When two or three additional hours had merged the same afternoon in evening, some moving outlines might have been observed against the sky on the summit of a wild lone hill in that district. They circumscribed two men, having at present the aspect of silhouettes, sitting in a dogcart and pushing along in the teeth of the wind. Scarcely a solitary house or man had been visible along the whole dreary distance of open country they were traversing; and now that night had begun to fall, the faint twilight, which still gave an idea of the landscape to their observation, was enlivened by the quiet appearance of the planet Jupiter, momentarily gleaming in intenser brilliancy in front of them, and by Sirius shedding his rays in rivalry from his position over their shoulders. The only lights apparent on earth were some spots of dull red, glowing here and there upon the distant hills, which, as the driver of the vehicle gratuitously remarked to the hirer, were smouldering fires for the consumption of peat and gorse-roots, where the common was being broken up for agricultural purposes. The wind prevailed with but little abatement from its daytime boisterousness, three or four small clouds, delicate and pale, creeping along under the sky southward to the Channel. + 

Fourteen of the sixteen miles intervening between the railway terminus and the end of their journey had been gone over, when they began to pass along the brink of a valley some miles in extent, wherein the wintry skeletons of a more luxuriant vegetation than had hitherto surrounded them proclaimed an increased richness of soil, which showed signs of far more careful enclosure and management than had any slopes they had yet passed. A little farther, and an opening in the elms stretching up from this fertile valley revealed a mansion. + 

вАЬThatвАЩs Endelstow House, Lord LuxellianвАЩs,вАЭ said the driver. + 

вАЬEndelstow House, Lord LuxellianвАЩs,вАЭ repeated the other mechanically. He then turned himself sideways, and keenly scrutinized the almost invisible house with an interest which the indistinct picture itself seemed far from adequate to create. вАЬYes, thatвАЩs Lord LuxellianвАЩs,вАЭ he said yet again after a while, as he still looked in the same direction. + 

вАЬWhat, be we going there?вАЭ + 

вАЬNo; Endelstow Vicarage, as I have told you.вАЭ + 

вАЬI thought you mвАЩt have altered your mind, sir, as ye have stared that way at nothing so long.вАЭ + 

вАЬOh no; I am interested in the house, thatвАЩs all.вАЭ + 

вАЬMost people be, as the saying is.вАЭ + 

вАЬNot in the sense that I am.вАЭ + 

вАЬOh!вБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Well, his family is no better than my own, вАЩa bвАЩlieve.вАЭ + 

вАЬHow is that?вАЭ + 

вАЬHedgers and ditchers by rights. But once in ancient times one of вАЩem, when he was at work, changed clothes with King Charles the Second, and saved the kingвАЩs life. King Charles came up to him like a common man, and said offhand, вАШMan in the smock-frock, my name is Charles the Second, and thatвАЩs the truth onвАЩt. Will you lend me your clothes?вАЩ вАШI donвАЩt mind if I do,вАЩ said Hedger Luxellian; and they changed there and then. вАШNow mind ye,вАЩ King Charles the Second said, like a common man, as he rode away, вАШif ever I come to the crown, you come to court, knock at the door, and say out bold, вАЬIs King Charles the Second at home?вАЭ Tell your name, and they shall let you in, and you shall be made a lord.вАЩ Now, that was very nice of Master Charley?вАЭ + 

вАЬVery nice indeed.вАЭ + 

вАЬWell, as the story is, the king came to the throne; and some years after that, away went Hedger Luxellian, knocked at the kingвАЩs door, and asked if King Charles the Second was in. вАШNo, he isnвАЩt,вАЩ they said. вАШThen, is Charles the Third?вАЩ said Hedger Luxellian. вАШYes,вАЩ said a young feller standing by like a common man, only he had a crown on, вАШmy name is Charles the Third.вАЩ AndвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬI really fancy that must be a mistake. I donвАЩt recollect anything in English history about Charles the Third,вАЭ said the other in a tone of mild remonstrance. + 

вАЬOh, thatвАЩs right history enough, only вАЩtwasnвАЩt prented; he was rather a queer-tempered man, if you remember.вАЭ + 

вАЬVery well; go on.вАЭ + 

вАЬAnd, by hook or by crook, Hedger Luxellian was made a lord, and everything went on well till some time after, when he got into a most terrible row with King Charles the FourthвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬI canвАЩt stand Charles the Fourth. Upon my word, thatвАЩs too much.вАЭ + 

