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'What are you going to do with your romance when you have written it?' said Stephen

'I don't know,' she replied, and turned her head to look at the prospect

For by this ti through an ancient gate-way of dun-coloured stone, spanned by the high-shouldered Tudor arch, they found themselves in a spacious court, closed by a facade on each of its three sides The substantial portions of the existing building dated fron of Henry VIII; but the picturesque and sheltered spot had been the site of an erection of a much earlier date A licence to crenellate o Luxellen chivaler;' but though the faint outline of the ditch andre and hts of the saether with those of the gables, were surures in raonal and twisted chih up into the sky, surpassed in height, however, by soently rocking sue and parapet In the corners of the court polygonal bays, whose surfaces were entirely occupied by buttresses and s, broke into the squareness of the enclosure; and a far-projecting oriel, springing fro the archway of the chief entrance to the house

As Mr Swancourt had remarked, he had the freedom of the mansion in the absence of its owner Upon a statement of his errand they were all admitted to the library, and left entirely to themselves Mr Swancourt was soon up to his eyes in the examination of a heap of papers he had taken from the cabinet described by his correspondent Stephen and Elfride had nothing to do but to wander about till her father was ready

Elfride entered the gallery, and Stephen followed her without see sos a century or so later in style than the walls of the mansion Pilasters of Renaissance work, panelled in the aard twists and curls of the period The old Gothic quarries still reeat the end, though they hadelsewhere

Stephen was at one end of the gallery looking towards Elfride, who stood in theto feel somewhat depressed by the society of Luxellian shades of cadaverous coaze at and through her in amood The silence, which cast al of a door at the far end