Our Mutual Friend

day's labour in it. There were men, women, and children in the groups, and there was no want of lively colour to flutter in the gentle evening wind. Th

he ever-widening beauty of the landscape-beyond the newly-released workers wending home-beyond the silver river-beyond the deep green fields of corn, so prospering, that the loiterers in their narrow threads of pathway seemed

al interest in the public-house would seem to imply some latent rakishness in the canine character; for little was eaten there, and they, having no taste for beer or tobacco (Mrs Hubbard's dog is said to have smoked, but proof is wanting), could only have been attracted by sympathy with loose convivial habits. More

themselves a pint. A Peep-show which had originally started with the Battle of Waterloo, and had since made it every other battle of later date by altering the Duke of Wellington's nose, tempted the student of illustrated history. A Fat Lady, perhaps in part sustained upon postponed pork, her professional associate being a Learned Pig, displayed her life-size picture in a low dress as she appeared when presen

he evening, at any point which they just reached fitfully, mellowed by the distance, more still by contrast.

iting. He walked between the two points, an osier-bed at this end and some floatin

ry quiet,

de, and it seemed to him that he had never before heard the crisp teari

gh to get through life tolerably to your satisfaction, you ha

asked himself leisurely going towards the gate and looking over. 'No jealous paper-mil

yellow-green ground, and the track of wheels where the hay had been carried. Foll

ent was to be, as the event fell out, and how idle are such suppositions! Besi

as all he thought about it; and

g some half-dozen turns, 'I should begin to think she had given me the sl

-lilies, he saw her coming

zzie, that you were sure to

ad no object before me, and I had to speak to

es-such scandal-mongers?' he asked, as he

downcast eyes. He put her hand to hi

n, and not touch me?' For, his arm w

. 'Well, Lizzie, well!' said he, in an easy way though ill a

o be reproachful. Mr Wrayburn, I implore you to g

rated. 'As well be reproachful as wh

y n

't let me. Mind! I don't mean to be reproachful either. I don't co

for, his arm was coming about her again; 'whi

you, Lizzie,' he answered with pleasant gaiety as he fol

es upon him with the look of supplication which troubled his better nature, 'you told me that yo

n the least true. I came here, because I ha

why I left Lond

you left London to get rid of me. It is not fla

d

d you be

ears, 'is the cruelty on my side! O Mr Wrayburn, Mr Wra

conjuring you in my own name, for Heaven knows I

ce between us? What else can I be, when to tell me why you cam

ness and pity. It was not strong enough to impell him to sa

don't know what my state of mind towards you is. You don't know how you haunt me and bewilder me. You don't know how the cursed carelessness that is over-officious in

natural sparks of feminine pride and joy in her breast. To consider, wrong as he w

h you. Indeed I don't reproach you. You have not felt this as I feel it, being so different from me, an

ink of?' asked E

nk o

of you, Lizzie, and you'

one in your noble heart. Respect my good name. If you feel towards me, in one particular, as you might if I was a lady, give me the full claims of a lady upon your ge

od untouched by her appeal. His face expre

red you so m

t and the future. Are we not here now, because through two days you have followed me so closel

o my self-love,' said Eugene,

pray you, leave this neighbourhood. If you

ment or two, and then retorted, 'Drive

here. You will force me to quit this place as I quitted London, and-by following me ag

ve the word I am going to use, for i

. There was a poor woman died here but a little while ago, scores of years older than I am

he answered, 'if h

that her purpose should be kept to, after she was dead, so settled was her determination. What she did, I can do. Mr Wrayburn, if I believed-but

n secret whose heart had long been so full, and he the cause of its overflowing-drooped before. She tried hard to retain her firmness, but he saw it melting

d not been what you call removed from you and cut off fro

now. Don't ask me, Mr Wr

swear to you, you shall go alone. I'll not accom

tell you what I should have done,

e,' he struck in, skilfully changing the for

pealingly, and weeping, 'you kn

me out to be, Lizzie, would you s

ered as before, 'you know

and she hung her head, which besought him to be merciful and not force her

wholly indifferent to me, Lizzie, let me know so much more from yourself before we separate. Let me know how you

you, and when I went out of the room because you looked at me so attentively? Or, the night that passed into the morning when you broke to me that my father was dead? Or, the nights when you used to come to see me at

good, Lizzie? What did you thin

re of being noticed by one so different from any one who had ever spoken to

hy

nswered in a lower voice. 'Because it

ll, Lizzie?' he asked, as

ayburn. Not much

ou tell

o truly feel at heart that you have indeed been towards me what you have called yourself to-night, and

fering, made a deep impression on him for the passing time. He held her, almost as if she we

nor follow you. Shall I keep you in view? Yo

ne at this hour, and I e

omise nothing more tonight, Lizzie,

ring yourself and of sparing me, every way.

