The old tower of West Endelstow Church had reached the last weeks of its existence. It was to be replaced by a new one from the designs of Mr.¬†Hewby, the architect who had sent down Stephen. Planks and poles had arrived in the churchyard, iron bars had been thrust into the venerable crack extending down the belfry wall to the foundation, the bells had been taken down, the owls had forsaken this home of their forefathers, and six iconoclasts in white fustian, to whom a cracked edifice was a species of Mumbo Jumbo, had taken lodgings in the village previous to beginning the actual removal of the stones. + 

This was the day after KnightвАЩs arrival. To enjoy for the last time the prospect seaward from the summit, the vicar, Mrs.¬†Swancourt, Knight, and Elfride, all ascended the winding turretвБ†вАФMr.¬†Swancourt stepping forward with many loud breaths, his wife struggling along silently, but suffering none the less. They had hardly reached the top when a large lurid cloud, palpably a reservoir of rain, thunder, and lightning, was seen to be advancing overhead from the north. + 

The two cautious elders suggested an immediate return, and proceeded to put it in practice as regarded themselves. + 

вАЬDear me, I wish I had not come up,вАЭ exclaimed Mrs.¬†Swancourt. + 

вАЬWe shall be slower than you two in going down,вАЭ the vicar said over his shoulder, вАЬand so, donвАЩt you start till we are nearly at the bottom, or you will run over us and break our necks somewhere in the darkness of the turret.вАЭ + 

Accordingly Elfride and Knight waited on the leads till the staircase should be clear. Knight was not in a talkative mood that morning. Elfride was rather wilful, by reason of his inattention, which she privately set down to his thinking her not worth talking to. Whilst Knight stood watching the rise of the cloud, she sauntered to the other side of the tower, and there remembered a giddy feat she had performed the year before. It was to walk round upon the parapet of the towerвБ†вАФwhich was quite without battlement or pinnacle, and presented a smooth flat surface about two feet wide, forming a pathway on all the four sides. Without reflecting in the least upon what she was doing she now stepped upon the parapet in the old way, and began walking along. + 

вАЬWe are down, cousin Henry,вАЭ cried Mrs.¬†Swancourt up the turret. вАЬFollow us when you like.вАЭ + 

Knight turned and saw Elfride beginning her elevated promenade. His face flushed with mingled concern and anger at her rashness. + 

вАЬI certainly gave you credit for more common sense,вАЭ he said. + 

She reddened a little and walked on. + 

вАЬMiss Swancourt, I insist upon your coming down,вАЭ he exclaimed. + 

вАЬI will in a minute. I am safe enough. I have done it often.вАЭ + 

At that moment, by reason of a slight perturbation his words had caused in her, ElfrideвАЩs foot caught itself in a little tuft of grass growing in a joint of the stonework, and she almost lost her balance. Knight sprang forward with a face of horror. By what seemed the special interposition of a considerate Providence she tottered to the inner edge of the parapet instead of to the outer, and reeled over upon the lead roof two or three feet below the wall. + 

Knight seized her as in a vice, and he said, panting, вАЬThat ever I should have met a woman fool enough to do a thing of that kind! Good God, you ought to be ashamed of yourself!вАЭ + 

The close proximity of the Shadow of Death had made her sick and pale as a corpse before he spoke. Already lowered to that state, his words completely overpowered her, and she swooned away as he held her. + 

ElfrideвАЩs eyes were not closed for more than forty seconds. She opened them, and remembered the position instantly. His face had altered its expression from stern anger to pity. But his severe remarks had rather frightened her, and she struggled to be free. + 

вАЬIf you can stand, of course you may,вАЭ he said, and loosened his arms. вАЬI hardly know whether most to laugh at your freak or to chide you for its folly.вАЭ + 

She immediately sank upon the lead-work. Knight lifted her again. вАЬAre you hurt?вАЭ he said. + 

She murmured an incoherent expression, and tried to smile; saying, with a fitful aversion of her face, вАЬI am only frightened. Put me down, do put me down!вАЭ + 