вАЬWhy? There was a George the Fourth, wasnвАЩt there?вАЭ + 

вАЬCertainly.вАЭ + 

вАЬWell, Charleses be as common as Georges. However IвАЩll say no more about it.вБ†вАКвБ†вА¶ Ah, well! вАЩtis the funniest world ever I lived inвБ†вАФupon my life вАЩtis. Ah, that such should be!вАЭ + 

The dusk had thickened into darkness while they thus conversed, and the outline and surface of the mansion gradually disappeared. The windows, which had before been as black blots on a lighter expanse of wall, became illuminated, and were transfigured to squares of light on the general dark body of the night landscape as it absorbed the outlines of the edifice into its gloomy monochrome. + 

Not another word was spoken for some time, and they climbed a hill, then another hill piled on the summit of the first. An additional mile of plateau followed, from which could be discerned two lighthouses on the coast they were nearing, reposing on the horizon with a calm lustre of benignity. Another oasis was reached; a little dell lay like a nest at their feet, towards which the driver pulled the horse at a sharp angle, and descended a steep slope which dived under the trees like a rabbitвАЩs burrow. They sank lower and lower. + 

вАЬEndelstow Vicarage is inside here,вАЭ continued the man with the reins. вАЬThis part about here is West Endelstow; Lord LuxellianвАЩs is East Endelstow, and has a church to itself. PaвАЩson Swancourt is the paвАЩson of both, and bobs backward and forward. Ah, well! вАЩtis a funny world. вАЩA bвАЩlieve there was once a quarry where this house stands. The man who built it in past time scraped all the glebe for earth to put round the vicarage, and laid out a little paradise of flowers and trees in the soil he had got together in this way, whilst the fields he scraped have been good for nothing ever since.вАЭ + 

вАЬHow long has the present incumbent been here?вАЭ + 

вАЬMaybe about a year, or a year and half: вАЩtisnвАЩt two years; for they donвАЩt scandalize him yet; and, as a rule, a parish begins to scandalize the paвАЩson at the end of two years among вАЩem familiar. But heвАЩs a very nice party. Ay, PaвАЩson Swancourt knows me pretty well from often driving over; and I know PaвАЩson Swancourt.вАЭ + 

They emerged from the bower, swept round in a curve, and the chimneys and gables of the vicarage became darkly visible. Not a light showed anywhere. They alighted; the man felt his way into the porch, and rang the bell. + 

At the end of three or four minutes, spent in patient waiting without hearing any sounds of a response, the stranger advanced and repeated the call in a more decided manner. He then fancied he heard footsteps in the hall, and sundry movements of the doorknob, but nobody appeared. + 

вАЬPerhaps they beant at home,вАЭ sighed the driver. вАЬAnd I promised myself a bit of supper in PaвАЩson SwancourtвАЩs kitchen. Sich lovely mate-pize and figged keakes, and cider, and drops oвАЩ cordial that they do keep here!вАЭ + 

вАЬAll right, naibours! Be ye rich men or be ye poor men, that ye must needs come to the worldвАЩs end at this time oвАЩ night?вАЭ exclaimed a voice at this instant; and, turning their heads, they saw a rickety individual shambling round from the back door with a horn lantern dangling from his hand. + 

вАЬTime oвАЩ night, вАЩa bвАЩlieve! and the clock only gone seven of вАЩem. Show a light, and let us in, William Worm.вАЭ + 

вАЬOh, that you, Robert Lickpan?вАЭ + 

вАЬNobody else, William Worm.вАЭ + 

вАЬAnd is the visiting man a-come?вАЭ + 

вАЬYes,вАЭ said the stranger. вАЬIs Mr.¬†Swancourt at home?вАЭ + 

вАЬThat вАЩa is, sir. And would ye mind coming round by the back way? The front door is got stuck wiвАЩ the wet, as he will do sometimes; and the Turk canвАЩt open en. I know I am only a poor wambling man that вАЩill never pay the Lord for my making, sir; but I can show the way in, sir.вАЭ + 

The new arrival followed his guide through a little door in a wall, and then promenaded a scullery and a kitchen, along which he passed with eyes rigidly fixed in advance, an inbred horror of prying forbidding him to gaze around apartments that formed the back side of the household tapestry. Entering the hall, he was about to be shown to his room, when from the inner lobby of the front entrance, whither she had gone to learn the cause of the delay, sailed forth the form of Elfride. Her start of amazement at the sight of the visitor coming forth from under the stairs proved that she had not been expecting this surprising flank movement, which had been originated entirely by the ingenuity of William Worm. + 

