A Life's Morning

om decoration observed on the previous day at a house in town, the half-open door admitted a young lady who had ti

e signs of wind-play in her abundant black hair. But neither face nor attire suggested rusticity: the former was handsome, spirited, with a hint of uncommon things in its changeful radiance; the latter was the result of perf

the end of the table, was

he exclaimed, rising and moving from his pl

general direction of eyes. 'Here already! But

e ear captive. 'Will you let me sit down just as I am? Patty, here's a rose for you, an

her by name; Beatrice looked

sall. 'You must have left London at an unheard

id Mr. Athel. 'Don't you see

ost ran. I was so afraid lest I should miss breakfast, and you can't imagine how hungry I am. Is th

. Rossall. 'Let Mr. Athel give you s

tarian for a mont

on't m

er school allows them. You can't think how much better I

did you start by?' p

become of me, then in a minute or two I got my things packed, and last of all stole out of the house to find a cab. Luckily, a policeman was just passing the door; he found one for me in no time. Not a soul was up, so I dragged the trunk out on to the landing,

ther be alarmed?'

d this walk for anything. I only lost my way once, and then, luckily, a farmer came driving

les from the station

ve minded as much again. You're not angry with me

ich on the whole characterised her. She continued to talk with much vivacity, making at the same time a hearty meal. Her place at the table was between Wilfrid and Patty; on the o

tarianism?' Wilfrid asked. 'Is Mr

ne,' was the reply, in a tone which evidentl

ensive in the suggestion?' r

nsive. Your references to Mr.

o witness, didn't I praise ungrudgingly

extraordinary that anything good could come from that sour

our place and sit between those two; they neve

rest in such vanities scarcely affected concealment. Mr. Athel, too, though he supported a jesting tone, clearly e

ammock which had recently been suspended in a convenient spot. She had one hand beneath her head, the

one hint to me of stirring before lunch-t

preferred a gallop over

shall relish it in anticipation. Or, better still, sit down and tel

who stood smoking a cigar and was in his wonted st

, not a quarter of a mile from home-But I'm going to forget all that now. How deli

go back?' Mr.

ood; don't you think she looks remarkably well, Mrs.

t rustling of the trees. It was one of those perfect summer mornings when the sun's rays, though streaming from a cloudless sky, are tempered by a gentle haze in the upper regions of the air, when the zenith has a tinge

nce for a few moments, 'that I can have met Miss Hood anyw

ondon before she came to

es in Dunfield, I thi

mes from Dunfield, in Yorkshire. Do

he gave lessons to my uncle's children. I saw her when I was staying there the last time, three-no, fo

have, Beatrice!'

et a face tha

id asked, as if in idle curiosity, and with some of

nced enough for that. I don't suppose I thought much about her at

,' said Mrs. Ro

t. I think I only saw her once; she was with us at lunch one day. We sp

ry shy,' assent

' said Wilfrid; 'shyness is quite

ery quiet and agreeable and well-bred. It is such a good thing to have a governess who

en like her?'

ful how she controls them; they ar

go abroad

n't think tha

o to their gossip. The conver

health?' Bea

to occasion much alarm, but his father got frightened. I expect

ith himself the last two

occupied away from books. He has been rid

king a g

e as positive as he was. He does now and then admit that other people may have an opinion which i

old hi

was in pri

id Beatrice in an idly meditative tone, moving the edge of

ater, after a s

w what I am

. Rossall, with a

eyes and keep quiet I shou

hed at the une

r? It's warm enough; you

the walk ha

How is it you can't sleep, I wonder?

t I have neglected duties. I hear voices, as distinct

nor frivolous. Do doze off, if you can,

the girl asked, in the tone

you use cere

light shawl, the occupant of the hammock was already sound asleep. She threw the shawl with womanly skill and gentleness over the sha

ing to the hammock. 'When di

omplete calm of feature the half-lights that came through the foliage made an exquisite pallor on her face, contrasting with the dark masses of her hai

eaving England he had got on ill terms with his father and brother, and it was only a persistent affection for his sister that caused him to give any sign of himself year after year. When this sister had been Mrs. Redwing for about two years, she one day received an intimation from solicitors that Laurence was dead and had left her the whole of a very considerable fortune, the product, mainly, of dealings in lumber. Mr. and Mrs. Redwing in fact found themselves possessed of nearly fourteen thousand a year, proceeding from most orderly investments. This would naturally involve a change in their mode of life. In the first place they paid a visit to America; then they settled in London, where, about the same time, their only child, Beatrice was born. A month after the child's coming into the world, the father withdrew from it-into a private lunatic asylum. H