вАЬBut you canвАЩt walk,вАЭ said Knight. + 

вАЬYou donвАЩt know that; how can you? I am only frightened, I tell you,вАЭ she answered petulantly, and raised her hand to her forehead. Knight then saw that she was bleeding from a severe cut in her wrist, apparently where it had descended upon a salient corner of the lead-work. Elfride, too, seemed to perceive and feel this now for the first time, and for a minute nearly lost consciousness again. Knight rapidly bound his handkerchief round the place, and to add to the complication, the thundercloud he had been watching began to shed some heavy drops of rain. Knight looked up and saw the vicar striding towards the house, and Mrs.¬†Swancourt waddling beside him like a hard-driven duck. + 

вАЬAs you are so faint, it will be much better to let me carry you down,вАЭ said Knight; вАЬor at any rate inside out of the rain.вАЭ But her objection to be lifted made it impossible for him to support her for more than five steps. + 

вАЬThis is folly, great folly,вАЭ he exclaimed, setting her down. + 

вАЬIndeed!вАЭ she murmured, with tears in her eyes. вАЬI say I will not be carried, and you say this is folly!вАЭ + 

вАЬSo it is.вАЭ + 

вАЬNo, it isnвАЩt!вАЭ + 

вАЬIt is folly, I think. At any rate, the origin of it all is.вАЭ + 

вАЬI donвАЩt agree to it. And you neednвАЩt get so angry with me; I am not worth it.вАЭ + 

вАЬIndeed you are. You are worth the enmity of princes, as was said of such another. Now, then, will you clasp your hands behind my neck, that I may carry you down without hurting you?вАЭ + 

вАЬNo, no.вАЭ + 

вАЬYou had better, or I shall foreclose.вАЭ + 

вАЬWhatвАЩs that!вАЭ + 

вАЬDeprive you of your chance.вАЭ + 

Elfride gave a little toss. + 

вАЬNow, donвАЩt writhe so when I attempt to carry you.вАЭ + 

вАЬI canвАЩt help it.вАЭ + 

вАЬThen submit quietly.вАЭ + 

вАЬI donвАЩt care. I donвАЩt care,вАЭ she murmured in languid tones and with closed eyes. + 

He took her into his arms, entered the turret, and with slow and cautious steps descended round and round. Then, with the gentleness of a nursing mother, he attended to the cut on her arm. 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 thisвБ†вАФ + 

вАЬPromise me never to walk on that parapet again.вАЭ + 

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

вАЬThat we have lived through that moment before?вАЭ + 

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

вАЬGod forbid!вАЭ said Knight. вАЬPromise me that you will never again walk on any such place on any consideration.вАЭ + 

вАЬI do.вАЭ + 

вАЬThat 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.вАЭ + 

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

вАЬNow, take my arm, please.вАЭ + 

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

вАЬNonsense: it is quite necessary; it will rain again directly, and you are not half recovered.вАЭ 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 dinnertime 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. + 

вАЬYou like chess, Miss Swancourt?вАЭ + 

вАЬYes. It is my favourite scientific game; indeed, excludes every other. Do you play?вАЭ + 

вАЬI have played; though not lately.вАЭ + 

вАЬChallenge him, Elfride,вАЭ said the vicar heartily. вАЬShe plays very well for a lady, Mr.¬†Knight.вАЭ + 

вАЬShall we play?вАЭ asked Elfride tentatively. + 

вАЬOh, certainly. I shall be delighted.вАЭ + 

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 triumphantвБ†вАФeven ruthless. + 

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

вАЬClub laws weвАЩll have, wonвАЩt we, Mr.¬†Knight?вАЭ said Elfride suasively. + 

вАЬOh yes, certainly,вАЭ 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 rookвАЩs file. + 

вАЬThereвБ†вАФhow stupid! Upon my word, I did not see your rook. Of course nobody but a fool would have put a queen there knowingly!вАЭ + 

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

вАЬNobody, of course,вАЭ said Knight serenely, and stretched out his hand towards his royal victim. + 

вАЬIt is not very pleasant to have it taken advantage of, then,вАЭ she said with some vexation. + 

вАЬClub laws, I think you said?вАЭ 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 hardвБ†вАФso very hardвБ†вАФthinking and thinking till her brain was in a whirl; and it seemed so heartless of him to treat her so, after all. + 

