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He saw nothing outside hiht; and what he saithin was a weariness to his flesh Yet to a dispassionate observer, his pretensions to Elfride, though rather preo, unless the accidental proximity of simple but honest parents could be said to make them so

The clock struck eleven when he entered the house Elfride had been waiting with scarcely a moveht sight of hi into the study with her father She saw that he had by some means obtained the private interview he desired

A nervous headache had been growing on the excitable girl during the absence of Stephen, and now she could do nothing beyond going up again to her rooain in the darkness without closing the door, and listened with a beating heart to every sound froone to bed She ultimately heard the two -roo for more than an hour The door was left open, and she found that the meal, such as it was, passed off between her father and her lover without any remark, save commonplaces as to cucumbers and melons, their wholesomeness and culture, uttered in a stiff and forure failure

Shortly afterwards Stephen came upstairs to his bedroom, and was almost imht Not inclined to get a light, she partly undressed and sat on the bed, where she reht for so to close her door previously to fully unrobing, she saw a streak of light shining across the landing Her father's door was shut, and he could be heard snoring regularly The light ca thence e In the perfect silence she could hear the closing of a lid and the clicking of a lock,--he was fastening his hat-box Then the buckling of straps and the click of another key,--he was securing his port she opened her door softly, and went towards his One sensation pervaded her to distraction Stephen, her handsoht never see hiain except in secret and in sadness--perhaps neverto hear the result of the interview, as she had intended She flung her dressing-gown round her, tapped lightly at his door, and whispered 'Stephen!' He came instantly, opened the door, and stepped out