United States or Curaçao ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Knight's disappointment and dissatisfied looks at this reply sent a pang through Stephen as great as any he had felt at the sight of Elfride. The words about shortness of time were literally true, but their tone was far from being so.
Knight strove with all his might for two or three minutes, and the drops of perspiration began to bead his brow. 'No, I am unable to do it, he answered. Elfride, by a wrench of thought, forced away from her mind the sensation that Knight was in bodily danger. But attempt to help him she must.
Low as the words had been spoken, Elfride had heard them, and awaited Stephen's reply in breathless silence, if that could be called silence where Elfride's dress, at each throb of her heart, shook and indicated it like a pulse-glass, rustling also against the wall in reply to the same throbbing.
I did not mean to-night, Elfride responded, with a slight decline in the firmness of her voice. 'It is not light as you think it it troubles me a great deal. Fearing now the effect of her own earnestness, she added forcedly, 'Though, perhaps, you may think it light after all. 'But you have not said when it is to be? 'To-morrow morning. Name a time, will you, and bind me to it?
Smith considered could be done by new furniture and house enlargement alone. 'And, John, mind one thing, she said in conclusion. 'In writing to Stephen, never by any means mention the name of Elfride Swancourt again. We've left the place, and know no more about her except by hearsay. He seems to be getting free of her, and glad am I for it.
It was impossible to say without appealing to the culprit himself, and that she would never do. The more Elfride reflected, the more certain did it appear that the meeting was a chance rencounter, and not an appointment. On the ultimate inquiry as to the individuality of the woman, Elfride at once assumed that she could not be an inferior.
Elfride edged away. 'I hope you allow me my place ungrudgingly? he whispered. 'Oh yes; 'tis the least I can do in common civility, she said, accenting the words so that he might recognize them as his own returned. Both of them felt delicately balanced between two possibilities. Thus they reached home. To Knight this mild experience was delightful.
Elfride, shrinking back, hoped the unpleasant woman might go on without seeing her. But Mrs. Jethway, silently apostrophizing the house, with actions which seemed dictated by a half-overturned reason, had discerned the girl, and immediately came up and stood in front of her. 'Ah, Miss Swancourt! Why did you disturb me? Mustn't I trespass here? 'You may walk here if you like, Mrs. Jethway.
She had, indeed, given up her position as queen of the less to be vassal of the greater. Here was no showing off now; no scampering out of sight with Pansy, to perplex and tire her companion; no saucy remarks on LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI. Elfride was burdened with the very intensity of her love. Knight did most of the talking along the journey.
He closed the iron gate bounding the shrubbery as noiselessly as he had opened it, and went into the grassy field. Here he could see the old vicarage, the house alone that was associated with the sweet pleasant time of his incipient love for Elfride.
Word Of The Day