Smith and the Pharaohs, and other Tales

en them. Almost might it be said that their thoughts were one thought and their hearts one heart. It is common to hear of twin souls,

through the power of an overmastering attraction, their union could not have been more complete. To the eye

ng, something ominous. Mrs. Walrond felt it from the f

rch who threw his most treasured ring into the sea because he was too fortunate; you re

fortunate, for he made his

ending, did not tell it to her, but she read something of what

us. Well, it may be so, but if it is, at least we shall have had the happiness, which having been, will remain for ever, a part of you, a part of me; a temple of our

ed ere long to take the offering that was most precious to these two. Only this was flung

ave been. During their sojourn in London they never entered these Gardens, but often in the summer evenings they passed them when out for the walks which they took together, since Anthony spent most of his days at the Temple, studying law in the chambers of a leading barrister. Thus their somewhat fantastic gateway became impressed upon

s was complete, but it was not fated that it should remain, since the hungry sea took its sacrifice. The summer was very hot in London, and many infants s

shed of the two, since here Barb

ome flowers on the little grave. "We shall find her again; I know that we shall find her a

crowds that were gathering at the gates of "The Gardens," and list

was anxious to follow it and make a name and fortune for himself. This indeed he would have found little difficulty in doing, since soon he showed that he had studied to good purpose; moreover, his gifts were deci

ch a warm coat, and as a result took a severe cold. During the winter following the funeral this cold settled on his lungs. At last towards the spring the crisis came. He was taken seriously ill, and on his partial recovery several doctors held a consultation over him. Their verdict was that he must give up his profession, which fortunately now he was

ame time, she pointed out that as they were now very well off she saw no reason why he should continue to slave at a profession which might or might not bring him an adequate return fifteen or twenty years later. She added that personally sh

health improved enormously, they moved to Eastwich during the following May. Here their welcome was warm indeed, not only from the Rectory

ess. Certain repairs and rearrangements of their old Elizabethan house agreeably occupied their time, and, to crown all, on Christmas Eve Barbara gave birth t

that he had never seen a more splendid and perfect boy,

of Anthony, after his father, and a dinner was give

ugh so young, was elected a Deputy-Chairman of Quarter Sessions for his county. This local honour pleased him very much, since now he k

February, when he ought to have been out of the East of England. The calendar was heavy, and Anthony acquitted himself very well in the trial of some difficult cases, earning the com

th the estate and principally with the cultivation of the home farm. Indeed, as time went on and increasing weakness forced him to withdraw himself more and more from the world and its affairs, the interests of this farm loomed e

t before very long he must die, even if he continued to live in

ng aside sport and its pleasures, which he had abandoned because of the suffering and extinction entailed upon the shot or hunted creatures, to him it seemed inexpressibly sad that even his honest farming operations, at least w

t wish to part-from the flower and the fruit, from the springing blade and the ripened corn; from the beauty that brooded over sea and land; from the glory of the spreading firmament alive with light, and the winds that blew benea

Barbara, who thought a

kingdom'? Therefore surely there must be a growing plant that produces the fruit and a process directed by intelligence that turns it into wine. There must be husbandmen or farmers. There must be m

must have remained in his mind. At any rate, a month or

a dream that came to me last night-if it wa

ssing him. "I often think that there is as much t

ighty and immovable. Whether they were living guards or only statues I do not know, for I never came near to them. Here and there, miles apart, streams from the lands beyond poured over the edge of the cliff in huge cascades of foam that became raging torrents when they reached its lowest slopes. One o

lso wandered away across the plain till my sight could follow it no farther. I observed that the broad, right-hand river evidently inundated its banks in seasons of flood, much as the Nile does, and that all along those banks were fields fi

By degrees this fan began to open; I suppose that it was the hour of dawn. Its ribs of gorgeous light spread themselves from one side of heaven to the other and were joined together by webs of a thousand colours,

midst of stately gardens with terraces and trees and fountains and banks of flowers, I saw a house, and-now indeed you will laugh-for so far as I can recollect it, in general style it was not unlike our own; that is to say, its architecture

as our baby grown to a little fair-haired child. The child perceived me first and ran to me through the flowers. It lea

e hope that you will like it when you come,

r went to sleep-I

replica of his own house. The river? Something copied from the Nile, delta and all. The waterfalls? Niagara on a larger scale. The great trees? Doubtless their counterparts grew in America. The brother a

pe and of the great radiant fan which closed at night and opened itself by day, wherewith it was illuminated. Barbara thought it strange that Anthony should hav

supposed appearance, she could not bring herself to speak. Supposing that he were right, supposing that their daughter was really growing up yonder towards some cel

analysed the dream and found in it nothing at all. Nothing more, for

and that house are becoming to me. Do you know, Barbara, that the other night I seemed to be sitting in it in a great cool room, looking out at the river and the vast fertile plain.

broad as usual that winter, but when the time came his state was such that the doct

dog, Nell, which bothered him to come into the fresh air. Not finding something that he sought, he was drawn far afield and caught in a tempest of rain and wind, through which he must struggle home. Barbara who, growing anxious,

be very quiet. Quiet, however, he would not be; his tumultuous health and strength seemed to forbid it. He racketed about the room, teasing the spaniel which lay by the side of the bed, until the patient beast growled at hi

d. "He seems to be different from either of us; but he is our son, and I know that you will d

sleep, and Barba