did not look like a sylph or a wood-nymph-being neither very small nor very slight, and havin
sibly tell? Did
y to chase a lady as a schoolboy does a butterfly, for the mere gratification
Rose C
y-y
w-laid eggs for her-I mean for the si
home I saw her stop twice; once to speak to an old woman who was
ou hea
enitent face as I passed him. I a
nd upon it. Your beautiful
rather not cheat myself, or be cheated after that manner. Perfection is imp
n! The fair div
ngly object to divinities. How unpleasant it would be to woo an an
I; at which he laughe
of subjects, when we talk such no
n the grey gow
must go saddle the brown mare, and be off to Norton B
ed his healthy nature, whatsoever romance was there-and never was there a thoroughly noble nature withou
he wheeled it to the window,
you want? You'll take a walk bef
ot-the best things never are expressed or expressible-knew by a thousand little daily acts like these, the depth and tenderness of his friendship, his brotherly love for me. As yet
olitary day. With much merriment, too, for we were the gayest couple of young ba
t that. With two sets of lodgers, a husband, and an indefinite numbe
knew he would come to grief with that do
t, leaping out through the open window. The next minute I saw him carrying in the un
-I saw it done. Jack, my lad!-be a man, and never
cause for terror, hers changed into hearty wrath against Jack for
ch came, he got playing with the carriage-horse, and it kicked him and broke his arm. A deal h
hen-the centre room of the cottage; and was trying to divert the torrent of maternal indignation, while he helped her to pla
y the words, the manner, or the tone, she looked up s
ood as being forgiven when one has been
say, too. You talk like my man does, o' Sundays. Tod be a Scotchman, Mr. Halifax; and they're good folks
're safe this time; only you must not disobey your mo
"You be a gentleman-Mr. March bean't-he said i
rply; for the latch of the opposite door w
; my fath
ough somewhat quick and decided in tone-John and I both involuntarily turned. We
ll take his soup at ele
Miss M
rch shut the door a
ere fixed on the door, which had disclosed and concealed the momentary picture. I
he whole colouring being of that soft darkness of tone which gives a sense of something at once warm and tender, strong and womanly. Thorough woman she seemed-not a bit of the angel about her. S
or fandangos of any sort-reaching up to her throat and down to her wrists, where it had
said our landlady, whe
removing his eyes
nter than her father, who is always ailing, and always grumbling. Poor gentleman!-m
n. His laconism
Jack's cut forehead, and even some minutes after his protege had begun playing about as us
Mrs. Tod, I hope our presence did
come into this kitchen-just as you did, gentlemen, and very happy to see you always," added Mrs. Tod, curtseying.
ed to set up, from its cradle in the corner, such a terri
covered at last. She's young, ce
r said
I can easily imagine her trotting over the common with her baske
She must have a hard l
take it up so seriou
t should turn out to be the very Mr. March you pulled out of Seve
me; then came back to wish me a kind goodbye. "Take care of yourself,
once to look back at Rose Cottage, ere he finally disappeared betwee
nd, and I fancied a white-furred wrist, pulling down the blind. It amus
h more than once friendly Mrs. Tod broke in upon my solitude. She treated me in a
common struck their tops of a morning, and the broad western glimmer showed their forms distinctly until far in the night. They were just near enough for me to hear their faint rustling in windy weather; on calm days they stood up straight
d the old mare's hoofs clattering
expressed it, "the David of the sheep-folds." He was very tired, and had
lit candles, bade us good-night in her free, independent way, and "hoped Mr. Halifax had
r can rightly be left with so many anxieties on his shoulders. I must manage to get
he pleasant country life you planned,
me, and can't afford to get used to too much pleasure. But we'll make
hat would you like
ommon in early morning-th
e, or hum
know what you mean; but I had forgotten her, or, if not absolutely forgotten, she was not in my mind just t
was a tacit reproach to me. I let the matter drop; we had mu
orning we were
dews, Phineas. Come a little farther on, to
the bottom of the hollow, and a score or two of white cottages scattered themselves from this small nucleus of civilisation over the opposite bank of this imaginary river, which was now a lovely hill-side. Gorges, purple with shadow, yellow corn
on, having the whole valley in one's hand, to do good to, or ill. You can't think what primitive people they are hereabouts-descendants from an old colony of Flemi
as it had done when, as a boy, he had talked to me about his mac
stolidity! I do believe he and his ancestors have gone on in the same way, and with almost the same machinery, ever since Quee
xplain clearly, and
it remained-for ten minutes! Much longer remained the impression of his energetic talk-his clear-headed way o
ts; and then, you know, I always had a weakness for machinery; I could stand for
ike to be a
-at least, very few can. After all, it isn't the trade that signifies-it's the man. I'm a tanner, and a capital tanner I in
avid! this one month at least l
free, Arcadian life; the very thought of it was
involuntarily felt much as I did, if h
k with flowers-what a pretty blue cluster that is at your foot, Phineas!-who would guess that all yesterday I had been stirri
so bad, indeed; and if they
have done me good service, and will yet, tho
ies on the Flat. See, how large the figure looks
rpina gathe
the fa
e looks very like your friend Grey
suspect that fact had presented itself to him
a fatality about
id; and we both chanced again to hit upon the same," answered John, gravely and expl
and good. Also, as I laboured in vain to convince my companion, the said face indicated an independent dignity which wou
having, in his journeys up and down the country for my father, occasionally fallen into "poli
took the knot of etiquette in
ing, and probably our breakfast-hours likewise,
we had a disti
s droop, as she looked for a moment at us both-a quiet, maidenly look of mere observation. Of course no recognition passed; but there was
little arms to come to her, with that pretty, babyish gesture which I suppose no w
ir, all gathered up in a mass of curls at the top of her head, as the fashion then was. As she stood, with her eyes sparkling, and the
s look, John th
he with Mrs. Tod's bonny boy, until the landlady made some remark about "letting the gentlemen b
, such a pleasant creature was she to behold. She half smiled-he bowed, which she returned, courteousl
ivility between two people living unde
ably
t our window, contemplating the little group which filled up our wicket-gate, he mis
ery much better no
though there had been some lapse of time before I hazarded this remark,
l, with those irregular features, I ca
or
I think, John, for the first time in ou
rtainly
what is called 'society.' Which makes it the more likely that her father
odd coin
reply John relapse
nicative. Nay, when, as Mrs. Tod was removing the breakfast, I ventured to ask her a harmless question or two-who Mr. March was,
before, I had gained the desired information-namely, that Mr. March was a gentleman of i
be our Mr.
, with an air o
hbours, and especially-which was plain enough to see, though he doubtless believed he entirely disguised it-for that interest which a young man o
d to our very doors; we hardly notice it, or send it away with a laugh; it comes so naturally, so simply, so accidentally, as it were, that we recognise it not. W
naturally to open. There is a time-a sweet time, too, though it does not last-when to every y
ither; and then, thinking I had fallen asleep, he sat w
g else was stirring; not a single bird was to be seen or heard, except that now and then came a coo of the wood-pigeons among the beech-trees-a low, tender voice-reminding
at strange quiver about his mouth?-why that wonderful
eemed to him as brief as a minute. To me it was long-ah, so long! as I lay pondering with an intens