words；　toppling　on　his　chair；　he　broke　the　stem　of　his
  tobacco…pipe　in　three！　　Never　did　the　sheep　turn　upon　her
  shearer　with　a　more　commanding　front。　　Her　voice　was　calm；
  her　enunciation　a　little　slow；　but　perfectly　distinct；　and
  she　stood　before　him　as　she　spoke；　in　the　simplest　and　most
  maidenly　attitude。
  'No；'　she　said；　'Mr。　Naseby　will　have　the　goodness　to　go　home
  at　once；　and　you　will　go　to　bed。'
  The　broken　fragments　of　pipe　fell　from　the　Admiral's　fingers；
  he　seemed　by　his　countenance　to　have　lived　too　long　in　a
  world　unworthy　of　him；　but　it　is　an　odd　circumstance；　he
  attempted　no　reply；　and　sat　thunderstruck；　with　open　mouth。
  Dick　she　motioned　sharply　towards　the　door；　and　he　could　only
  obey　her。　　In　the　porch；　finding　she　was　close　behind　him；　he
  ventured　to　pause　and　whisper；　'You　have　done　right。'
  'I　have　done　as　I　pleased；'　she　said。　　'Can　he　paint？'
  'Many　people　like　his　paintings；'　returned　Dick；　in　stifled
  tones；　'I　never　did；　I　never　said　I　did；'　he　added；　fiercely
  defending　himself　before　he　was　attacked。
  'I　ask　you　if　he　can　paint。　　I　will　not　be　put　off。　　CAN　he
  paint？'　she　repeated。
  'No；'　said　Dick。
  'Does　he　even　like　it？'
  'Not　now；　I　believe。'
  'And　he　is　drunk？'　…　she　leaned　upon　the　word　with　hatred。
  'He　has　been　drinking。'
  'Go；'　she　said；　and　was　turning　to　re…enter　the　house　when
  another　thought　arrested　her。　　'Meet　me　to…morrow　morning　at
  the　stile；'　she　said。
  'I　will；'　replied　Dick。
  And　then　the　door　closed　behind　her；　and　Dick　was　alone　in
  the　darkness。　　There　was　still　a　chink　of　light　above　the
  sill；　a　warm；　mild　glow　behind　the　window；　the　roof　of　the
  cottage　and　some　of　the　banks　and　hazels　were　defined　in
  denser　darkness　against　the　sky；　but　all　else　was　formless；
  breathless；　and　noiseless　like　the　pit。　　Dick　remained　as　she
  had　left　him；　standing　squarely　upon　one　foot　and　resting
  only　on　the　toe　of　the　other；　and　as　he　stood　he　listened
  with　his　soul。　　The　sound　of　a　chair　pushed　sharply　over　the
  floor　startled　his　heart　into　his　mouth；　but　the　silence
  which　had　thus　been　disturbed　settled　back　again　at　once　upon
  the　cottage　and　its　vicinity。　　What　took　place　during　this
  interval　is　a　secret　from　the　world　of　men；　but　when　it　was
  over　the　voice　of　Esther　spoke　evenly　and　without
  interruption　for　perhaps　half　a　minute；　and　as　soon　as　that
  ceased　heavy　and　uncertain　footfalls　crossed　the　parlour　and
  mounted　lurching　up　the　stairs。　　The　girl　had　tamed　her
  father；　Van　Tromp　had　gone　obediently　to　bed：　so　much　was
  obvious　to　the　watcher　in　the　road。　　And　yet　he　still　waited；
  straining　his　ears；　and　with　terror　and　sickness　at　his
  heart；　for　if　Esther　had　followed　her　father；　if　she　had　even
  made　one　movement　in　this　great　conspiracy　of　men　and　nature
  to　be　still；　Dick　must　have　had　instant　knowledge　of　it　from
  his　station　before　the　door；　and　if　she　had　not　moved；　must
  she　not　have　fainted？　or　might　she　not　be　dead？
