Page 41 (1/1)

Elfride's guilt showed in her face Stephen became the picture of vexation and sadness, which, relishable for a ret the ive h I did not at first, that what I have done seems like contempt for your skill But, indeed, I did not mean it in that sense I could not, upon ae and sobreath, and murmured bitterly, 'Ah, you are cleverer than I You can do everything--I can do nothing! O Miss Swancourt!' he burst out wildly, his heart swelling in his throat, 'I must tell you how I love you! All these months of my absence I have worshipped you'

He leapt from his seat like the impulsive lad that he was, slid round to her side, and almost before she suspected it his arled

So entirely neas full-blown love to Elfride, that she trembled as much from the novelty of the emotion as from the emotion itself Then she suddenly withdrew herself and stood upright, vexed that she had subly even to his momentary pressure She resolved to consider this des as those,' she said with coquettish hauteur of a very transparent nature 'And--you '

'Let me kiss you--only a little one,' he said with his usual delicacy, and without reading the factitiousness of her manner

'No; not one'

'Only on your cheek?'

'No'

'Forehead?'

'Certainly not'

'You care for soht so!'

'I am sure I do not'

'Nor for me either?'

'How can I tell?' she said si merely in the broad outlines of her manner and speech There were the semitone of voice and half-hidden expression of eyes which tell the initiated how very fragile is the ice of reserve at these times

Footsteps were heard Mr Swancourt then entered the room, and their private colloquy ended

The day after this partial revelation, Mr Swancourt proposed a drive to the cliffs beyond Targan Bay, a distance of three or four miles

Half an hour before the time of departure a crash was heard in the back yard, and presently Woreneral, partly to hihtly to his auditors: 'Ay, ay, sure! That frying of fish will be the end of Willia--same as ever--fizz, fizz, fizz!'