Septimus

Man from London. "It is a spot where

ot going to be laid away in lave

m London whom he had brought to call on his parishioners. Zora disliked to be called a parishioner. She disliked many things in Nunsmere. H

a cottage lurks up a lane. These cottages are mostly inhabited by the gentle classes. Some are really old, with great oak beams across the low ceilings, and stone-flagged kitchens furnished with great open fireplaces where you can sit and get scorched and covered with smoke. Some are new, built in imitation of the old, by a mute, inglorious Adam, the village carpenter. All have long casement windows, fron

ldrieve in entire happiness, and her daughter in discontent. And this was through no peevish or disagreeable traits in Zora's

threw open the window and let the soft autumn air flood the roo

. Rattenden, just when he was sa

m neither a faded life nor am I going to be

her's gaze. Her hair was auburn, her eyes brown with gold flecks, her lips red, her cheeks clear and young. She was cast, physically, in heroic mold, a creature of dancing blood and color and warmth. Disparaging tea-parties calle

illed by a buffalo. She was afraid that Zora took after her father. Her younger daughter Emmy had also inherite

a," she remarked, "but if you want to go, you must

g widow and lived as demurely as if my heart were breaking with sorrow

again, dear, and

ands down passiona

oing out into the world, to get to the heart of

out a man to take care of you," said Mrs. Oldrieve,

ve nothing more to do with them for the rest of my natural life. My dear moth

mist," Mrs. Oldrieve argued as she

hat he was what he was? For heaven's sake don't talk

rning to the window,

its uses," sai

urs of her wedding that her husband is a hopeless drunkard, and to see him die of delirium tremens within six weeks. An experience so vivid, like lig

nce she came and laid her

k of it, dear. I'll lock the skeleton

r of youth. She would plunge into the great swelling sea of Life. She would drink sunshine and fill her soul with laughter. She would do a million hyperbolic things, the menti

me very dreadfu

e was so lacking in conv

ane will be a more sympathetic companion.

presence. Untidiness followed in Zora's steps, as it does in those of the physically large, and Cousin Jane disapproved of her thoroughly. But Mrs. Oldri

ed, candle in hand, by her bedroom door, "at any rate I ho

s her b

st the oak beam that ran a

to herself, "the place is to

e distant cousins. She had married him offhand, in a whirl of the senses. He was a handsome blackguard, of independent means, and she had spent her nightmare of a honeymoon at Brighton. On three occasions, during her five-and-twenty years of existence, she had spent a golden week in London. That was all she knew o

she had no need. She had no high Ibsenite notions of working out her own individuality. She had no consuming passion for reforming any section of the universe. She had no mission-that she knew of-to accomplish. Unlike so many of her sex who yearn to be

er pilgrimage. He obtained her consent to travel up in the same carriage. He asked her to what branch of human activ

he, "to justify

and flashed an ind

" he apologized. "Y

ow

g. That is the true function of a b

"a preventive against sea-sickness; I have a waterproof to shelter me f

s of the Orient," said the Lite

h humorous earnestness. He had written some novels, and now

u are going to wander at a loose end about Europe without men paying you compliments and falling in lov

y opinion that men are an abominable nuisance. W

n, passing by on the platform, made a perceptible pause by the window,

oes for a body, can fool about unmolested among the tribes of Crim Tartary. She doesn't worry the Tartars. But, permit me to say it, as you are for the moment my

at Miss Keziah Skaffles is very much to be envie

t the station-was she not intending to run delicious riot among the dressmakers and milliners of London?-and regarding blankly the ungodly waisted ladies

ngers," said Rattenden stiffly. He did not

race o

o your

ear of that. Why does every m

f he wants to be," said th

breath. "Well of

of the world, and men's hearts will be your flowers. Instinct will drive you. You won't be able to get away from it. You think you're going to be thrilled into passionate raptures by cathedrals and

hing about them?"

ed, "that doesn't matter. I've made my prophecy. You'll tell me afterward

come true,

ee," said t

, taken by surprise, hastily stuffed to the bottom of her work-basket a m

ter: of a certain babyish prettiness. She ha

thought of seeing you? Wh

rousseau of freedom. I've le

heeks were flushed. She

so happy-a bird

ig bird," l

orld, for the first time in my life. I'm going to get out of

y your

ll be T

rne

But isn't it glorious? Why shouldn't

't. I should love it, but you don't k

I'll pay fo

ng to sing in a successful musical comedy. She looked back on the two years' price she had p

girls fooling about alone look rather silly?

uman race is man-mad! Even mother.

ightly back over the head, entered the room. Emmy presented him to Zora, who recognized him as the leading man at the theater where Emmy was

he ch

ature?" a

would find fault with an archangel. Good

being foolishly happy. When she returned to

sweet

ted to carry m

did yo

the girl, lift

Emmy forgot Zora, who went her own way in pursuit of happin