The Amazing Marriage, v1

er, there sat a youth dusty and torn, nursing a bruised leg, not in the easiest of postures, on a sharp tooth of rock, that might at any moment

t leg to do him further service unaided; but it was morning still, the sun was hot, the air was cool; just the tempering opposition to render existence pleasant as a piece of vegetation, especially when there has been a question of your ceasing to exist; and the view was of a sus

uitar- player, thrumming the calf of the useless leg to accompany tuneful thoughts, but the inevitable lapse and slide of the foot recurred, and the philosopher was exhibited as an infant learning to crawl. The seat, moreover, not having been fashioned for him or for any soft purpose, resisted his pressure and became a thing of violence, that required t

shapes, and as he was quite sincere in this feeling and election of the right way to live, disappointment and sullenness overcame him on hearing men's shouts and steps; despite his helpless condition he refused to stir, for they had jarred on his dream. Perhaps his temper, unknown to himself, had been a little injured by his mishap, and he would not have been sorry to charge them with want of common humanity in passing him; or he did not think

said the la

on,'she said

!' her bro

ng to him, and at a clo

is finger to indicate w

dy isl

here were broken bones, as if

haritable eyes from a countenance dancing with ugly twitches. She was the Samaritan. A sufferer discerns his friend, though it be not the one who physically assists him: he is inclined by nature to put material aid at a lower mark than gentleness, and her brief words of encouragement, the tone of their delivery yet more, were medical to his blood, better help than her brother's iron arm, he real

t to have taken a

oubt of that,' s

t the inn of an Englishman who left last night to sleep on the mountain, and wou

ally not with a youth who smelt of being a dreamy romancer and had caused the name of Englishman to be shouted in h

ues of slate-rubble pouring into the grass, like shore-waves that have spent their burden, seem about to

aid Chillon, '

ton pressed a hand at his ankle and made him wince, but the bones were sound, leg and hip not worse than badly bruised. He

you. Half an hour will set me right. My

rn. But Carinthia had thrown herself on the grass. Her brother asked her in dis

have enough of it in

a good deed hal

l have o

not be

nton to sti

has an object

time, hard-by: 'Your objection to guides might have taught you a sharp lesson. It 's like declining to have a master in s

ied. 'These guides kick the soul out of s

ve been a disagreeab

e as well as

care for

or it a fraction mor

ppose you care

boiling pot, intolerably stuffy. My one ambition is to be out of it. I thank heaven I have not another on earth. Yes, I care for my note-book, because it's of no use to a human being except me. I slept be

rm of poverty upon a settled income of a very small sum of money, the fruit of a compact he would execute with the town to agree to his perpetual exclusion from it, and to retain h

rattler, and he rejoined: 'They've lost more than they've gained;

ive from members of their community, sometimes upon exchange. They compare a view of life with their own

air of Styrian boots, if you intend to stay in

ther's make,' s

his guide, and, as Anton was rejected, he pointed the route over the head

fingers. She smiled on him, frankly extending her open hand, and pointing the route again, coun

some time longer: he ha

roducing an impression. But her mind was with the stranger sufficiently to cause her to say to Chillon, at the close of a dispute b

ond of solitude. And, Carin, my dear, don't give your hand

sister said: 'Did

od's, I hear, and one can understand them in a man of enormous wealth, who doesn't know what to do with himself and is dead-sick

loves our moun

of heterodox ideas: to have listened seriously to them coming from the mouth of an unambitious bootmaker's son involved him in the absurdity. He considered that there was no harm in the lad, rather a commendab

ly transfigured one, and the mountain scenery made him very threatening to her brother. A silky haired youth, brown-eyed, unconquerable in adversity, immensely rich, fond of solitude, curled, decorated, bejewelled by all the elves and gnomes of inmost solitude, must have marvellous attractions, she feared. She thought of him so much, that h

entleman is doing now

the sake of educating her in the customs of the world she was going to en

they were to meet him again gave

t thing possible-at a

k we shall,

ple of your own class;

meet anybo

you would not stop to sp

to see him in the str

nge o

stinctions. He felt them personally in this case because of their seeming to stretch grotesquely by the pretentious heterodoxy of the young fe

probable wants Chillon was urged by Carthinia to speak of to their host. They pushed on, clambering up, scurrying down, tramping gaily, till by degrees the chambers of Carinthia's imagination closed their doors and would no longer intercommunicate. H

em how I walked w

s over yonde

, brother.' She stumbled on the helpless w

e half-wild girl before such a meeting. As it often happens with the silly phrases of simple people, the wrong word, foolish although it was, went to the heart of the hearer and threw a more

have a voice for country songs, at all events. And you're a bit of a botanist too. You're good at English and German; you had a French gov

aid Carthinia. 'I can

nd he was of his girl! Well, bear in mind that father w

l,' sh

at the entrance of the Baths for a challenge to t

ld not bear much rallying

ard one to plea

ll find the kin

riet

nod

he a f

dmiral: Admiral

inthia sighed out hearti

s you, C

ole, I thi

Such a father would

tic prospect

hs, all enfolded in swathes of pink and crimson up to the shining

trifling with the vision of a cushioned rest below.

n replied stoutly, to drive a chill from his lover's heart,