вАЬI think it isвБ†вАФвАЭ she began. + 

вАЬWhat?вАЭ + 

вАФвАЬUnkind to take advantage of a pure mistake I make in that way.вАЭ + 

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

вАЬYes, butвБ†вАФвАЭ However, as his logic was absolutely unanswerable, she merely registered a protest. вАЬI 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!вАЭ + 

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

вАЬCheckmate,вАЭ said Knight. + 

вАЬAnother game,вАЭ said Elfride peremptorily, and looking very warm. + 

вАЬWith all my heart,вАЭ said Knight. + 

вАЬCheckmate,вАЭ said Knight again at the end of forty minutes. + 

вАЬAnother game,вАЭ she returned resolutely. + 

вАЬIвАЩll give you the odds of a bishop,вАЭ Knight said to her kindly. + 

вАЬNo, thank you,вАЭ Elfride replied in a tone intended for courteous indifference; but, as a fact, very cavalier indeed. + 

вАЬCheckmate,вАЭ said her opponent without the least emotion. + 

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

It was bedtime. Her mind as distracted as if it would throb itself out of her head, she went off to her chamber, full of mortification at being beaten time after time when she herself was the aggressor. Having for two or three years enjoyed the reputation throughout the globe of her fatherвАЩs brainвБ†вАФwhich almost constituted her entire worldвБ†вАФof being an excellent player, this fiasco was intolerable; for unfortunately the person most dogged in the belief in a false reputation is always that one, the possessor, who has the best means of knowing that it is not true. + 

In bed no sleep came to soothe her; that gentle thing being the very middle-of-summer friend in this respect of flying away at the merest troublous cloud. After lying awake till two oвАЩclock an idea seemed to strike her. She softly arose, got a light, and fetched a Chess Praxis from the library. Returning and sitting up in bed, she diligently studied the volume till the clock struck five, and her eyelids felt thick and heavy. She then extinguished the light and lay down again. + 

вАЬYou look pale, Elfride,вАЭ said Mrs.¬†Swancourt the next morning at breakfast. вАЬIsnвАЩt she, cousin Harry?вАЭ + 

A young girl who is scarcely ill at all can hardly help becoming so when regarded as such by all eyes turning upon her at the table in obedience to some remark. Everybody looked at Elfride. She certainly was pale. + 

вАЬAm I pale?вАЭ she said with a faint smile. вАЬI did not sleep much. I could not get rid of armies of bishops and knights, try how I would.вАЭ + 

вАЬChess is a bad thing just before bedtime; especially for excitable people like yourself, dear. DonвАЩt ever play late again.вАЭ + 

вАЬIвАЩll play early instead. Cousin Knight,вАЭ she said in imitation of Mrs.¬†Swancourt, вАЬwill you oblige me in something?вАЭ + 

вАЬEven to half my kingdom.вАЭ + 

вАЬWell, it is to play one game more.вАЭ + 

вАЬWhen?вАЭ + 

вАЬNow, instantly; the moment we have breakfasted.вАЭ + 

вАЬNonsense, Elfride,вАЭ said her father. вАЬMaking yourself a slave to the game like that.вАЭ + 

вАЬBut I want to, papa! Honestly, I am restless at having been so ignominiously overcome. And Mr.¬†Knight doesnвАЩt mind. So what harm can there be?вАЭ + 

вАЬLet us play, by all means, if you wish it,вАЭ said Knight. + 

So, when breakfast was over, the combatants withdrew to the quiet of the library, and the door was closed. Elfride seemed to have an idea that her conduct was rather ill-regulated and startlingly free from conventional restraint. And worse, she fancied upon KnightвАЩs face a slightly amused look at her proceedings. + 

вАЬYou think me foolish, I suppose,вАЭ she said recklessly; вАЬbut I want to do my very best just once, and see whether I can overcome you.вАЭ + 

вАЬCertainly: nothing more natural. Though I am afraid it is not the plan adopted by women of the world after a defeat.вАЭ + 

вАЬWhy, pray?вАЭ + 

вАЬBecause they know that as good as overcoming is skill in effacing recollection of being overcome, and turn their attention to that entirely.вАЭ + 