ill

ce, she put her hand in his, removed

ig

ugene, still remaining, after a while, where s

his eyes. 'A most ridiculous position this, to be found out in!' was his next thought. A

power over her, too, let her be

ped under his gaze. Contemplating the reproduction, he seemed to see, for the

self to be strong in this fancy, wavering in that, and weak in the other. She must go through with her nature

rs, by informing him that I had married her, how would M. R. F. reason with the legal mind? "You wouldn't marry for some money and some station, because you were frightfully likely to become bored. Are you less frightful

ity to his aid, he felt it to be profligate

that I would not be true to her. I should particularly like to see the fellow to-night who would tell me so, or who would tell me anything that could be construed to her disadvantage; for I am wearily out of sorts with o

tly, 'between a woman whom your father coolly finds out for you and a woman whom you have found out for yourself, and have ev

heart. To try no more to go away, and to try her again, was the reckless conclusion it turned uppermost. And yet again, '

, in favour of the calm blue of a summer night. He was still by the river-side. Turning suddenly, he met a man, so close upon him that Eugene, surprised, stepped ba

Eugene, calling after

no reply, but

e of the stream on which he walked. However, knowing the rushy bank and the backwater on the other side to be a retired place, and feeling out of humour for noise or company, he crossed the bridge, and sauntered on: looking up at the stars as they seemed one by one to be kindled in the sky, and looking down

and all tending one way with a strong current. As the ripple under the moon broke unexpectedly now and then, and palely flashed in a new shape and with a new sound, so parts of

look down at the reflected night. In an instant, with a dreadful crash, the reflected night turne

ed under the blows that were blinding him and mashing his life, and closed with a murderer,

on to the man, with his head swung back, so that he could see nothing but the heaving sky. After dragging at the a

she could so compose herself as to escape remark upon her looking ill or unhappy on going home. The peaceful serenity of the hour and place, having no reproaches or evil inte

d her, for blows fell heavily and cruelly on the quiet of the night. As she listened, undeci

ne to hear, she ran towards the spot from which the sounds had come. It lay between her and the bridge, but it was more

me torn fragments of clothes. Stooping, she saw that the grass was bloody. Following the drops and smears, she saw that the watery ma

workings it may turn to good at last! To whomsoever the drifting face belongs, be it man's or woman's,

led up in her mind, away, swift and true, yet steady above all-for without steadiness it could never be done

her practised eye showed her, even through the deep dark shadow, the sculls in a rack against the red-brick garden-wall. Another moment, and she had cast

was, on her left, well over the boat's stern-she passed on her right, the end of the village street, a hilly street that almost dipped into

vershoot it. An untrained sight would never have seen by the moonlight what she saw at the length of a few strokes astern. She saw the drowning figure rise to

ith a touch unshipped her sculls, and crept aft in the boat, between kneeling and crouching. Once, sh

red streaks. As it could not help itself, it was impossible for her to get it on board. She bent over th

rowed in, desperately, for the nearest shallow water where she might run the boat aground. Despera

the bottom of the boat. He had fearful wounds upon him, and she bound them up with her dress torn into strips. Else, supposing him to

stars, and blessed him and forgave him, 'if she had anything to forgive.' It was only in

float again, and to row back against the stream! And grant, O Blessed Lord God, that through poor me he may be

of the boat. She had so laid him there, as that she might see his disfigured face; it was so much di

hts in the windows, but there chanced to be no one out of doors. She made the boat fast, and ag

w doctors would lift the hand of an insensible wounded person, and would drop it if the person were dead. Sh

d asked, before proceeding to his

' answered Lizzie, at w

uld not lift, far les

at another time, sir

some compassion. Having with a grave face touched the wou

he let

, and at the pupils of the eyes. That done, he replaced the candle and took the hand again. Another surgeon then coming in, the two e

ng. All the better for her! Don't rouse her, if you can help it; only move her. Poor girl, poor girl! She must be a