yawns　or　candlelight。　　She　came　and　passed　him；　he　fancied　that　her
  countenance　changed。　　But　one　may　fancy　anything；　and　the　pair
  receded　each　from　each　without　turning　their　heads。　　He　could　not
  speak　to　her；　plain　and　simple　as　she　seemed。
  It　is　rarely　that　a　man　who　can　be　entered　and　made　to　throb　by　the
  channel　of　his　ears　is　not　open　to　a　similar　attack　through　the
  channel　of　his　eyesfor　many　doors　will　admit　to　one　mansion
  allowance　being　made　for　the　readier　capacity　of　chosen　and
  practised　organs。　　Hence　the　beauties；　concords；　and　eloquences　of
  the　female　form　were　never　without　their　effect　upon　Christopher；　a
  born　musician；　artist；　poet；　seer；　mouthpiecewhichever　a
  translator　of　Nature's　oracles　into　simple　speech　may　be　called。
  The　young　girl　who　had　gone　by　was　fresh　and　pleasant；　moreover；　she
  was　a　sort　of　mysterious　link　between　himself　and　the　past；　which
  these　things　were　vividly　reviving　in　him。
  The　following　week　Christopher　met　her　again。　　She　had　not　much
  dignity；　he　had　not　much　reserve；　and　the　sudden　resolution　to　have
  a　holiday　which　sometimes　impels　a　plump　heart　to　rise　up　against　a
  brain　that　overweights　it　was　not　to　be　resisted。　　He　just　lifted
  his　hat；　and　put　the　only　question　he　could　think　of　as　a　beginning：
  'Have　I　the　pleasure　of　addressing　the　author　of　a　book　of　very
  melodious　poems　that　was　sent　me　the　other　day？'
  The　girl's　forefinger　twirled　rapidly　the　loop　of　braid　that　it　had
  previously　been　twirling　slowly；　and　drawing　in　her　breath；　she
  said；　'No；　sir。'
  'The　sender；　then？'
  'Yes。'
  She　somehow　presented　herself　as　so　insignificant　by　the　combined
  effect　of　the　manner　and　the　words　that　Christopher　lowered　his
  method　of　address　to　her　level　at　once。　　'Ah；'　he　said；　'such　an
  atmosphere　as　the　writer　of　〃Metres　by　E。〃　seems　to　breathe　would
  soon　spoil　cheeks　that　are　fresh　and　round　as　lady…appleseh；
  little　girl？　　But　are　you　disposed　to　tell　me　that　writer's　name？'
  By　applying　a　general　idea　to　a　particular　case　a　person　with　the
  best　of　intentions　may　find　himself　immediately　landed　in　a
  quandary。　　In　saying　to　the　country　girl　before　him　what　would　have
  suited　the　mass　of　country　lasses　well　enough；　Christopher　had
  offended　her　beyond　the　cure　of　compliment。
  'I　am　not　disposed　to　tell　the　writer's　name；'　she　replied；　with　a
  dudgeon　that　was　very　great　for　one　whose　whole　stock　of　it　was　a
  trifle。　　And　she　passed　on　and　left　him　standing　alone。
  Thus　further　conversation　was　checked；　but；　through　having
  rearranged　the　hours　of　his　country　lessons；　Christopher　met　her　the
  next　Wednesday；　and　the　next　Friday；　and　throughout　the　following
  weekno　further　words　passing　between　them。　　For　a　while　she　went
  by　very　demurely；　apparently　mindful　of　his　offence。　　But　effrontery
  is　not　proved　to　be　part　of　a　man's　nature　till　he　has　been　guilty
  of　a　second　act：　　the　best　of　men　may　commit　a　first　through
  accident　or　ignorancemay　even　be　betrayed　into　it　by　over…zeal　for
  experiment。　　Some　such　conclusion　may　or　may　not　have　been　arrived
  at　by　the　girl　with　the　lady…apple　cheeks；　at　any　rate；　after　the
  lapse　of　another　week　a　new　spectacle　presented　itself；　her　redness
  deepened　whenever　Christopher　passed　her　by；　and　embarrassment
  pervaded　her　from　the　lowest　stitch　to　the　tip　of　her　feather。　　She
  had　little　chance　of　escaping　him　by　diverging　from　the　road；　for　a
  figure　could　be　seen　across　the　open　ground　to　the　distance　of　half
  a　mile　on　either　side。　　One　day　as　he　drew　near　as　usual；　she　met
  him　as　women　meet　a　cloud　of　dustshe　turned　and　looked　backwards
  till　he　had　passed。
  This　would　have　been　disconcerting　but　for　one　reason：　　Christopher
  was　ceasing　to　notice　her。　　He　was　a　man　who　often；　when　walking
  abroad；　and　looking　as　it　were　at　the　scene　before　his　eyes；
  discerned　successes　and　failures；　friends　and　relations；　episodes　of
  childhood；　wedding　feasts　and　funerals；　the　landscape　suffering
  greatly　by　these　visions；　until　it　became　no　more　than　the　patterned
  wall…tints　about　the　paintings　in　a　gallery；　something　necessary　to
  the　tone；　yet　not　regarded。　　Nothing　but　a　special　concentration　of
  himself　on　externals　could　interrupt　this　habit；　and　now　that　her
  appearance　along　the　way　had　changed　from　a　chance　to　a　custom　he
  began　to　lapse　again　into　the　old　trick。　　He　gazed　once　or　twice　at
  her　form　without　seeing　it：　　he　did　not　notice　that　she　trembled。
  He　sometimes　read　as　he　walked；　and　book　in　hand　he　frequently
  approached　her　now。　　This　went　on　till　six　weeks　had　passed　from　the
  time　of　their　first　encounter。　　Latterly　might　have　been　once　or
