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By and by she led the way toward literature, and after they had talked of several new books "We are not in this house altogether strange," she said, "to your profession. My daughter Lufa is an authoress in her way. You, of course, never heard of her, but it is twelve months since her volume of verse came out."
The company protested, but he turned a deaf ear to expostulation, and went. In the drawing-room after dinner, some of the ladies gathered about him, and begged the story of his own adventure. He smiled queerly. "Very well, you shall have it!" he answered. They seated themselves, and the company came from all parts of the room among the rest, Lufa and Walter.
"Would you mind coming at once to the summer-house?" "Lunch will be ready." "Then sit down in your habit, and come immediately after. Let me have my way for once, Lufa." "Very well" The moment the meal was over, he left the room, and in five minutes they met at the place appointed a building like a miniature Roman temple. "Oh," said Lufa, as she entered, "I forgot the book. How stupid of me!"
She was almost studious to please him; and if she never took a liberty with him, she never resented any he took with her, which certainly were neither numerous nor daring, for Walter was not presumptuous, least of all with women. But Lufa was careful not to neglect their other guests. She was always ready to accompany any of the ladies riding out of a morning; and a Mr.
He had not uttered the depth of what he feared concerning Lufa that she was simply, unobtrusively, unconsciously, absolutely selfish. Walter had listened with a beating heart, now full of hope that he was to be Hildebrand to this Undine, now sick with the conviction that he was destined to fare no better than Sefton. "Let me have my say before you go," he protested.
She has not yet been seen: nor has our watch-wolf Lufa been found. Alas! I fear me the wild maid has gone off to Gigha." "Not so," said Kenric. "But come with me within the chapel, good Elspeth, and when the service is over I will tell you all." He gently pushed open the door and drew Elspeth with him. They stood there, looking in at the many rough islanders with their heads bent in devotion.
Walter sat with his head in his hands and wept. She had never before seen a man weep, yet never a tear left its heavenly spring to flow from her eyes! She rose, took his face between her hands, raised it, and kissed him on the forehead. He rose also, suddenly calmed. "Then it was our last ride, Lufa!" he said, and left the summer-house.
How different from his dreams were the things that stood around them! how different his thoughts from those of the father who knelt in the moonlight at the side of his bed, and said something to Him who never sleeps! When he woke, his first feeling was a pang: the things about him were as walls between him and Lufa!
"It is out at last!" "No, mamma," interrupted Lufa; "the book is not out! It is almost ready, but I have only had one or two early copies. I am so glad Mr. Colman will be the first to see it! He will prepare me for the operation!" "What do you mean?" asked Walter, bewildered. It was the first word he had heard of her new book. "Of course I shall be cut up!
You are but her unmaking! Get back into the mirror; live but in the land of shows; leave the true Lufa to wake from the swoon into which you have cast her; she must live and grow, and become, till she is perfect in loveliness. "I shall know nothing of the fate of my words. I shall see you no more in this world except it be as I saw you to-night, standing close to you in a crowd.
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