One of Our Conquerors, v1

ied commandingly, with a

ing in similar recit

e vo

alf a dozen bars

him, embrace

bare as winter twigs? "Tomorrow perhaps we will have a day in the country." To go and see the nest? Only, please, not a big one. A real nest; where

r us up,' said her father, moving on

t is .

ed at her c

t for

ave a frie

etty co

er papa

nd running over fie

olney says. It's a place for being quite

bra

mama her pony-carriage; and Fredi ca

note was dubio

irish, fairish. Bit of

r: pretty wa

as the hou

s. I like

ve it th

eal from his girl. Only now

astonishment. But tell me, who ha

d it is true, you dear;

n Fen

r. Dur

Col to his guesses. He'd have been prophe

ar old house, like C

d see to

and vocal; quartet, duet, solo; and advising the girl to be quick, as she had

nter. She slipped in, saw that the maid was absent, and

ed a little moan:

entioned it t

y n

n has been h

t it go on, without speaking. Y

tate, mama, and

ht to have known. And too late now it has gone so

ta's divinations were target-arrows; they flew to the mark. Could it have been expected that Victor would ever do anything on a small scale? O the dear little lost lost cottage! She thought of

ur,' she said to Nesta, dismissing her and taking her kiss o

when one's own feelings to the neighbours are kind, could be affectionate. W

he pain of being torn from a home she loved. But now the girl was older, and if once she had her imagination awakened, her fearful directness would touch the spot, question, bring on the scene to-come, necessarily to co

anxieties, the courtship of rival magnates, followed by the wretched old cloud, and the imposition upon them to bear it in silence though they knew they c

er enthusiasm. He had proved it; he proved it daily in conflicts and in victories that dwarfed

r than the good guidance of the man who was her breath of life!

at unless rushing into conflicts bigger than conceiva

tachment of a flower on the river's bank by swell of flood: she had no longer root of her own; away she sailed, through beautiful scenery, with occasionally a crashing fall, a turmoil, e

ut even when it is driving us on the breakers, call it love: and be not unworthy of it, hold to it. She a

at the giving and taking of simple enjoyment. In spite of his fits of unreasonableness in the means-and the woman loving him could trace them to a breath of nature-his gentle good friendly innocent aim in life was of this very simplest; so wonderful, by contrast with his powers, that she, assured of it as she was by experience of him, was touched, in a transfusion of her feelings through lucent globes of admiration and of ten

t fancy, that cancelled the deed of her youth, and therewith seemed to expunge near upon the half-of her term of years. If it came to consideration of

e surface question. And how strange it was to her, that he, of the most quivering sensitiveness on her behalf; could not see, that he threw her into situations where hard words of men and women th

prehensions of having to leave it: alarms, throbbing suspicions, like those of old travellers through the

she took strength from a handsome look of resolution in the glass.

r a more open white waistcoat; and she was composed and uninquiring. Their Nesta was hear

s never-omitted

ely smile. 'A country-house?

ning for a country

the house in London does no

ive thousand pounds for the f

olt . . .' she had a

kelands requires-but y

f her eyes, she rejoined

ges. And we did it without magic, all in a year; which is quite as good as a magical tr

dear girl. Nesta

I have found. It's true we have waited long; my darling has had her worries. However, it 's here at last. Prepare yourself. I speak positively. You have to brace up for one sharp twitch-the woman's portion! as Natata says-and it's over.' He looked into her eyes for compreh

they have c

an the Dreightons. I have to confess I rather think I was to blame for leaving Creckholt. Only, if I see my girl

of hope, but some readiness to be inflated. The prospect of an entry into the big new house, among a new

's a woman with a conscience-of a kind: slow, but it brings her to the point at last. You know her, kn

n, as a

yes; poor woman! poor woman! we feel for her:-she has come to perceive her duty to those she leaves beh

them. They received strong colouring from midday's Old Veuve in his blood. His voi

ing it. And this is not a task to us when we have looked our actor in the face, and seen him bear the look, knowing that he is not intentionally untruthful; and when we incline to be captivated by his rare theatrical air of confidence; when it seems as an outside thought striking us, that he may not be altogether deceived in the present instance; when suddenly an expectation of the thing desired is born and swims in a credible feature

sk,' Nataly said: 'you

yourself received the l

d do near the grave-poor soul,

to enter this place u

to call, satellites. You inspect the house and grounds to-morrow -sure to be fair. Put aside all but the pleasant recollections of Craye and Creckholt. We start on a different footing. Really nothing can be simpler. Keeping your town-house, you are now and then in residence at La

uired. 'Good news fro

e yield of stones, that the value of our claim counts in a number of mil

. . . ! But why did yo

y Fene

w how he

ly. 'But has that woman be

a poor fellow,' said he, after a negative of the he

nce confided to him by Simeon, but for a downright dread of renewing his painful fit of envy. He had also anoth

the little country cottage which would have given her such great happiness. She raised her eyes to him;

rusion of hard material statements, facts. Even the best of women, even the most beautiful, and in their moments of supremest beauty, have this gross ravenousness for facts. You must not expect to appease them unless you admini

likewise he