h alone withheld her from a second marriage; she was not a very patient invalid, and suffered keenly in the sense of missing the happiness which life had offered her. In the matter of her daughter's education she exercised much care. Doctrinal religion had a strong hold upon her, and it was her solicitude that Beatrice should walk from the first in the ways of Anglican salvation. She dreaded the 'spirit of the age.' With a better judgment in pure literature than falls to the lot of most women-or men either-she yet banished from her abode, wherever it might be anything that remotely savoured of intellectual emancipation; her aesthetic leanings she deemed the great temptation of her life, for she frankly owned to her friends that many things powerfully attracted her, which her con science b

s put no veto even upon dancing. Yet her mood at such times was not the entire self-abandonment of the girl who is born but to waltz. In spite of the sanction of custom, she could not wholly suppress her virginal instincts, and, however unconsciously, something in her nature held itself aloof. She led a life of indecision. Combining in herself such contradictory elements, she was unable to make close friendships. Her intimacy with Mrs. Rossall, which dated from her late childhood, was not the perfect accord which may subsist between women of very different characters, yet here she gave and received more sympathy than elsewhere. It was her frequent saying that she came to Mrs. Rossall's house when she wanted to rest. Here she could be herself, could pass without interval from pietistic argument to chatter about her neighbours, could indulge in impulses of confession as with no one else, could put off the strain of existence which was the result of her conflicting impulses. But it was onl

ept. At her waking she found

passing at once into full consciou

eplied that

is Miss

summer

f the garden, hidden among acacias and laurels, a circular hut in the ordinary style.

ss Hood?' she said pleasantly. 'Do yo

iet surprise, and said she had

e's, one day that you lunched wi

cement of a conversation, which went en till Mrs. Rossall, finding the hammock dese

the children; Wilfrid and Beatrice accompanied them on horseback. The course to be pursued h

come?' Mr. Athel inquired, s

ossall replied. 'It was he

asked her in

ip, of cou

alters her mind

ed the other twi

mmented their uncle, 'provided he

they began to talk of Indifferent things. On the crest of a hill, whence the carriage could be se

r opinion of

ask such a

sts me, and you must have had opportunitie

she inte

discover the reason. You have often said that

conclude tha

before lunch. I don't think I like he

id la

mean, no doubt, that she doesn't s

what I wanted

an followed, his eyes gazing absently

oked over h

e same kind of bo

y I read no b

in to let him

ty it can'

ha

ability

heard for a long time!' exclaimed

u what you are, without faith, without feeling. You dissect everything, you calculate motives cynically, you have learnt to

ter! To whom a

u to tempt, in whom you find

I have no p

se you h

words, I a

nsely

gleaming with no mock seriousness, and there was even a slight quiver about her lips. In all their exchanges of banter he had never kn

castigation at present, Miss Redwing?' he

carelessly. 'I felt all at on

really thin

redly

silence

sly, 'that you are deplorably lacking in the char

gs to which charity

e as anyone could. The attitude of your mind prevents you from understanding me in the least; it prevents you from understa

ten been. Many a time you hav

t, then spok

self that I despise, but the ignorance and bigotry which possess you.

ounced c

me what you think of me; shall I be equally frank and speak as

t sure o

r turn and you are almost an artist, at your piano; when you are tired of all these you become, or try to become, a sort of ingenue. In the name of consistency, be one thing or another. You are quite mistaken in thinking

th more passion than he had ever

ncere; you live in the latter end of the nineteenth century; the co

ated, but in a low voice

pect you. You are a beautiful woman; you might be inexpressibly charming. Frankly recognise your capabilities

insul

tist; a public singer, let us say. No amateur nonsense; recognise that you have a superb voice, and that by dint of labour you may attain artistic excellence. You talk of getting up concert

face; she rode on,

life is to discern it, bring it out, make it actual. You don't yet know your own self; you have not the courage to look into your heart and mind; you keep over your eyes the bandage of dogmas in which you only half believe. Your insincerity blights the natural qualities of your intellect. You have so long tried to persuade yourself of the evil o

she said, facing him. He saw to his astonis

ludicrous; you and such as you do not hesitate to judge offhand men who have spent a long life in the passionate pursuit of wisdom. You have no reverence. It is the fault you attribute to me, but wrongly; if you had ever brought an open mind to our conversations, you would have understood that my reverence even for your ideal is not a wit less than your own; it is only that I see

agan. One voice has spoken; its biddi

conviction is not mine; your mode of reasoning and my o

with which he met her found no reflection on her counte

nt, nodding towards the far-off carriage

ad of answering. Sh

but courteous in my way of speaking to you, but

w henceforth what

e conversation, i

does not

nion has fortunately little to

, at all events when it has expre

lfrid found it harder to bear. Her drooped eyelids and subdued tone in

hey will laugh at us and say we have been quarrelling as usual; in future I think we mustn't quarrel, we are both of us ge

g,' she said, 'that

ungrateful wretch-and an

the hill wit