The Double Life Of Mr. Alfred Burton

lue eyes said, diffidently, "that I g

tted, "that I asked for it. Sti

d my

white teeth, light brown hair which fell in a sort of fringe about her forehead, and eyes which could be dreamy but were more o

e I am rather idiotic about cows that I happened to be af

something in the eye of that cow which almost inspired m

sur

t I prefer to sit here with you in the shadow of your li

est right to be here at

en invite yo

sig

that gate without saying good-bye, I naturally concluded that I was expected to fo

ddenly and looked at him. He really wa

ent to consider," she declared, "

looked

inn smells so horribly of the beer that other people have drunk.

like a false no

insisted, "i

hat low wall between you and the road, wonder whether any of those who pass by ma

Saturdays and holiday times there are trippers, fearful creatures who pick the bracken, walk

drank beer and ate sandwiches behind that gorse bush there. They called one another by their Christian names, they shouted loud personal jokes, one of the women sang. She wore a large hat with dyed feathers. She had black, untidy-looking hair, and her face was red. One of the men

st Whit-Monday. Hateful people they were, all of th

ere," he

she exclaimed in wonder

though, how abom

gently. "I was the one w

alking rubbish!" she

ok his

think that that was one of the few moments in my life when I peered out of my prison-hou

ue and he looked into them steadfastly. By degrees

d taken off his coat and rolled his shirt sleeves up. He had on bright yellow boots and a hateful necktie.

e or people. I am trying to teach myself the simplest forms of philosophy. To-day the sky is so blue and the wind blows from the west and the sun is just hot enough to draw the

emphasized. "I couldn't think of walking anywhere with a person whom I

d. A trim parlor maid was busy arrang

mured. "It is

ou'd behave like a reasonable person for

. "I am really quite apt. My appar

nglish home," the girl with the blue eyes declared, "and I am a perfectly well-behaved young woman with an a

afternoon paper wh

ame is Burton. Until lately I was an auctione

ons of St. James's Park a

d

d a smile

you were a reasonable p

ave said so at once

g to his feet. "Is this your f

no

. Do you know anyth

a s

to have tea with us, and he wrote those impressions in the Piccadilly Gazette which you gave me

eld out

he said. "It is enough for me.

ooking old gentleman, with kin

there all your days and you write as one who sees. I was born in a library. I saw no city ti

at the tea-table. Burton's

up in the country?

f fancy. No one who has ever learned it needs to look elsewhere for a dwelling house. It is the realism of your writing

to very much,

ed at him in m

ot often encourage visitors. Pray tell me, how did you make her acquaint

a little terrified. She accepted my es

though he thought it the mos

rries this afternoon are delicious. You must show Mr.-Mr

a most exclusive little household. Edith, cool and graceful, sitting back in her wicker chair behind the daintily laid tea-table, seemed to take it all for granted. Mr. Cowper, after

eat pink and yellow and white blossoms, drooping in clusters from trees and bushes; of lavender from an ancient bed; of stocks-pink and purple; of sweetbriar, growing in a hedge beyond. They walked aimlessly about along the gravel paths and across the deep greensward, and Burton knew no world, nor thought of any, save the world of that garden. But the girl, when they reached the bou

rmured, "must be like

istful droop about her lips; her

tell you a fairy story. It is

e?" she as

" he r

and it may be that already the idea had presented itself, however faintly, that his might be the voice to call her i

nd yet it is true," he

will believe it

ry," she

ns in the palm of his hand and

hat your wife is

umes, a faint sense of intoxication, of weird, delicate emotions which caught at the breath in his throat and sent the blood dancing through his veins, warmed to a new and wonderful music. Her blue eyes were a little dimmed, the droop of her head a little sad. Quite close to them was a thick bed of lavender. He looked at the beans in his hand and his eyes sought the thickest

not," she said softly. "It really doesn't matter,