вАЬI am wrong again, of course.вАЭ + 

вАЬPerhaps your wrong is more pleasing than their right.вАЭ + 

вАЬI donвАЩt quite know whether you mean that, or whether you are laughing at me,вАЭ she said, looking doubtingly at him, yet inclining to accept the more flattering interpretation. вАЬI am almost sure you think it vanity in me to think I am a match for you. Well, if you do, I say that vanity is no crime in such a case.вАЭ + 

вАЬWell, perhaps not. Though it is hardly a virtue.вАЭ + 

вАЬOh yes, in battle! NelsonвАЩs bravery lay in his vanity.вАЭ + 

вАЬIndeed! Then so did his death.вАЭ + 

вАЬOh no, no! For it is written in the book of the prophet ShakespeareвБ†вАФ + 

вАШFear and be slain? no worse can come to fight; + 

And fight and die, is death destroying death!вАЩвАКвАЭ + 

And down they sat, and the contest began, Elfride having the first move. The game progressed. ElfrideвАЩs heart beat so violently that she could not sit still. Her dread was lest he should hear it. And he did discover it at lastвБ†вАФsome flowers upon the table being set throbbing by its pulsations. + 

вАЬI think we had better give over,вАЭ said Knight, looking at her gently. вАЬIt is too much for you, I know. Let us write down the position, and finish another time.вАЭ + 

вАЬNo, please not,вАЭ she implored. вАЬI should not rest if I did not know the result at once. It is your move.вАЭ + 

Ten minutes passed. + 

She started up suddenly. вАЬI know what you are doing?вАЭ she cried, an angry colour upon her cheeks, and her eyes indignant. вАЬYou were thinking of letting me win to please me!вАЭ + 

вАЬI donвАЩt mind owning that I was,вАЭ Knight responded phlegmatically, and appearing all the more so by contrast with her own turmoil. + 

вАЬBut you must not! I wonвАЩt have it.вАЭ + 

вАЬVery well.вАЭ + 

вАЬNo, that will not do; I insist that you promise not to do any such absurd thing. It is insulting me!вАЭ + 

вАЬVery well, madam. I wonвАЩt do any such absurd thing. You shall not win.вАЭ + 

вАЬThat is to be proved!вАЭ she returned proudly; and the play went on. + 

Nothing is now heard but the ticking of a quaint old timepiece on the summit of a bookcase. Ten minutes pass; he captures her knight; she takes his knight, and looks a very Rhadamanthus. + 

More minutes tick away; she takes his pawn and has the advantage, showing her sense of it rather prominently. + 

Five minutes more: he takes her bishop: she brings things even by taking his knight. + 

Three minutes: she looks bold, and takes his queen: he looks placid, and takes hers. + 

Eight or ten minutes pass: he takes a pawn; she utters a little pooh! but not the ghost of a pawn can she take in retaliation. + 

Ten minutes pass: he takes another pawn and says, вАЬCheck!вАЭ She flushes, extricates herself by capturing his bishop, and looks triumphant. He immediately takes her bishop: she looks surprised. + 

Five minutes longer: she makes a dash and takes his only remaining bishop; he replies by taking her only remaining knight. + 

Two minutes: he gives check; her mind is now in a painful state of tension, and she shades her face with her hand. + 

Yet a few minutes more: he takes her rook and checks again. She literally trembles now lest an artful surprise she has in store for him shall be anticipated by the artful surprise he evidently has in store for her. + 

Five minutes: вАЬCheckmate in two moves!вАЭ exclaims Elfride. + 

вАЬIf you can,вАЭ says Knight. + 

вАЬOh, I have miscalculated; that is cruel!вАЭ + 

вАЬCheckmate,вАЭ says Knight; and the victory is won. + 

Elfride arose and turned away without letting him see her face. Once in the hall she ran upstairs and into her room, and flung herself down upon her bed, weeping bitterly. + 

вАЬWhere is Elfride?вАЭ said her father at luncheon. + 

Knight listened anxiously for the answer. He had been hoping to see her again before this time. + 

вАЬShe isnвАЩt well, sir,вАЭ was the reply. + 

Mrs.¬†Swancourt rose and left the room, going upstairs to ElfrideвАЩs apartment. + 

At the door was Unity, who occupied in the new establishment a position between young ladyвАЩs maid and middle-housemaid. + 

