One day the reviewer said, вАЬLet us go to the cliffs again, Elfride;вАЭ and, without consulting her wishes, he moved as if to start at once.
вАЬThe cliff of our dreadful adventure?вАЭ she inquired, with a shudder. вАЬDeath stares me in the face in the person of that cliff.вАЭ
Nevertheless, so entirely had she sunk her individuality in his that the remark was not uttered as an expostulation, and she immediately prepared to accompany him.
вАЬNo, not that place,вАЭ said Knight. вАЬIt is ghastly to me, too. That other, I mean; what is its name?вБ†вАФWindy Beak.вАЭ
Windy Beak was the second cliff in height along that coast, and, as is frequently the case with the natural features of the globe no less than with the intellectual features of men, it enjoyed the reputation of being the first. Moreover, it was the cliff to which Elfride had ridden with Stephen Smith, on a well-remembered morning of his summer visit.
So, though thought of the former cliff had caused her to shudder at the perils to which her lover and herself had there been exposed, by being associated with Knight only it was not so objectionable as Windy Beak. That place was worse than gloomy, it was a perpetual reproach to her.
But not liking to refuse, she said, вАЬIt is further than the other cliff.вАЭ
вАЬYes; but you can ride.вАЭ
вАЬAnd will you too?вАЭ
вАЬNo, IвАЩll walk.вАЭ
A duplicate of her original arrangement with Stephen. Some fatality must be hanging over her head. But she ceased objecting.
вАЬVery well, Harry, IвАЩll ride,вАЭ she said meekly.
A quarter of an hour later she was in the saddle. But how different the mood from that of the former time. She had, indeed, given up her position as queen of the less to be vassal of the greater. Here was no showing off now; no scampering out of sight with Pansy, to perplex and tire her companion; no saucy remarks on вАЬLa Belle Dame Sans Merci.вАЭ Elfride was burdened with the very intensity of her love.
Knight did most of the talking along the journey. Elfride silently listened, and entirely resigned herself to the motions of the ambling horse upon which she sat, alternately rising and sinking gently, like a sea bird upon a sea wave.
When they had reached the limit of a quadrupedвАЩs possibilities in walking, Knight tenderly lifted her from the saddle, tied the horse, and rambled on with her to the seat in the rock. Knight sat down, and drew Elfride deftly beside him, and they looked over the sea.
Two or three degrees above that melancholy and eternally level line, the ocean horizon, hung a sun of brass, with no visible rays, in a sky of ashen hue. It was a sky the sun did not illuminate or enkindle, as is usual at sunsets. This sheet of sky was met by the salt mass of gray water, flecked here and there with white. A waft of dampness occasionally rose to their faces, which was probably rarefied spray from the blows of the sea upon the foot of the cliff.
Elfride wished it could be a longer time ago that she had sat there with Stephen as her lover, and agreed to be his wife. The significant closeness of that time to the present was another item to add to the list of passionate fears which were chronic with her now.
Yet Knight was very tender this evening, and sustained her close to him as they sat.
Not a word had been uttered by either since sitting down, when Knight said musingly, looking still afarвБ†вАФ
вАЬI wonder if any lovers in past years ever sat here with arms locked, as we do now. Probably they have, for the place seems formed for a seat.вАЭ
Her recollection of a well-known pair who had, and the much-talked-of loss which had ensued therefrom, and how the young man had been sent back to look for the missing article, led Elfride to glance down to her side, and behind her back. Many people who lose a trinket involuntarily give a momentary look for it in passing the spot ever so long afterwards. They do not often find it. Elfride, in turning her head, saw something shine weakly from a crevice in the rocky sedile. Only for a few minutes during the day did the sun light the alcove to its innermost rifts and slits, but these were the minutes now, and its level rays did Elfride the good or evil turn of revealing the lost ornament.
ElfrideвАЩs thoughts instantly reverted to the words she had unintentionally uttered upon what had been going on when the earring was lost. And she was immediately seized with a misgiving that Knight, on seeing the object, would be reminded of her words. Her instinctive act therefore was to secure it privately.
It was so deep in the crack that Elfride could not pull it out with her hand, though she made several surreptitious trials.
вАЬWhat are you doing, Elfie?вАЭ said Knight, noticing her attempts, and looking behind him likewise.
She had relinquished the endeavour, but too late.
Knight peered into the joint from which her hand had been withdrawn, and saw what she had seen. He instantly took a penknife from his pocket, and by dint of probing and scraping brought the earring out upon open ground.
вАЬIt is not yours, surely?вАЭ he inquired.
вАЬYes, it is,вАЭ she said quietly.
