第18章

Fare thee weel awhile!

Simultaneously with the conclusion of Stephens remark,the sound of the closing of an external door in their immediate neighbourhood reached Elfrides ears.It came from the further side of the wing containing the illuminated room.She then discerned,by the aid of the dusky departing light,a figure,whose sex was undistinguishable,walking down the gravelled path by the parterre towards the river.The figure grew fainter,and vanished under the trees.

Mr.Swancourts voice was heard calling out their names from a distant corridor in the body of the building.They retraced their steps,and found him with his coat buttoned up and his hat on,awaiting their advent in a mood of self-satisfaction at having brought his search to a successful close.The carriage was brought round,and without further delay the trio drove away from the mansion,under the echoing gateway arch,and along by the leafless sycamores,as the stars began to kindle their trembling lights behind the maze of branches and twigs.

No words were spoken either by youth or maiden.Her unpractised mind was completely occupied in fathoming its recent acquisition.

The young man who had inspired her with such novelty of feeling,who had come directly from London on business to her father,having been brought by chance to Endelstow House had,by some means or other,acquired the privilege of approaching some lady he had found therein,and of honouring her by petits soins of a marked kind,--all in the space of half an hour.

What room were they standing in?thought Elfride.As nearly as she could guess,it was Lord Luxellians business-room,or office.

What people were in the house?None but the governess and servants,as far as she knew,and of these he had professed a total ignorance.Had the person she had indistinctly seen leaving the house anything to do with the performance?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.Stephen Smith was not the man to care about passages-at-love with women beneath him.Though gentle,ambition was visible in his kindling eyes;he evidently hoped for much;hoped indefinitely,but extensively.Elfride was puzzled,and being puzzled,was,by a natural sequence of girlish sensations,vexed with him.No more pleasure came in recognizing that from liking to attract him she was getting on to love him,boyish as he was and innocent as he had seemed.

They reached the bridge which formed a link between the eastern and western halves of the parish.Situated in a valley that was bounded outwardly by the sea,it formed a point of depression from which the road ascended with great steepness to West Endelstow and the Vicarage.There was no absolute necessity for either of them to alight,but as it was the vicars custom after a long journey to humour the horse in making this winding ascent,Elfride,moved by an imitative instinct,suddenly jumped out when Pleasant had just begun to adopt the deliberate stalk he associated with this portion of the road.

The young man seemed glad of any excuse for breaking the silence.

Why,Miss Swancourt,what a risky thing to do!he exclaimed,immediately following her example by jumping down on the other side.

Oh no,not at all,replied she coldly;the shadow phenomenon at Endelstow House still paramount within her.

Stephen walked along by himself for two or three minutes,wrapped in the rigid reserve dictated by her tone.Then apparently thinking that it was only for girls to pout,he came serenely round to her side,and offered his arm with Castilian gallantry,to assist her in ascending the remaining three-quarters of the steep.

Here was a temptation:it was the first time in her life that Elfride had been treated as a grown-up woman in this way--offered an arm in a manner implying that she had a right to refuse it.

Till to-night she had never received masculine attentions beyond those which might be contained in such homely remarks as Elfride,give me your hand;Elfride,take hold of my arm,from her father.Her callow heart made an epoch of the incident;she considered her array of feelings,for and against.Collectively they were for taking this offered arm;the single one of pique determined her to punish Stephen by refusing.

No,thank you,Mr.Smith;I can get along better by myself It was Elfrides first fragile attempt at browbeating a lover.

Fearing more the issue of such an undertaking than what a gentle young man might think of her waywardness,she immediately afterwards determined to please herself by reversing her statement.

On second thoughts,I will take it,she said.

They slowly went their way up the hill,a few yards behind the carriage.

How silent you are,Miss Swancourt!Stephen observed.

Perhaps I think you silent too,she returned.

I may have reason to be.

Scarcely;it is sadness that makes people silent,and you can have none.

You dont know:I have a trouble;though some might think it less a trouble than a dilemma.

What is it?she asked impulsively.

Stephen hesitated.I might tell,he said;at the same time,perhaps,it is as well----She let go his arm and imperatively pushed it from her,tossing her head.She had just learnt that a good deal of dignity is lost by asking a question to which an answer is refused,even ever so politely;for though politeness does good service in cases of requisition and compromise,it but little helps a direct refusal.