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seemed even more a stranger herewhere he had expected to feel the
thrill of consanguinitythan in the West。 He had accepted the
invitation of the living Atherly for the sake of the Atherlys long
dead and forgotten。 As the great quadrangle of stone and ivy
lifted itself out of the park； he looked longingly towards the
little square tower which peeped from between the yews nearer the
road。 As the carriage drove up to the carved archway whence so
many Atherlys had issued into the world； he could not believe that
any of his blood had gone forth from it； or； except himself； had
ever entered it before。 Once in the great house he felt like a
prisoner as he wandered through the long corridors to his room；
even the noble trees beyond his mullioned windows seemed of another
growth than those he had known。
There was no doubt that he created a sensation at Ashley Grange；
not only from his singular kinship； but from his striking
individuality。 The Atherlys and their guests were fascinated and
freely admiring。 His very originality； which prevented them from
comparing him with any English or American standard of excellence；
gave them a comfortable assurance of safety in their admiration。
His reserve； his seriousness； his simplicity； very unlike their
own； and yet near enough to suggest a delicate flattery； was in his
favor。 So was his naive frankness in regard to his status in the
family； shown in the few words of greeting with Sir Ashley； and in
his later simple yet free admissions regarding his obscure youth；
his former poverty； and his present wealth。 He boasted of neither；
he was disturbed by neither。 Standing alone； a stranger； for the
first time in an assemblage of distinguished and titled men and
women； he betrayed no consciousness； surrounded for the first time
by objects which he knew his wealth could not buy； he showed the
most unmistakable indifference；the indifference of temperament。
The ladies vied with each other to attack this unimpressible
nature；this profound isolation from external attraction。 They
followed him about； they looked into his dark； melancholy eyes； it
was impossible； they thought； that he could continue this superb
acting forever。 A glance； a smile； a burst of ingenuous
confidence； a covert appeal to his chivalry would yet catch him
tripping。 But the melancholy eyes that had gazed at the treasures
of Ashley Grange and the opulent ease of its guests without
kindling； opened to their first emotion；wonder！ At which Lady
Elfrida； who had ingenuously admired him； hated him a little； as
the first step towards a kindlier feeling。
The next day； having declared his intention of visiting Ashley
Church； and； as frankly； his intention of going there alone； he
slipped out in the afternoon and made his way quietly through the
park to the square ivied tower he had first seen。 In this tranquil
level length of the wood there was the one spot； the churchyard；
where； oddly enough； the green earth heaved into little billows as
if to show the turbulence of that life which those who lay below
them had lately quitted。 It was a relief to the somewhat studied
and formal monotony of the well…ordered woodland；every rood； of
which had been paced by visitors； keepers； or poachers；to find
those decrepit and bending tombstones； lurching at every angle； or
deeply sinking into the green sea of forgetfulness around them。
All this； and the trodden paths of the villagers towards that
common place of meeting； struck him as being more human than
anything he had left behind him at the Grange。
He entered the ivy…grown porch and stared for a moment at the half…
legal official parochial notices posted on the oaken door；his
first obtrusive intimation of the combination of church and state；
and hesitated。 He was not prepared to find that this last
resting…place of his people had something to do with taxes and
tithes； and that a certain material respectability and security
attended his votive sigh。 God and the reigning sovereign of the
realm preserved a decorous alliance in the royal arms that appeared
above the official notices。 Presently he pushed open the door
gently and entered the nave。 For a moment it seemed to him as if
the arched gloom of the woods he had left behind was repeated in
the dim aisle and vaulted roof； there was an earthy odor； as if the
church itself； springing from the fertilizing dust below； had taken
root in the soil； the chequers of light from the faded stained…
glass windows fell like the flicker of leaves on the pavement。 He
paused before the cold altar； and started； for beside him lay the
recumbent figure of a warrior pillowed on his helmet with the
paraphernalia of his trade around him。 A sudden childish memory of
the great Western plains； and the biers of the Indian 〃braves〃
raised on upright poles against the staring sky and above the
sunbaked prairie； rushed upon him。 There； too； had lain the
weapons of the departed chieftain； there； too； lay the Indian's
〃faithful hound；〃 here simulated by the cross…legged crusader's
canine effigy。 And now； strangest of all； he found that this
unlooked…for recollection and remembrance thrilled him more at that
moment than the dead before him。 Here they rested；the Atherlys
of centuries； recumbent in armor or priestly robes； upright in
busts that were periwigged or hidden in long curls； above the
marble record of their deeds and virtues。 Some of these records
were in Latin；an unknown tongue to Peter；some in a quaint
English almost as unintelligible； but none as foreign to him as the
dead themselves。 Their banners waved above his head； their voices
filled the silent church； but fell upon his vacant eye and duller
ear。 He was none of them。
Presently he was conscious of a footstep； so faint； so subtle； that
it might have come from a peregrinating ghost。 He turned quickly
and saw Lady Elfrida； half bold； yet half frightened； halting
beside a pillar of the chancel。 But there was nothing of the dead
about her： she was radiating and pulsating with the uncompromising
and material freshness of English girlhood。 The wild rose in the
hedgerow was not more tangible than her cheek； nor the summer sky
more clearly cool and blue than her eyes。 The vigor of health and
unfettered freedom of limb was in her figure from her buckled
walking…shoe to her brown hair topped by a sailor hat。 The
assurance and contentment of a well…ordered life； of secured
position and freedom from vain anxieties or expectations； were
visible in every line of her refined； delicate； and evenly quiescent
features。 And yet Lady Elfrida； for the first time in her girlhood；
felt a little nervous。
Yet she was frank； too； with the frankness of those who have no
thought of being misunderstood。 She said she had come there out of
curiosity to see how he would 〃get on〃 with his ancestors。 She had
been watching him from the chancel ever since he came；and she was
disappointe