Thyrza

nt observed it, and met his trusty auditor with

kroyd no longer sits by you,'

spoke at length with

raid so

is interest in

only came at my persuasion to begin with.

wo hours a week. I felt much interest in him; it's a disappointment to lose him

checked himself. An inquirin

litics just now. They don't

et more than ever

d been standing, and seated himself on the end o

r a minute, will you,

k possession of the

me and have a talk with me? I do wish he would; I believe

. We work

ome and have a chat wit

be glad

xt Sunday after the lecture would do? Tell him to bring

undertook to deliv

ks for the members of the class to take away and use at their leisure? Shakespeare, of course, you can all lay hands on, but the other

ply, 'but I've got Marlowe. I picked u

him! Ah, t

such feeling. After surprise came new warmth of interest in the man. He began to spe

ross yet. I shall be overjoyed if you'll let me be of

I've often felt

for a moment. He looked up

thing if one could establish

ng if those disposed to use such an institution had time granted them to do

m allowed his stronger emotions to find high utterance; that moderated

emont went on, 'with

he and his adherents might subsequently work. Could be undertake to found a library at his own expense? It was not beyond his means

mind to try if I can'

man with admiration and with noble envy. To be able to devise such things and straightway say 'It shall be done!' How blest beyond all utterance was the man to whom fortune ha

some building that would do at first; a real library could be built when the people had begun to appreciate wha

aid Grail, 'until they know its value; and that t

ll break t

gain, then ad

ke this class permanent, to make it the beginning of a society for purposes I have in m

, even as his on Grail. He felt a desire to open his mind, as he had done that evening in the garden by Ullswater. This man was of tho

roughly as any man; but those things are coming, and it seems to me that it's time to ask what working men are going to do with such advantages when they've got them. Now, my hope is to get a few men to see-what you, I know, see clearly enough-that life, to be worthy of the name, must be first and foremost concerned with the things of the heart and mind. Yet everything in our time favours the opposite

Gilbert looked

he said, 'what I have thought

is attacked. I know perfectly well that for thousands of the poorest there is no possibility of a life guided by thought and feeling of a higher kind until they are lifted out of the mire. But if one faces the question with a grave purpose of doing good that will endure, practical considerations must outweigh one's anger. There is no way of lifting those poor people out of the mire; if their children's children tread on firm ground it will be the most we can hope for. But there is a class of working people that can and should aim at a

fire; the earnest w

e possible!'

w many of the serious people whom you know

ly, suspiciously. Was Egremont ab

red, 'but I know that religion has no hol

r restore it. And yet it is a religious spirit that we must seek to revive. Dogma wil

at a thought wh

ible,' he said, 'is

base tendency of all the rest. The newspaper has supplanted the book; every gross-minded scribbler who gets a square inch of space in the morning journal has a more respectful hearing than Shakes

mself to a fervour which showed itself i

to know my views, and perhaps think they were worth something. I have obeyed an impulse in opening my mind to you; I feel tha

mont,' was the cl

pure idealist. Grail, too, forgot his private troubles, and tasted the strong air of the heights which it is granted us so s

ou come here some evening when there is no lecture and let us turn over our ideas together? I shall begin at once

many things,' said Grail, 'but

a man who could do much if he were really moved.

od for a few minutes before the fire; then he extinguished the gas, lock

some time he had seemed out of sorts. Intercourse between them was not as constant as formerly. Grail explained this as due to Ackroyd's disturbed mood, another result of which was seen in his

omplexion which suggested continual activity within range of the kitchen fire; her sleeves were always rolled up to her elbow, and at whatever moment surprised she wore an ap

r of mine, I'll be bound! Come downstairs, and I'll tell him you're here. You may well wonder what's become of him. Ill! Not

n, stood before a great glowing fire. A baby lay awake in a swinging cot just under the protruding leaf o

ther comes home, not if it's twelve o'clock. You dare to laugh, Miss!' she cried to the little one on the stool, with mock wrath. 'The idea of having to fetch you out o' bed

, hearty ways. Whilst speaking, she had partly moved the horse from the fire and placed a round-backe

continued, returning to the subject of Luke.

e, pretending to arrange the linen, s

I do,' he replied

ered he

, right in my way. I don't mean you're in my way; I'm talking of times when I'm busy. Well, there he sits; and sometimes he'll be that low it's enough to make a body strangle herself with her apron-string. Other times he'll talk, talk, talk and it's all Thyrza Trent, Thyrza Trent, till the name makes my ears jingle. This afternoon I couldn't put up with it, so I told

ert found an opportu

wrong between them?' he

esn't he talk a

d or two, but there's been no

s got to complain of; he admits she told him from the first she didn't care a bit for him. As if there wasn't plenty of other las

he's gone

just to make people sorry for him. He doesn

on as she was gone, fell into a rev

her came a heavier foot. Ackroyd certainly looked far fr

e had the toothache and the headache and Lord knows what. Now I feel hungry; w

replied. 'I'll run

t!' he roared, watching her. 'A gallon

into a chair and

?' he asked, as his

ng with the other's noise. 'Mr. Egremont's been asking

d. It isn't my line. Besides, nothing's my l

rget. There are not many

brary project, but a doubt as to whether he m

om,' he continued, 'either on Sunday after the le

hook h

at's th

'd be glad of it afterwards. He said I was to ask you to go and have a smoke with him by the f

nough, as far as they went, but they're not the kind of thing to suit me nowadays. If I go an

girl on the stool, who had been

ake me on

a sudden affectionateness one would not have expected

on

! Say: Mr

Mrs. Poole reappeare

s, looking at the child. 'A nice thing for you to be nursed at this hour o' nig

at she offered. Ackroyd had recomm

to go to the lectures again, Mrs. Poole,

t soon come to his senses. Nay, it's no good o' me talking! H

his hand for

go on Sunday night,

child into the air and began singing. He did