  twice　heard；　when　he　had　moved　out　of　earshot；　a　sound　like　a　small
  gasping　sigh；　but　no　arrangements　were　disturbed；　and　Christopher
  continued　to　keep　down　his　eyes　as　persistently　as　a　saint　in　a
  church　window。
  The　last　day　of　his　engagement　had　arrived；　and　with　it　the　last　of
  his　walks　that　way。　　On　his　final　return　he　carried　in　his　hand　a
  bunch　of　flowers　which　had　been　presented　to　him　at　the　country…
  house　where　his　lessons　were　given。　　He　was　taking　them　home　to　his
  sister　Faith；　who　prized　the　lingering　blossoms　of　the　seeding
  season。　　Soon　appeared　as　usual　his　fellow…traveller；　whereupon
  Christopher　looked　down　upon　his　nosegay。　　'Sweet　simple　girl；'　he
  thought；　'I'll　endeavour　to　make　peace　with　her　by　means　of　these
  flowers　before　we　part　for　good。'
  When　she　came　up　he　held　them　out　to　her　and　said；　'Will　you　allow
  me　to　present　you　with　these？'
  The　bright　colours　of　the　nosegay　instantly　attracted　the　girl's
  handperhaps　before　there　had　been　time　for　thought　to　thoroughly
  construe　the　position；　for　it　happened　that　when　her　arm　was
  stretched　into　the　air　she　steadied　it　quickly；　and　stood　with　the
  pose　of　a　statuerigid　with　uncertainty。　　But　it　was　too　late　to
  refuse：　　Christopher　had　put　the　nosegay　within　her　fingers。
  Whatever　pleasant　expression　of　thanks　may　have　appeared　in　her　eyes
  fell　only　on　the　bunch　of　flowers；　for　during　the　whole　transaction
  they　reached　to　no　higher　level　than　that。　　To　say　that　he　was
  coming　no　more　seemed　scarcely　necessary　under　the　circumstances；
  and　wishing　her　'Good　afternoon'　very　heartily；　he　passed　on。
  He　had　learnt　by　this　time　her　occupation；　which　was　that　of　pupil…
  teacher　at　one　of　the　schools　in　the　town；　whither　she　walked　daily
  from　a　village　near。　　If　he　had　not　been　poor　and　the　little　teacher
  humble；　Christopher　might　possibly　have　been　tempted　to　inquire　more
  briskly　about　her；　and　who　knows　how　such　a　pursuit　might　have
  ended？　　But　hard　externals　rule　volatile　sentiment；　and　under　these
  untoward　influences　the　girl　and　the　book　and　the　truth　about　its
  author　were　matters　upon　which　he　could　not　afford　to　expend　much
  time。　　All　Christopher　did　was　to　think　now　and　then　of　the　pretty
  innocent　face　and　round　deep　eyes；　not　once　wondering　if　the　mind
  which　enlivened　them　ever　thought　of　him。
  3。　SANDBOURNE　MOOR　（continued）
  It　was　one　of　those　hostile　days　of　the　year　when　chatterbox　ladies
  remain　miserably　in　their　homes　to　save　the　carriage　and　harness；
  when　clerks'　wives　hate　living　in　lodgings；　when　vehicles　and　people
  appear　in　the　street　with　duplicates　of　themselves　underfoot；　when
  bricklayers；　slaters；　and　other　out…door　journeymen　sit　in　a　shed
  and　drink　beer；　when　ducks　and　drakes　play　with　hilarious　delight　at
  their　own　family　game；　or　spread　out　one　wing　after　another　in　the
  slower　enjoyment　of　letting　the　delicious　moisture　penetrate　to
  their　innermost　down。　　The　smoke　from　the　flues　of　Sandbourne　had
  barely　strength　enough　to　emerge　into　the　drizzling　rain；　and　hung
  down　the　sides　of　each　chimney…pot　like　the　streamer　of　a　becalmed
  ship；　and　a　troop　of　rats　might　have　rattled　down　the　pipes　from
  roof　to　basement　with　less　noise　than　did　the　water　that　day。
  On　the　broad　moor　beyond　the　town；　where　Christopher's　meetings　with
  the　teacher　had　so　regularly　occurred；　were　a　stream　and　some　large
  pools；　and　beside　one　of　these；　near　some　hatches　and　a　weir；　stood
  a　little　square　building；　not　much　larger　inside　than　the　Lord
  Mayor's　coach。　　It　was　known　simply　as　'The　Weir　House。'　　On　this
  wet　afternoon；　which　was　the　one　following　the　day　of　Christopher's
  last　lesson　over　the　plain；　a　nearly　invisible　smoke　came　from　the
  puny　chimney　of　the　hut。　　Though　the　door　was　closed；　sounds　of
  chatting　and　mirth　fizzed　from　the　interior；　and　would　have　told
  anybody　who　had　come　nearwhich　nobody　didthat　the　usually　empty
  shell　was　tenanted　to…day。
  The　scene　within　was　a　large　fire　in　a　fireplace　to　which　the　whole
  floor　of　the　house　was　no　more　than　a　hearthstone。　　The　occupants
  were　two　gentlemanly　persons；　in　shooting　costume；　who　had　been
  traversing　the　moor　for　miles　in　search　of　wild　duck　and　teal；　a
  waterman；　and　a　small　spaniel。　　In　the　corner　stood　their　guns；　and
  two　or　three　wild　mallards；　which　represented　the　scanty　product　of
  their　morning's　labour；　the　iridescent　necks　of　the　dead　birds
  replying　to　every　flicker　of　the　fire。　　The　two　sportsmen　were
  smoking；　and　their　man　was　mostly　occupying　himself　in　poking　and
  stirring　the　fire　with　a　stick：　　all　three　appeared　to　be　pretty
  well　wetted。
  One　of　t