вАЬShe is sound asleep, maвАЩam,вАЭ Unity whispered. + 

Mrs.¬†Swancourt opened the door. Elfride was lying full-dressed on the bed, her face hot and red, her arms thrown abroad. At intervals of a minute she tossed restlessly from side to side, and indistinctly moaned words used in the game of chess. + 

Mrs.¬†Swancourt had a turn for doctoring, and felt her pulse. It was twanging like a harp-string, at the rate of nearly a hundred and fifty a minute. Softly moving the sleeping girl to a little less cramped position, she went downstairs again. + 

вАЬShe is asleep now,вАЭ said Mrs.¬†Swancourt. вАЬShe does not seem very well. Cousin Knight, what were you thinking of? her tender brain wonвАЩt bear cudgelling like your great head. You should have strictly forbidden her to play again.вАЭ + 

In truth, the essayistвАЩs experience of the nature of young women was far less extensive than his abstract knowledge of them led himself and others to believe. He could pack them into sentences like a workman, but practically was nowhere. + 

вАЬI am indeed sorry,вАЭ said Knight, feeling even more than he expressed. вАЬBut surely, the young lady knows best what is good for her!вАЭ + 

вАЬBless you, thatвАЩs just what she doesnвАЩt know. She never thinks of such things, does she, Christopher? Her father and I have to command her and keep her in order, as you would a child. She will say things worthy of a French epigrammatist, and act like a robin in a greenhouse. But I think we will send for Dr.¬†GransonвБ†вАФthere can be no harm.вАЭ + 

A man was straightway despatched on horseback to Castle Boterel, and the gentleman known as Dr.¬†Granson came in the course of the afternoon. He pronounced her nervous system to be in a decided state of disorder; forwarded some soothing draught, and gave orders that on no account whatever was she to play chess again. + 

The next morning Knight, much vexed with himself, waited with a curiously compounded feeling for her entry to breakfast. The women servants came in to prayers at irregular intervals, and as each entered, he could not, to save his life, avoid turning his head with the hope that she might be Elfride. Mr.¬†Swancourt began reading without waiting for her. Then somebody glided in noiselessly; Knight softly glanced up: it was only the little kitchen-maid. Knight thought reading prayers a bore. + 

He went out alone, and for almost the first time failed to recognize that holding converse with NatureвАЩs charms was not solitude. On nearing the house again he perceived his young friend crossing a slope by a path which ran into the one he was following in the angle of the field. Here they met. Elfride was at once exultant and abashed: coming into his presence had upon her the effect of entering a cathedral. + 

Knight had his notebook in his hand, and had, in fact, been in the very act of writing therein when they came in view of each other. He left off in the midst of a sentence, and proceeded to inquire warmly concerning her state of health. She said she was perfectly well, and indeed had never looked better. Her health was as inconsequent as her actions. Her lips were red, without the polish that cherries have, and their redness margined with the white skin in a clearly defined line, which had nothing of jagged confusion in it. Altogether she stood as the last person in the world to be knocked over by a game of chess, because too ephemeral-looking to play one. + 

вАЬAre you taking notes?вАЭ she inquired with an alacrity plainly arising less from interest in the subject than from a wish to divert his thoughts from herself. + 

вАЬYes; I was making an entry. And with your permission I will complete it.вАЭ Knight then stood still and wrote. Elfride remained beside him a moment, and afterwards walked on. + 

вАЬI should like to see all the secrets that are in that book,вАЭ she gaily flung back to him over her shoulder. + 

вАЬI donвАЩt think you would find much to interest you.вАЭ + 

вАЬI know I should.вАЭ + 

вАЬThen of course I have no more to say.вАЭ + 

вАЬBut I would ask this question first. Is it a book of mere facts concerning journeys and expenditure, and so on, or a book of thoughts?вАЭ + 

вАЬWell, to tell the truth, it is not exactly either. It consists for the most part of jottings for articles and essays, disjointed and disconnected, of no possible interest to anybody but myself.вАЭ + 

вАЬIt contains, I suppose, your developed thoughts in embryo?вАЭ + 

вАЬYes.вАЭ + 

вАЬIf they are interesting when enlarged to the size of an article, what must they be in their concentrated form? Pure rectified spirit, above proof; before it is lowered to be fit for human consumption: вАШwords that burnвАЩ indeed.вАЭ + 

