第63章

During his progress through the operations of wiping it and binding it up anew,her face changed its aspect from pained indifference to something like bashful interest,interspersed with small tremors and shudders of a trifling kind.

In the centre of each pale cheek a small red spot the size of a wafer had now made its appearance,and continued to grow larger.

Elfride momentarily expected a recurrence to the lecture on her foolishness,but Knight said no more than this--

Promise me NEVER to walk on that parapet again.

It will be pulled down soon:so I do.In a few minutes she continued in a lower tone,and seriously,You are familiar of course,as everybody is,with those strange sensations we sometimes have,that our life for the moment exists in duplicate.

That we have lived through that moment before?

Or shall again.Well,I felt on the tower that something similar to that scene is again to be common to us both.

God forbid!said Knight.Promise me that you will never again walk on any such place on any consideration.

I do.

That such a thing has not been before,we know.That it shall not be again,you vow.Therefore think no more of such a foolish fancy.

There had fallen a great deal of rain,but unaccompanied by lightning.A few minutes longer,and the storm had ceased.

Now,take my arm,please.

Oh no,it is not necessary.This relapse into wilfulness was because he had again connected the epithet foolish with her.

Nonsense:it is quite necessary;it will rain again directly,and you are not half recovered.And without more ado Knight took her hand,drew it under his arm,and held it there so firmly that she could not have removed it without a struggle.Feeling like a colt in a halter for the first time,at thus being led along,yet afraid to be angry,it was to her great relief that she saw the carriage coming round the corner to fetch them.

Her fall upon the roof was necessarily explained to some extent upon their entering the house;but both forbore to mention a word of what she had been doing to cause such an accident.During the remainder of the afternoon Elfride was invisible;but at dinner-

time she appeared as bright as ever.

In the drawing-room,after having been exclusively engaged with Mr.and Mrs.Swancourt through the intervening hour,Knight again found himself thrown with Elfride.She had been looking over a chess problem in one of the illustrated periodicals.

You like chess,Miss Swancourt?

Yes.It is my favourite scientific game;indeed,excludes every other.Do you play?

I have played;though not lately.

Challenge him,Elfride,said the vicar heartily.She plays very well for a lady,Mr.Knight.

Shall we play?asked Elfride tentatively.

Oh,certainly.I shall be delighted.

The game began.Mr.Swancourt had forgotten a similar performance with Stephen Smith the year before.Elfride had not;but she had begun to take for her maxim the undoubted truth that the necessity of continuing faithful to Stephen,without suspicion,dictated a fickle behaviour almost as imperatively as fickleness itself;a fact,however,which would give a startling advantage to the latter quality should it ever appear.

Knight,by one of those inexcusable oversights which will sometimes afflict the best of players,placed his rook in the arms of one of her pawns.It was her first advantage.She looked triumphant--even ruthless.

By George!what was I thinking of?said Knight quietly;and then dismissed all concern at his accident.

Club laws well have,wont we,Mr.Knight?said Elfride suasively.

Oh yes,certainly,said Mr.Knight,a thought,however,just occurring to his mind,that he had two or three times allowed her to replace a man on her religiously assuring him that such a move was an absolute blunder.

She immediately took up the unfortunate rook and the contest proceeded,Elfride having now rather the better of the game.Then he won the exchange,regained his position,and began to press her hard.Elfride grew flurried,and placed her queen on his remaining rooks file.

There--how stupid!Upon my word,I did not see your rook.Of course nobody but a fool would have put a queen there knowingly!

She spoke excitedly,half expecting her antagonist to give her back the move.

Nobody,of course,said Knight serenely,and stretched out his hand towards his royal victim.

It is not very pleasant to have it taken advantage of,then,she said with some vexation.

Club laws,I think you said?returned Knight blandly,and mercilessly appropriating the queen.

She was on the brink of pouting,but was ashamed to show it;tears almost stood in her eyes.She had been trying so hard--so very hard--thinking and thinking till her brain was in a whirl;and it seemed so heartless of him to treat her so,after all.

I think it is----she began.

What?

Unkind to take advantage of a pure mistake I make in that way.

I lost my rook by even a purer mistake,said the enemy in an inexorable tone,without lifting his eyes.

Yes,but----However,as his logic was absolutely unanswerable,she merely registered a protest.I cannot endure those cold-

blooded ways of clubs and professional players,like Staunton and Morphy.Just as if it really mattered whether you have raised your fingers from a man or no!

Knight smiled as pitilessly as before,and they went on in silence.

Checkmate,said Knight.

Another game,said Elfride peremptorily,and looking very warm.

With all my heart,said Knight.

Checkmate,said Knight again at the end of forty minutes.

Another game,she returned resolutely.

Ill give you the odds of a bishop,Knight said to her kindly.

No,thank you,Elfride replied in a tone intended for courteous indifference;but,as a fact,very cavalier indeed.

Checkmate,said her opponent without the least emotion.

Oh,the difference between Elfrides condition of mind now,and when she purposely made blunders that Stephen Smith might win!