вАЬWell, that is a most extraordinary thing, that we should find it like this!вАЭ Knight then remembered more circumstances; вАЬWhat, is it the one you have told me of?вАЭ
вАЬYes.вАЭ
The unfortunate remark of hers at the kiss came into his mind, if eyes were ever an index to be trusted. Trying to repress the words he yet spoke on the subject, more to obtain assurance that what it had seemed to imply was not true than from a wish to pry into bygones.
вАЬWere you really engaged to be married to that lover?вАЭ he said, looking straight forward at the sea again.
вАЬYesвБ†вАФbut not exactly. Yet I think I was.вАЭ
вАЬO Elfride, engaged to be married!вАЭ he murmured.
вАЬIt would have been called aвБ†вАФsecret engagement, I suppose. But donвАЩt look so disappointed; donвАЩt blame me.вАЭ
вАЬNo, no.вАЭ
вАЬWhy do you say вАШNo, no,вАЩ in such a way? Sweetly enough, but so barely?вАЭ
Knight made no direct reply to this. вАЬElfride, I told you once,вАЭ he said, following out his thoughts, вАЬthat I never kissed a woman as a sweetheart until I kissed you. A kiss is not much, I suppose, and it happens to few young people to be able to avoid all blandishments and attentions except from the one they afterwards marry. But I have peculiar weaknesses, Elfride; and because I have led a peculiar life, I must suffer for it, I suppose. I had hopedвБ†вАФwell, what I had no right to hope in connection with you. You naturally granted your former lover the privileges you grant me.вАЭ
A вАЬyesвАЭ came from her like the last sad whisper of a breeze.
вАЬAnd he used to kiss youвБ†вАФof course he did.вАЭ
вАЬYes.вАЭ
вАЬAnd perhaps you allowed him a more free manner in his lovemaking than I have shown in mine.вАЭ
вАЬNo, I did not.вАЭ This was rather more alertly spoken.
вАЬBut he adopted it without being allowed?вАЭ
вАЬYes.вАЭ
вАЬHow much I have made of you, Elfride, and how I have kept aloof!вАЭ said Knight in deep and shaken tones. вАЬSo many days and hours as I have hoped in youвБ†вАФI have feared to kiss you more than those two times. And he made no scruples toвБ†вАКвБ†вА¶вАЭ
She crept closer to him and trembled as if with cold. Her dread that the whole story, with random additions, would become known to him, caused her manner to be so agitated that Knight was alarmed and perplexed into stillness. The actual innocence which made her think so fearfully of what, as the world goes, was not a great matter, magnified her apparent guilt. It may have said to Knight that a woman who was so flurried in the preliminaries must have a dreadful sequel to her tale.
вАЬI know,вАЭ continued Knight, with an indescribable drag of manner and intonationвБ†вАФвАЬI know I am absurdly scrupulous about youвБ†вАФthat I want you too exclusively mine. In your past before you knew meвБ†вАФfrom your very cradleвБ†вАФI wanted to think you had been mine. I would make you mine by main force. Elfride,вАЭ he went on vehemently, вАЬI canвАЩt help this jealousy over you! It is my nature, and must be so, and I hate the fact that you have been caressed before: yes, hate it!вАЭ
She drew a long deep breath, which was half a sob. KnightвАЩs face was hard, and he never looked at her at all, still fixing his gaze far out to sea, which the sun had now resigned to the shade. In high places it is not long from sunset to night, dusk being in a measure banished, and though only evening where they sat, it had been twilight in the valleys for half an hour. Upon the dull expanse of sea there gradually intensified itself into existence the gleam of a distant lightship.
вАЬWhen that lover first kissed you, Elfride was it in such a place as this?вАЭ
вАЬYes, it was.вАЭ
вАЬYou donвАЩt tell me anything but what I wring out of you. Why is that? Why have you suppressed all mention of this when casual confidences of mine should have suggested confidence in return? On board the Juliet, why were you so secret? It seems like being made a fool of, Elfride, to think that, when I was teaching you how desirable it was that we should have no secrets from each other, you were assenting in words, but in act contradicting me. Confidence would have been so much more promising for our happiness. If you had had confidence in me, and told me willingly, I shouldвБ†вАФbe different. But you suppress everything, and I shall question you. Did you live at Endelstow at that time?вАЭ
вАЬYes,вАЭ she said faintly.
вАЬWhere were you when he first kissed you?вАЭ
вАЬSitting in this seat.вАЭ
вАЬAh, I thought so!вАЭ said Knight, rising and facing her.
вАЬAnd that accounts for everythingвБ†вАФthe exclamation which you explained deceitfully, and all! Forgive the harsh word, ElfrideвБ†вАФforgive it.вАЭ He smiled a surface smile as he continued: вАЬWhat a poor mortal I am to play second fiddle in everything and to be deluded by fibs!вАЭ
вАЬOh, donвАЩt say it; donвАЩt, Harry!вАЭ
вАЬWhere did he kiss you besides here?вАЭ
вАЬSitting onвБ†вАФa tomb in theвБ†вАФchurchyardвБ†вАФand other places,вАЭ she answered with slow recklessness.