вАЬRather like a balloon before it is inflated: flabby, shapeless, dead. You could hardly read them.вАЭ + 

вАЬMay I try?вАЭ she said coaxingly. вАЬI wrote my poor romance in that wayвБ†вАФI mean in bits, out of doorsвБ†вАФand I should like to see whether your way of entering things is the same as mine.вАЭ + 

вАЬReally, thatвАЩs rather an awkward request. I suppose I can hardly refuse now you have asked so directly; butвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬYou think me ill-mannered in asking. But does not this justify meвБ†вАФyour writing in my presence, Mr.¬†Knight? If I had lighted upon your book by chance, it would have been different; but you stand before me, and say, вАШExcuse me,вАЩ without caring whether I do or not, and write on, and then tell me they are not private facts but public ideas.вАЭ + 

вАЬVery well, Miss Swancourt. If you really must see, the consequences be upon your own head. Remember, my advice to you is to leave my book alone.вАЭ + 

вАЬBut with that caution I have your permission?вАЭ + 

вАЬYes.вАЭ + 

She hesitated a moment, looked at his hand containing the book, then laughed, and saying, вАЬI must see it,вАЭ withdrew it from his fingers. + 

Knight rambled on towards the house, leaving her standing in the path turning over the leaves. By the time he had reached the wicket-gate he saw that she had moved, and waited till she came up. + 

Elfride had closed the notebook, and was carrying it disdainfully by the corner between her finger and thumb; her face wore a nettled look. She silently extended the volume towards him, raising her eyes no higher than her hand was lifted. + 

вАЬTake it,вАЭ said Elfride quickly. вАЬI donвАЩt want to read it.вАЭ + 

вАЬCould you understand it?вАЭ said Knight. + 

вАЬAs far as I looked. But I didnвАЩt care to read much.вАЭ + 

вАЬWhy, Miss Swancourt?вАЭ + 

вАЬOnly because I didnвАЩt wish toвБ†вАФthatвАЩs all.вАЭ + 

вАЬI warned you that you might not.вАЭ + 

вАЬYes, but I never supposed you would have put me there.вАЭ + 

вАЬYour name is not mentioned once within the four corners.вАЭ + 

вАЬNot my nameвБ†вАФI know that.вАЭ + 

вАЬNor your description, nor anything by which anybody would recognize you.вАЭ + 

вАЬExcept myself. For what is this?вАЭ she exclaimed, taking it from him and opening a page. вАЬAugust 7. ThatвАЩs the day before yesterday. But I wonвАЩt read it,вАЭ Elfride said, closing the book again with pretty hauteur. вАЬWhy should I? I had no business to ask to see your book, and it serves me right.вАЭ + 

Knight hardly recollected what he had written, and turned over the book to see. He came to this: + 

вАЬAug. 7. Girl gets into her teens, and her self-consciousness is born. After a certain interval passed in infantine helplessness, it begins to act. Simple, young, and inexperienced at first. Persons of observation can tell to a nicety how old this consciousness is by the skill it has acquired in the art necessary to its successвБ†вАФthe art of hiding itself. Generally begins career by actions which are popularly termed showing-off. Method adopted depends in each case upon the disposition, rank, residence, of the young lady attempting it. Town-bred girl will utter some moral paradox on fast men, or love. Country miss adopts the more material media of taking a ghastly fence, whistling, or making your blood run cold by appearing to risk her neck. (Mem. On Endelstow Tower.) + 

вАЬAn innocent vanity is of course the origin of these displays. вАШLook at me,вАЩ say these youthful beginners in womanly artifice, without reflecting whether or not it be to their advantage to show so very much of themselves. (Amplify and correct for paper on Artless Arts.)вАЭ + 

вАЬYes, I remember now,вАЭ said Knight. вАЬThe notes were certainly suggested by your manoeuvre on the church tower. But you must not think too much of such random observations,вАЭ he continued encouragingly, as he noticed her injured looks. вАЬA mere fancy passing through my head assumes a factitious importance to you, because it has been made permanent by being written down. All mankind think thoughts as bad as those of people they most love on earth, but such thoughts never getting embodied on paper, it becomes assumed that they never existed. I daresay that you yourself have thought some disagreeable thing or other of me, which would seem just as bad as this if written. I challenge you, now, to tell me.вАЭ + 

