Now,Mr.Smith,said the lady imperatively,coming downstairs,and appearing in her riding-habit,as she always did in a change of dress,like a new edition of a delightful volume,you have a task to perform to-day.These earrings are my very favourite darling ones;but the worst of it is that they have such short hooks that they are liable to be dropped if I toss my head about much,and when I am riding I cant give my mind to them.It would be doing me knight service if you keep your eyes fixed upon them,and remember them every minute of the day,and tell me directly I drop one.They have had such hairbreadth escapes,havent they,Unity?she continued to the parlour-maid who was standing at the door.
Yes,miss,that they have!said Unity with round-eyed commiseration.
Once twas in the lane that I found one of them,pursued Elfride reflectively.
And then twas by the gate into Eighteen Acres,Unity chimed in.
And then twas on the carpet in my own room,rejoined Elfride merrily.
And then twas dangling on the embroidery of your petticoat,miss;and then twas down your back,miss,wasnt it?And oh,what a way you was in,miss,wasnt you?my!until you found it!
Stephen took Elfrides slight foot upon his hand:One,two,three,and up!she said.
Unfortunately not so.He staggered and lifted,and the horse edged round;and Elfride was ultimately deposited upon the ground rather more forcibly than was pleasant.Smith looked all contrition.
Never mind,said the vicar encouragingly;try again!Tis a little accomplishment that requires some practice,although it looks so easy.Stand closer to the horses head,Mr.Smith.
Indeed,I shant let him try again,said she with a microscopic look of indignation.Worm,come here,and help me to mount.
Worm stepped forward,and she was in the saddle in a trice.
Then they moved on,going for some distance in silence,the hot air of the valley being occasionally brushed from their faces by a cool breeze,which wound its way along ravines leading up from the sea.
I suppose,said Stephen,that a man who can neither sit in a saddle himself nor help another person into one seems a useless incumbrance;but,Miss Swancourt,Ill learn to do it all for your sake;I will,indeed.
What is so unusual in you,she said,in a didactic tone justifiable in a horsewomans address to a benighted walker,is that your knowledge of certain things should be combined with your ignorance of certain other things.
Stephen lifted his eyes earnestly to hers.
You know,he said,it is simply because there are so many other things to be learnt in this wide world that I didnt trouble about that particular bit of knowledge.I thought it would be useless to me;but I dont think so now.I will learn riding,and all connected with it,because then you would like me better.Do you like me much less for this?
She looked sideways at him with critical meditation tenderly rendered.
Do I seem like LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI?she began suddenly,without replying to his question.Fancy yourself saying,Mr.
Smith:
"I sat her on my pacing steed,And nothing else saw all day long,For sidelong would she bend,and sing A fairys song,She found me roots of relish sweet,And honey wild,and manna dew;"
and thats all she did.
No,no,said the young man stilly,and with a rising colour.
"And sure in language strange she said,I love thee true."
Not at all,she rejoined quickly.See how I can gallop.Now,Pansy,off!And Elfride started;and Stephen beheld her light figure contracting to the dimensions of a bird as she sank into the distance--her hair flowing.
He walked on in the same direction,and for a considerable time could see no signs of her returning.Dull as a flower without the sun he sat down upon a stone,and not for fifteen minutes was any sound of horse or rider to be heard.Then Elfride and Pansy appeared on the hill in a round trot.
Such a delightful scamper as we have had!she said,her face flushed and her eyes sparkling.She turned the horses head,Stephen arose,and they went on again.
Well,what have you to say to me,Mr.Smith,after my long absence?
Do you remember a question you could not exactly answer last night--whether I was more to you than anybody else?said he.
I cannot exactly answer now,either.
Why cant you?
Because I dont know if I am more to you than any one else.
Yes,indeed,you are!he exclaimed in a voice of intensest appreciation,at the same time gliding round and looking into her face.
Eyes in eyes,he murmured playfully;and she blushingly obeyed,looking back into his.
And why not lips on lips?continued Stephen daringly.
No,certainly not.Anybody might look;and it would be the death of me.You may kiss my hand if you like.
He expressed by a look that to kiss a hand through a glove,and that a riding-glove,was not a great treat under the circumstances.
There,then;Ill take my glove off.Isnt it a pretty white hand?Ah,you dont want to kiss it,and you shall not now!
If I do not,may I never kiss again,you severe Elfride!You know I think more of you than I can tell;that you are my queen.I
would die for you,Elfride!
A rapid red again filled her cheeks,and she looked at him meditatively.What a proud moment it was for Elfride then!She was ruling a heart with absolute despotism for the first time in her life.
Stephen stealthily pounced upon her hand.
No;I wont,I wont!she said intractably;and you shouldnt take me by surprise.
There ensued a mild form of tussle for absolute possession of the much-coveted hand,in which the boisterousness of boy and girl was far more prominent than the dignity of man and woman.Then Pansy became restless.Elfride recovered her position and remembered herself.
You make me behave in not a nice way at all!she exclaimed,in a tone neither of pleasure nor anger,but partaking of both.I
ought not to have allowed such a romp!We are too old now for that sort of thing.
I hope you dont think me too--too much of a creeping-round sort of man,said he in a penitent tone,conscious that he too had lost a little dignity by the proceeding.