She appeared in the prettiest of all feminine guises, that is to say, in demi-toilette, with plenty of loose curly hair tumbling down about her shoulders. An expression of uneasiness pervaded her countenance; and altogether she scarcely appeared woman enough for the situation. The visitor removed his hat, and the first words were spoken; Elfride prelusively looking with a deal of interest, not unmixed with surprise, at the person towards whom she was to do the duties of hospitality. + 

вАЬI am Mr.¬†Smith,вАЭ said the stranger in a musical voice. + 

вАЬI am Miss Swancourt,вАЭ said Elfride. + 

Her constraint was over. The great contrast between the reality she beheld before her, and the dark, taciturn, sharp, elderly man of business who had lurked in her imaginationвБ†вАФa man with clothes smelling of city smoke, skin sallow from want of sun, and talk flavoured with epigramвБ†вАФwas such a relief to her that Elfride smiled, almost laughed, in the newcomerвАЩs face. + 

Stephen Smith, who has hitherto been hidden from us by the darkness, was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance, and barely a man in years. Judging from his look, London was the last place in the world that one would have imagined to be the scene of his activities: such a face surely could not be nourished amid smoke and mud and fog and dust; such an open countenance could never even have seen anything of вАЬthe weariness, the fever, and the fretвАЭ of Babylon the Second. + 

His complexion was as fine as ElfrideвАЩs own; the pink of his cheeks as delicate. His mouth as perfect as CupidвАЩs bow in form, and as cherry-red in colour as hers. Bright curly hair; bright sparkling blue-gray eyes; a boyвАЩs blush and manner; neither whisker nor moustache, unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the latter title: this composed the London professional man, the prospect of whose advent had so troubled Elfride. + 

Elfride hastened to say she was sorry to tell him that Mr.¬†Swancourt was not able to receive him that evening, and gave the reason why. Mr.¬†Smith replied, in a voice boyish by nature and manly by art, that he was very sorry to hear this news; but that as far as his reception was concerned, it did not matter in the least. + 

Stephen was shown up to his room. In his absence Elfride stealthily glided into her fatherвАЩs. + 

вАЬHeвАЩs come, papa. Such a young man for a business man!вАЭ + 

вАЬOh, indeed!вАЭ + 

вАЬHis face isвБ†вАФwellвБ†вАФpretty; just like mine.вАЭ + 

вАЬHвАЩm! what next?вАЭ + 

вАЬNothing; thatвАЩs all I know of him yet. It is rather nice, is it not?вАЭ + 

вАЬWell, we shall see that when we know him better. Go down and give the poor fellow something to eat and drink, for HeavenвАЩs sake. And when he has done eating, say I should like to have a few words with him, if he doesnвАЩt mind coming up here.вАЭ + 

The young lady glided downstairs again, and whilst she awaits young SmithвАЩs entry, the letters referring to his visit had better be given. + 

SirвБ†вАФWe are thinking of restoring the tower and aisle of the church in this parish; and Lord Luxellian, the patron of the living, has mentioned your name as that of a trustworthy architect whom it would be desirable to ask to superintend the work. + 

I am exceedingly ignorant of the necessary preliminary steps. Probably, however, the first is that (should you be, as Lord Luxellian says you are, disposed to assist us) yourself or some member of your staff come and see the building, and report thereupon for the satisfaction of parishioners and others. + 

The spot is a very remote one: we have no railway within fourteen miles; and the nearest place for putting up atвБ†вАФcalled a town, though merely a large villageвБ†вАФis Castle Boterel, two miles further on; so that it would be most convenient for you to stay at the vicarageвБ†вАФwhich I am glad to place at your disposalвБ†вАФinstead of pushing on to the hotel at Castle Boterel, and coming back again in the morning. + 

Any day of the next week that you like to name for the visit will find us quite ready to receive you.вБ†вАФYours very truly, + 

Dear SirвБ†вАФAgreeably to your request of the 18th instant, I have arranged to survey and make drawings of the aisle and tower of your parish church, and of the dilapidations which have been suffered to accrue thereto, with a view to its restoration. + 

My assistant, Mr.¬†Stephen Smith, will leave London by the early train tomorrow morning for the purpose. Many thanks for your proposal to accommodate him. He will take advantage of your offer, and will probably reach your house at some hour of the evening. You may put every confidence in him, and may rely upon his discernment in the matter of church architecture. + 

Trusting that the plans for the restoration, which I shall prepare from the details of his survey, will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord Luxellian, I am, dear sir, yours faithfully, + 