  He　could　hear　the　cottage　clock　deliberately　measure　out　the
  seconds；　time　stood　still　with　him；　an　almost　superstitious
  terror　took　command　of　his　faculties；　at　last；　he　could　bear
  no　more；　and；　springing　through　the　little　garden　in　two
  bounds；　he　put　his　face　against　the　window。　　The　blind；　which
  had　not　been　drawn　fully　down；　left　an　open　chink　about　an
  inch　in　height　along　the　bottom　of　the　glass；　and　the　whole
  parlour　was　thus　exposed　to　Dick's　investigation。　　Esther　sat
  upright　at　the　table；　her　head　resting　on　her　hand；　her　eyes
  fixed　upon　the　candle。　　Her　brows　were　slightly　bent；　her
  mouth　slightly　open；　her　whole　attitude　so　still　and　settled
  that　Dick　could　hardly　fancy　that　she　breathed。　　She　had　not
  stirred　at　the　sound　of　Dick's　arrival。　　Soon　after；　making　a
  considerable　disturbance　amid　the　vast　silence　of　the　night；
  the　clock　lifted　up　its　voice；　whined　for　a　while　like　a
  partridge；　and　then　eleven　times　hooted　like　a　cuckoo。　　Still
  Esther　continued　immovable　and　gazed　upon　the　candle。
  Midnight　followed；　and　then　one　of　the　morning；　and　still　she
  had　not　stirred；　nor　had　Richard　Naseby　dared　to　quit　the
  window。　　And　then；　about　half…past　one；　the　candle　she　had
  been　thus　intently　watching　flared　up　into　a　last　blaze　of
  paper；　and　she　leaped　to　her　feet　with　an　ejaculation；　looked
  about　her　once；　blew　out　the　light；　turned　round；　and　was
  heard　rapidly　mounting　the　staircase　in　the　dark。
  Dick　was　left　once　more　alone　to　darkness　and　to　that　dulled
  and　dogged　state　of　mind　when　a　man　thinks　that　Misery　must
  now　have　done　her　worst；　and　is　almost　glad　to　think　so。　　He
  turned　and　walked　slowly　towards　the　stile；　she　had　told　him
  no　hour；　and　he　was　determined；　whenever　she　came；　that　she
  should　find　him　waiting。　　As　he　got　there　the　day　began　to
  dawn；　and　he　leaned　over　a　hurdle　and　beheld　the　shadows　flee
  away。　　Up　went　the　sun　at　last　out　of　a　bank　of　clouds　that
  were　already　disbanding　in　the　east；　a　herald　wind　had
  already　sprung　up　to　sweep　the　leafy　earth　and　scatter　the
  congregated　dewdrops。　　'Alas！'　thought　Dick　Naseby；　'how　can
  any　other　day　come　so　distastefully　to　me？'　　He　still　wanted
  his　experience　of　the　morrow。
  CHAPTER　VII　…　THE　ELOPEMENT
  IT　was　probably　on　the　stroke　of　ten；　and　Dick　had　been　half
  asleep　for　some　time　against　the　bank；　when　Esther　came　up
  the　road　carrying　a　bundle。　　Some　kind　of　instinct；　or
  perhaps　the　distant　light　footfalls；　recalled　him；　while　she
  was　still　a　good　way　off；　to　the　possession　of　his　faculties；
  and　he　half　raised　himself　and　blinked　upon　the　world。　　It
  took　him　some　time　to　recollect　his　thoughts。　　He　had
  awakened　with　a　certain　blank　and　childish　sense　of　pleasure；
  like　a　man　who　had　received　a　legacy　overnight；　but　this
  feeling　gradually　died　away；　and　was　then　suddenly　and
  stunningly　succeeded　by　a　conviction　of　the　truth。　　The　whole
  story　of　the　past　night　sprang　into　his　mind　with　every