вАЬNever mind, never mind,вАЭ he exclaimed, on seeing her tears and perturbation. вАЬI donвАЩt want to grieve you. I donвАЩt care.вАЭ
But Knight did care.
вАЬIt makes no difference, you know,вАЭ he continued, seeing she did not reply.
вАЬI feel cold,вАЭ said Elfride. вАЬShall we go home?вАЭ
вАЬYes; it is late in the year to sit long out of doors: we ought to be off this ledge before it gets too dark to let us see our footing. I daresay the horse is impatient.вАЭ
Knight spoke the merest commonplace to her now. He had hoped to the last moment that she would have volunteered the whole story of her first attachment. It grew more and more distasteful to him that she should have a secret of this nature. Such entire confidence as he had pictured as about to exist between himself and the innocent young wife who had known no loverвАЩs tones save hisвБ†вАФwas this its beginning? He lifted her upon the horse, and they went along constrainedly. The poison of suspicion was doing its work well.
An incident occurred on this homeward journey which was long remembered by both, as adding shade to shadow. Knight could not keep from his mind the words of AdamвАЩs reproach to Eve in Paradise Lost, and at last whispered them to himselfвБ†вАФ
вАЬFoolвАЩd and beguiled: by him thou, I by thee!вАЭ
вАЬWhat did you say?вАЭ Elfride inquired timorously.
вАЬIt was only a quotation.вАЭ
They had now dropped into a hollow, and the church tower made its appearance against the pale evening sky, its lower part being hidden by some intervening trees. Elfride, being denied an answer, was looking at the tower and trying to think of some contrasting quotation she might use to regain his tenderness. After a little thought she said in winning tonesвБ†вАФ
вАЬвАКвАШThou hast been my hope, and a strong tower for me against the enemy.вАЩвАКвАЭ
They passed on. A few minutes later three or four birds were seen to fly out of the tower.
вАЬThe strong tower moves,вАЭ said Knight, with surprise.
A corner of the square mass swayed forward, sank, and vanished. A loud rumble followed, and a cloud of dust arose where all had previously been so clear.
вАЬThe church restorers have done it!вАЭ said Elfride.
At this minute Mr. Swancourt was seen approaching them. He came up with a bustling demeanour, apparently much engrossed by some business in hand.
вАЬWe have got the tower down!вАЭ he exclaimed. вАЬIt came rather quicker than we intended it should. The first idea was to take it down stone by stone, you know. In doing this the crack widened considerably, and it was not believed safe for the men to stand upon the walls any longer. Then we decided to undermine it, and three men set to work at the weakest corner this afternoon. They had left off for the evening, intending to give the final blow tomorrow morning, and had been home about half an hour, when down it came. A very successful jobвБ†вАФa very fine job indeed. But he was a tough old fellow in spite of the crack.вАЭ Here Mr.¬†Swancourt wiped from his face the perspiration his excitement had caused him.
вАЬPoor old tower!вАЭ said Elfride.
вАЬYes, I am sorry for it,вАЭ said Knight. вАЬIt was an interesting piece of antiquityвБ†вАФa local record of local art.вАЭ
вАЬAh, but my dear sir, we shall have a new one,вАЭ expostulated Mr.¬†Swancourt; вАЬa splendid towerвБ†вАФdesigned by a first-rate London manвБ†вАФin the newest style of Gothic art, and full of Christian feeling.вАЭ
вАЬIndeed!вАЭ said Knight.
вАЬOh yes. Not in the barbarous clumsy architecture of this neighbourhood; you see nothing so rough and pagan anywhere else in England. When the men are gone, I would advise you to go and see the church before anything further is done to it. You can now sit in the chancel, and look down the nave through the west arch, and through that far out to sea. In fact,вАЭ said Mr.¬†Swancourt significantly, вАЬif a wedding were performed at the altar tomorrow morning, it might be witnessed from the deck of a ship on a voyage to the South Seas, with a good glass. However, after dinner, when the moon has risen, go up and see for yourselves.вАЭ
Knight assented with feverish readiness. He had decided within the last few minutes that he could not rest another night without further talk with Elfride upon the subject which now divided them: he was determined to know all, and relieve his disquiet in some way. Elfride would gladly have escaped further converse alone with him that night, but it seemed inevitable.
Just after moonrise they left the house. How little any expectation of the moonlight prospectвБ†вАФwhich was the ostensible reason of their pilgrimageвБ†вАФhad to do with KnightвАЩs real motive in getting the gentle girl again upon his arm, Elfride no less than himself well knew.