A Tale of a Lonely Parish

ape of scholarships. Never in that time had he left Cambridge even for a day unless compelled to do so by the regulations of his college. His father had found it hard to induce him to come

n and even pale; his head ached perpetually, and his eyes no longer seemed so good as they had been. He went to a doctor, and the doctor told him that with his admirable constitution a few days of absolute re

ther she had ever seen John or not, and the squire who had certainly never seen him, joined in the general excitement. Mrs. Goddard asked the entire party to tea at the cottage and the squire asked them to come and skate at the Hall and to dine afterwards; for the weather was cold and the vicar said John was a very good skater. Was there anything John could n

skers had disappeared and a small moustache shaded his upper lip; he looked more intellectual but not less strong, though Mrs. Ambrose said he was dreadfully pale-perhaps he owed

left us," said the vicar. "We have got a squire at th

tle girl," remar

emory, regretting, perhaps, the cooling of his poetic ardour. Then he had gradually lost sight of her in the hard work which made up his life. Profound study had made him more prosaic and he believed that he had done with ideals for ever, after the manner of many clever young fellows who at one and twenty feel that they are separated from the follies of eighteen by a great and impassable gulf. The gulf, however, was not in John's case so wide nor so deep but what, at the prospect of being suddenly brought face to face, and made acquainted, with her who for so long had seemed the object of a romantic passion, he felt a strange thrill of surprise and embarrassment. Those meetings of later years generally bring painful disillusion. How many of us can remember some fair-haired little girl who i

r referred to that visit and, lastly, it seemed unlike Mr. Ambrose to have said nothing of her settlement in Billingsfield in the course of all the letters he had written to John since the latter had left him. John dwelt upon the name-Goddard-but it held no association for him. It was not at all like the names he had given her in his imagination. He wonder

d briskly in the direction of the park gate. Before they had quite reached it however, the door of the cottage opposite was opened, and Stamboul, the Russian bloodhound, bounded down the path, cleared the wicket gate in his vast stride, and then turning suddenly crouched in the middle of the road to wait for his master. But the dog instantly caught sight of the vicar, with whom he was on very good terms, and trotted slowly up to him, thrusting his great nose into his hand, and then proceeding to make acquaintance with John. He seemed to

s is Mr. Short, of whom you have heard-J

he could feel so much embarrassed, and he hated himself for betraying it. But nobody noticed his col

oing for a walk

e you at the Hall," said

to the Hall and have a cup of tea. We can look a

Her small nose was full of expression, and was not reddened by the cold as noses are wont to be. Her rich brown hair waved across her forehead as it did on that day when John first saw her; and now as he spoke with her, her mouth smiled, as he had been sure it would. John felt a curious sense of pride in her, in finding that he had not been deceived, that this ideal of whom he had dreamed was really and truly very good to look at. He knew littl

young Englishman of moderate intelligence and in moderate circumstances. And yet she knew that he was no ordinary young fellow,

d so much about you, that I feel as t

remember that hot day when you came to th

ged. That is, I suppose I did no

d a half. I was only a boy then, you know

ile, "is not a large place. The Ambroses are very

Goddard? How long is it since you

two years-two years last Oct

only a month after I w

n should have made any deductions from the date of her arriva

strange?"

iderable embarrassment. "I was only th

end to quiet Mrs. Go

laimed. "Why should

very much struck. You know, I was only a boy, then. I hoped you would come back-but you did no

I did not come ba

. Mr. Ambrose never

shoul

field has been a sort of home to me, and it is a smal

Mrs. Goddard. "I am sure I do not know why it should.

town you know-that is not at all like home. One always associates the i

way over the frozen mud of the road. "Tak

the girl's active figure as she walked before them

st," answered Mrs. Godd

as though yo

to see her grow. W

spoke sadly,"

y she is coming t

cefully," said John, who want

" answered Mrs. Goddard with a little smile

hink you could

was so very long ago?"

ieve you ever ha

since any one had flattered her, for flattery did not en

rt of thing at Cambrid

ort of

speeches to lad

ould know much better how to make them. We learn

hing to do!" excla

Now, for instance, I have written

upted his compa

it is so very

er

nly saw you once-

ed, and was beginning to think that John Short

was. But I-I hoped you would come back; and so I used to write poems to you. They were very goo

oked at him rather incred

ould not laugh,

the least," said she.

assure you," replied John rather w

you?" asked Mrs. Goddard,

swered John, who felt he had been foolishly betraye

How long are you going

swered. "Perhaps you will have time to

k it was very pretty-I mean the way you did it. You must be a born poe

ained John, who was easily pacified. "When a man writes a great deal he feels the necessity o

her once," remarked

ate one's faculties upon a mere idea; but the moment a man sees a woman whom he

you, even unconsciously-but, don't you think

she would not have done as well. I am deeply indebted to Mrs. Ambrose for a thousand kindnesses, for a gre

icar's state of mind! She would have had

on. "But, if I had not done all that, we should not be

ot," said M

Hall. I suppose you have often been there

ed his companion. "And then-well, he is

, but I mean, what kind

etly. "Very well bred, very well educated. We

s antagonism against Mr. Juxon was rapidly increasing. Mrs. Goddard loo

him," she said. "He kno

s speaks of you with t

, I am sure. I am very much oblige

gravely. "You cannot possibly have any cause fo

different," said John. "I

violent dislikes to peo

or

uppose Mr. Juxon's face reminds me of somebody I do

ling anything that passed through his mind, unreasonable and evidently very susceptible. On the whole, she thought she should like him, though his scornful manner in speaking of the squire had annoyed her. The interest she could feel in him, if she felt any at all, would be akin to that of the vicar in the boy. He was only a b

s not only charming but beautiful. He had not the least idea of her age; it is not the manner of his kind to think much about the age of a woman, provided she is not too young. The girl might b

hen they are pleased. He would like to show her his odes. As he walked through the park by her side he felt a curious sense of possession in her which gave him a thrill of exquisite delight; and when they entered the Hall he felt as

cheerily. "We are not so co

to the open chimney, scratched the tiger's skin which served for a rug, and threw

ke off your coat," he said

eavy black jacket lined and trimmed with fur, which she wore.

t be too warm. John was in a fit of contrariety. Mrs. Goddard glanced at him, as he spoke, and h

ibrary, which he regarded as the most habitable room in the house. Mrs. Goddard wa

, who was anxious that the new-comer shoul

well," said John

have lots of lamps here in the evening. Perhaps Mr. Juxon

John with a s

mma a rose every

to feel that he was justified in ha

ut then, he has so many. See, this

ilt bindings, the rich, dark Russia leather and morocco of the folios. The footsteps of the party fell noiselessly upon the thick carpet and almost insensibly the voices of the visitors dropped to a lo

f interest here. There are some old editions of the classics that are thought rare-some specimens of V

on of delight upon his face which was pleasant to see. He glanced from time to time at the other persons in the room and looked very often at Mrs. Goddard, but on the whole he was profoundly interested in the contents of the library. Mrs. Goddard was installed in a huge leathern easy-chair by the fire, and the squire was hand

ddard of the squire. She spoke in a low tone and did

peculiar temper," said Mr.

king about as we came through

ha

how deliciously boyish! he said he had written ever so many Greek odes

ou may continue to inspire him," said the squire

said.