вАЬThe worst thing I have thought of you?вАЭ + 

вАЬYes.вАЭ + 

вАЬI must not.вАЭ + 

вАЬOh yes.вАЭ + 

вАЬI thought you were rather round-shouldered.вАЭ + 

Knight looked slightly redder. + 

вАЬAnd that there was a little bald spot on the top of your head.вАЭ + 

вАЬHeh-heh! Two ineradicable defects,вАЭ said Knight, there being a faint ghastliness discernible in his laugh. вАЬThey are much worse in a ladyвАЩs eye than being thought self-conscious, I suppose.вАЭ + 

вАЬAh, thatвАЩs very fine,вАЭ she said, too inexperienced to perceive her hit, and hence not quite disposed to forgive his notes. вАЬYou alluded to me in that entry as if I were such a child, too. Everybody does that. I cannot understand it. I am quite a woman, you know. How old do you think I am?вАЭ + 

вАЬHow old? Why, seventeen, I should say. All girls are seventeen.вАЭ + 

вАЬYou are wrong. I am nearly nineteen. Which class of women do you like best, those who seem younger, or those who seem older than they are?вАЭ + 

вАЬOffhand I should be inclined to say those who seem older.вАЭ + 

So it was not ElfrideвАЩs class. + 

вАЬBut it is well known,вАЭ she said eagerly, and there was something touching in the artless anxiety to be thought much of which she revealed by her words, вАЬthat the slower a nature is to develop, the richer the nature. Youths and girls who are men and women before they come of age are nobodies by the time that backward people have shown their full compass.вАЭ + 

вАЬYes,вАЭ said Knight thoughtfully. вАЬThere is really something in that remark. But at the risk of offence I must remind you that you there take it for granted that the woman behind her time at a given age has not reached the end of her tether. Her backwardness may be not because she is slow to develop, but because she soon exhausted her capacity for developing.вАЭ + 

Elfride looked disappointed. By this time they were indoors. Mrs.¬†Swancourt, to whom matchmaking by any honest means was meat and drink, had now a little scheme of that nature concerning this pair. The morning-room, in which they both expected to find her, was empty; the old lady having, for the above reason, vacated it by the second door as they entered by the first. + 

Knight went to the chimneypiece, and carelessly surveyed two portraits on ivory. + 

вАЬThough these pink ladies had very rudimentary features, judging by what I see here,вАЭ he observed, вАЬthey had unquestionably beautiful heads of hair.вАЭ + 

вАЬYes; and that is everything,вАЭ said Elfride, possibly conscious of her own, possibly not. + 

вАЬNot everything; though a great deal, certainly.вАЭ + 

вАЬWhich colour do you like best?вАЭ she ventured to ask. + 

вАЬMore depends on its abundance than on its colour.вАЭ + 

вАЬAbundances being equal, may I inquire your favourite colour?вАЭ + 

вАЬDark.вАЭ + 

вАЬI mean for women,вАЭ she said, with the minutest fall of countenance, and a hope that she had been misunderstood. + 

вАЬSo do I,вАЭ Knight replied. + 

It was impossible for any man not to know the colour of ElfrideвАЩs hair. In women who wear it plainly such a feature may be overlooked by men not given to ocular intentness. But hers was always in the way. You saw her hair as far as you could see her sex, and knew that it was the palest brown. She knew instantly that Knight, being perfectly aware of this, had an independent standard of admiration in the matter. + 

Elfride was thoroughly vexed. She could not but be struck with the honesty of his opinions, and the worst of it was, that the more they went against her, the more she respected them. And now, like a reckless gambler, she hazarded her last and best treasure. Her eyes: they were her all now. + 

вАЬWhat coloured eyes do you like best, Mr.¬†Knight?вАЭ she said slowly. + 

вАЬHonestly, or as a compliment?вАЭ + 

вАЬOf course honestly; I donвАЩt want anybodyвАЩs compliment!вАЭ + 

And yet Elfride knew otherwise: that a compliment or word of approval from that man then would have been like a well to a famished Arab. + 

вАЬI prefer hazel,вАЭ he said serenely. + 

She had played and lost again. + 