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of the leading horse projected itself on the back…
ground of the Infinite with a heroic uncouthness。
The end of his carter's whip quivered high up in
the blue。 Kennedy discoursed。
〃She's the eldest of a large family。 At the age
of fifteen they put her out to service at the New
Barns Farm。 I attended Mrs。 Smith； the tenant's
wife； and saw that girl there for the first time。
Mrs。 Smith； a genteel person with a sharp nose；
made her put on a black dress every afternoon。 I
don't know what induced me to notice her at all。
There are faces that call your attention by a cu…
rious want of definiteness in their whole aspect； as；
walking in a mist； you peer attentively at a vague
shape which； after all； may be nothing more cu…
rious or strange than a signpost。 The only pecu…
liarity I perceived in her was a slight hesitation in
her utterance； a sort of preliminary stammer which
passes away with the first word。 When sharply
spoken to； she was apt to lose her head at once； but
her heart was of the kindest。 She had never been
heard to express a dislike for a single human being；
and she was tender to every living creature。 She
was devoted to Mrs。 Smith； to Mr。 Smith； to their
dogs； cats； canaries； and as to Mrs。 Smith's grey
parrot； its peculiarities exercised upon her a posi…
tive fascination。 Nevertheless； when that outland…
ish bird； attacked by the cat； shrieked for help in
human accents； she ran out into the yard stopping
her ears； and did not prevent the crime。 For Mrs。
Smith this was another evidence of her stupidity；
on the other hand； her want of charm； in view of
Smith's well…known frivolousness； was a great rec…
commendation。 Her short…sighted eyes would swim
with pity for a poor mouse in a trap； and she had
been seen once by some boys on her knees in the wet
grass helping a toad in difficulties。 If it's true； as
some German fellow has said； that without phos…
phorus there is no thought； it is still more true that
there is no kindness of heart without a certain
amount of imagination。 She had some。 She had
even more than is necessary to understand suffer…
ing and to be moved by pity。 She fell in love un…
der circumstances that leave no room for doubt in
the matter； for you need imagination to form a
notion of beauty at all； and still more to discover
your ideal in an unfamiliar shape。
〃How this aptitude came to her； what it did
feed upon； is an inscrutable mystery。 She was
born in the village； and had never been further
away from it than Colebrook or perhaps Darnford。
She lived for four years with the Smiths。 New
Barns is an isolated farmhouse a mile away from
the road； and she was content to look day after
day at the same fields； hollows； rises； at the trees
and the hedgerows； at the faces of the four men
about the farm； always the sameday after day；
month after month； year after year。 She never
showed a desire for conversation； and； as it seemed
to me； she did not know how to smile。 Sometimes
of a fine Sunday afternoon she would put on her
best dress； a pair of stout boots； a large grey hat
trimmed with a black feather （I've seen her in that
finery）； seize an absurdly slender parasol； climb
over two stiles； tramp over three fields and along
two hundred yards of roadnever further。 There
stood Foster's cottage。 She would help her mother
to give their tea to the younger children； wash up
the crockery； kiss the little ones； and go back to
the farm。 That was all。 All the rest； all the
change； all the relaxation。 She never seemed to
wish for anything more。 And then she fell in love。
She fell in love silently； obstinatelyperhaps help…
lessly。 It came slowly； but when it came it worked
like a powerful spell； it was love as the Ancients
understood it： an irresistible and fateful impulse
a possession！ Yes； it was in her to become haunted
and possessed by a face； by a presence； fatally； as
though she had been a pagan worshipper of form
under a joyous skyand to be awakened at last
from that mysterious forgetfulness of self； from
that enchantment； from that transport； by a
fear resembling the unaccountable terror of a
brute。 。 。 。〃
With the sun hanging low on its western limit；
the expanse of the grass…lands framed in the coun…
ter…scarps of the rising ground took on a gorgeous
and sombre aspect。 A sense of penetrating sad…
ness； like that inspired by a grave strain of music；
disengaged itself from the silence of the fields。
The men we met walked past slow； unsmiling； with
downcast eyes； as if the melancholy of an over…bur…
dened earth had weighted their feet； bowed their
shoulders； borne down their glances。
〃Yes；〃 said the doctor to my remark； 〃one
would think the earth is under a curse； since of all
her children these that cling to her the closest are
uncouth in body and as leaden of gait as if their
very hearts were loaded with chains。 But here on
this same road you might have seen amongst these
heavy men a being lithe； supple； and long…limbed；
straight like a pine with something striving up…
wards in his appearance as though the heart with…
in him had been buoyant。 Perhaps it was only the
force of the contrast； but when he was passing one
of these villagers here； the soles of his feet did not
seem to me to touch the dust of the road。 He
vaulted over the stiles； paced these slopes with a
long elastic stride that made him noticeable at a
great distance； and had lustrous black eyes。 He
was so different from the mankind around that；
with his freedom of movement； his softa little
startled； glance； his olive complexion and graceful
bearing； his humanity suggested to me the nature
of a woodland creature。 He came from there。〃
The doctor pointed with his whip； and from the
summit of the descent seen over the rolling tops of
the trees in a park by the side of the road； appeared
the level sea far below us； like the floor of an im…
mense edifice inlaid with bands of dark ripple； with
still trails of glitter； ending in a belt of glassy
water at the foot of the sky。 The light blur of
smoke； from an invisible steamer； faded on the
great clearness of the horizon like the mist of a
breath on a mirror； and； inshore； the white sails of
a coaster； with the appearance of disentangling
themselves slowly from under the branches； floated
clear of the foliage of the trees。
〃Shipwrecked in the bay？〃 I sa