  detail；　as　by　an　exercise　of　the　direct　and　speedy　sense　of
  sight；　and　he　arose　from　the　ditch　and；　with　rueful　courage；
  went　to　meet　his　love。
  She　came　up　to　him　walking　steady　and　fast；　her　face　still
  pale；　but　to　all　appearance　perfectly　composed；　and　she
  showed　neither　surprise；　relief；　nor　pleasure　at　finding　her
  lover　on　the　spot。　　Nor　did　she　offer　him　her　hand。
  'Here　I　am；'　said　he。
  'Yes；'　she　replied；　and　then；　without　a　pause　or　any　change
  of　voice；　'I　want　you　to　take　me　away；'　she　added。
  'Away？'　he　repeated。　　'How？　　Where？'
  'To…day；'　she　said。　　'I　do　not　care　where　it　is；　but　I　want
  you　to　take　me　away。'
  'For　how　long？　　I　do　not　understand；'　gasped　Dick。
  'I　shall　never　come　back　here　any　more；'　was　all　she
  answered。
  Wild　words　uttered；　as　these　were；　with　perfect　quiet　of
  manner　and　voice；　exercise　a　double　influence　on　the　hearer's
  mind。　　Dick　was　confounded；　he　recovered　from　astonishment
  only　to　fall　into　doubt　and　alarm。　　He　looked　upon　her　frozen
  attitude；　so　discouraging　for　a　lover　to　behold；　and　recoiled
  from　the　thoughts　which　it　suggested。
  'To　me？'　he　asked。　　'Are　you　coming　to　me；　Esther？'
  'I　want　you　to　take　me　away；'　she　repeated　with　weary
  impatience。　　'Take　me　away　…　take　me　away　from　here。'
  The　situation　was　not　sufficiently　defined。　　Dick　asked
  himself　with　concern　whether　she　were　altogether　in　her　right
  wits。　　To　take　her　away；　to　marry　her；　to　work　off　his　hands
  for　her　support；　Dick　was　content　to　do　all　this；　yet　he
  required　some　show　of　love　upon　her　part。　　He　was　not　one　of
  those　tough…hided　and　small…hearted　males　who　would　marry
  their　love　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet　rather　than　not　marry
  her　at　all。　　He　desired　that　a　woman　should　come　to　his　arms
  with　an　attractive　willingness；　if　not　with　ardour。　　And
  Esther's　bearing　was　more　that　of　despair　than　that　of　love。
  It　chilled　him　and　taught　him　wisdom。
  'Dearest；'　he　urged；　'tell　me　what　you　wish；　and　you　shall
  have　it；　tell　me　your　thoughts；　and　then　I　can　advise　you。
  But　to　go　from　here　without　a　plan；　without　forethought；　in
  the　heat　of　a　moment；　is　madder　than　madness；　and　can　help
  nothing。　　I　am　not　speaking　like　a　man；　but　I　speak　the
  truth；　and　I　tell　you　again；　the　thing's　absurd；　and　wrong；
  and　hurtful。'
  She　looked　at　him　with　a　lowering；　languid　look　of　wrath。
  'So　you　will　not　take　me？'　she　said。　　'Well；　I　will　go
  alone。'
  And　she　began　to　step　forward　on　her　way。　　But　he　threw
  himself　before　her。
  'Esther；　Esther！'　he　cried。
  'Let　me　go　…　don't　touch　me　…　what　right　have　you　to
  interfere？　　Who　are　you；　to　touch　me？'　she　flashed　out；
  shrill　with　anger。
  Then；　being　made　bold　by　her　violence；　he　took　her　firmly；
  almost　roughly；　by　the　arm；　and　held　her　while　he　spoke。
  'You　know　well　who　I　am；　and　what　I　am；　and　that　I　love　you。
  You　say　I　will　not　help　you；　but　your　heart　knows　the
  contrary。　　It　is　you　who　will　not　help　m