Not many days after this, on a mild sunny morning - rather softunder foot; for the last fall of snow was only just wasted away,leaving yet a thin ridge, here and there, lingering on the freshgreen grass beneath the hedges; but beside them already, the youngprimroses were peeping from among their moist, dark foliage, andthe lark above was singing of summer, and hope, and love, and everyheavenly thing - I was out on the hill-side, enjoying thesedelights, and looking after the well-being of my young lambs andtheir mothers, when, on glancing round me, I beheld three personsascending from the vale below. They were Eliza Millward, Fergus,and Rose; so I crossed the field to meet them; and, being told theywere going to Wildfell Hall, I declared myself willing to go withthem, and offering my arm to Eliza, who readily accepted it in lieuof my brother's, told the latter he might go back, for I wouldaccompany the ladies.

'I beg your pardon!' exclaimed he. 'It's the ladies that areaccompanying me, not I them. You had all had a peep at thiswonderful stranger but me, and I could endure my wretched ignoranceno longer - come what would, I must be satisfied; so I begged Roseto go with me to the Hall, and introduce me to her at once. Sheswore she would not, unless Miss Eliza would go too; so I ran tothe vicarage and fetched her; and we've come hooked all the way, asfond as a pair of lovers - and now you've taken her from me; andyou want to deprive me of my walk and my visit besides. Go back toyour fields and your cattle, you lubberly fellow; you're not fit toassociate with ladies and gentlemen like us, that have nothing todo but to run snooking about to our neighbours' houses, peepinginto their private corners, and scenting out their secrets, andpicking holes in their coats, when we don't find them ready made toour hands - you don't understand such refined sources ofenjoyment.'

'Can't you both go?' suggested Eliza, disregarding the latter halfof the speech.

'Yes, both, to be sure!' cried Rose; 'the more the merrier - andI'm sure we shall want all the cheerfulness we can carry with us tothat great, dark, gloomy room, with its narrow latticed windows,and its dismal old furniture - unless she shows us into her studioagain.'

So we went all in a body; and the meagre old maid-servant, thatopened the door, ushered us into an apartment such as Rose haddescribed to me as the scene of her first introduction to Mrs.Graham, a tolerably spacious and lofty room, but obscurely lightedby the old-fashioned windows, the ceiling, panels, and chimney-piece of grim black oak - the latter elaborately but not verytastefully carved, - with tables and chairs to match, an oldbookcase on one side of the fire-place, stocked with a motleyassemblage of books, and an elderly cabinet piano on the other.

The lady was seated in a stiff, high-backed arm-chair, with a smallround table, containing a desk and a work-basket on one side ofher, and her little boy on the other, who stood leaning his elbowon her knee, and reading to her, with wonderful fluency, from asmall volume that lay in her lap; while she rested her hand on hisshoulder, and abstractedly played with the long, wavy curls thatfell on his ivory neck. They struck me as forming a pleasingcontrast to all the surrounding objects; but of course theirposition was immediately changed on our entrance. I could onlyobserve the picture during the few brief seconds that Rachel heldthe door for our admittance.

I do not think Mrs. Graham was particularly delighted to see us:there was something indescribably chilly in her quiet, calmcivility; but I did not talk much to her. Seating myself near thewindow, a little back from the circle, I called Arthur to me, andhe and I and Sancho amused ourselves very pleasantly together,while the two young ladies baited his mother with small talk, andFergus sat opposite with his legs crossed and his hands in hisbreeches-pockets, leaning back in his chair, and staring now up atthe ceiling, now straight forward at his hostess (in a manner thatmade me strongly inclined to kick him out of the room), nowwhistling sotto voce to himself a snatch of a favourite air, nowinterrupting the conversation, or filling up a pause (as the casemight be) with some most impertinent question or remark. At onetime it was, - 'It, amazes me, Mrs. Graham, how you could choosesuch a dilapidated, rickety old place as this to live in. If youcouldn't afford to occupy the whole house, and have it mended up,why couldn't you take a neat little cottage?'

'Perhaps I was too proud, Mr. Fergus,' replied she, smiling;'perhaps I took a particular fancy for this romantic, old-fashionedplace - but, indeed, it has many advantages over a cottage - in thefirst place, you see, the rooms are larger and more airy; in thesecond place, the unoccupied apartments, which I don't pay for, mayserve as lumber-rooms, if I have anything to put in them; and theyare very useful for my little boy to run about in on rainy dayswhen he can't go out; and then there is the garden for him to playin, and for me to work in. You see I have effected some littleimprovement already,' continued she, turning to the window. 'Thereis a bed of young vegetables in that corner, and here are somesnowdrops and primroses already in bloom - and there, too, is ayellow crocus just opening in the sunshine.'

'But then how can you bear such a situation - your nearestneighbours two miles distant, and nobody looking in or passing by?Rose would go stark mad in such a place. She can't put on lifeunless she sees half a dozen fresh gowns and bonnets a day - not tospeak of the faces within; but you might sit watching at thesewindows all day long, and never see so much as an old womancarrying her eggs to market.'

'I am not sure the loneliness of the place was not one of its chiefrecommendations. I take no pleasure in watching people pass thewindows; and I like to be quiet.'

'Oh! as good as to say you wish we would all of us mind our ownbusiness, and let you alone.'

'No, I dislike an extensive acquaintance; but if I have a fewfriends, of course I am glad to see them occasionally. No one canbe happy in eternal solitude. Therefore, Mr. Fergus, if you chooseto enter my house as a friend, I will make you welcome; if not, Imust confess, I would rather you kept away.' She then turned andaddressed some observation to Rose or Eliza.

'And, Mrs. Graham,' said he again, five minutes after, 'we weredisputing, as we came along, a question that you can readily decidefor us, as it mainly regarded yourself - and, indeed, we often holddiscussions about you; for some of us have nothing better to dothan to talk about our neighbours' concerns, and we, the indigenousplants of the soil, have known each other so long, and talked eachother over so often, that we are quite sick of that game; so that astranger coming amongst us makes an invaluable addition to ourexhausted sources of amusement. Well, the question, or questions,you are requested to solve - '

'Hold your tongue, Fergus!' cried Rose, in a fever of apprehensionand wrath.

'I won't, I tell you. The questions you are requested to solve arethese:- First, concerning your birth, extraction, and previousresidence. Some will have it that you are a foreigner, and some anEnglishwoman; some a native of the north country, and some of thesouth; some say - '

'Well, Mr. Fergus, I'll tell you. I'm an Englishwoman - and Idon't see why any one should doubt it - and I was born in thecountry, neither in the extreme north nor south of our happy isle;and in the country I have chiefly passed my life, and now I hopeyou are satisfied; for I am not disposed to answer any morequestions at present.'

'Except this - '

'No, not one more!' laughed she, and, instantly quitting her seat,she sought refuge at the window by which I was seated, and, in verydesperation, to escape my brother's persecutions, endeavoured todraw me into conversation.

'Mr. Markham,' said she, her rapid utterance and heightened colourtoo plainly evincing her disquietude, 'have you forgotten the finesea-view we were speaking of some time ago? I think I must troubleyou, now, to tell me the nearest way to it; for if this beautifulweather continue, I shall, perhaps, be able to walk there, and takemy sketch; I have exhausted every other subject for painting; and Ilong to see it.'

I was about to comply with her request, but Rose would not sufferme to proceed.

'Oh, don't tell her, Gilbert!' cried she; 'she shall go with us.It's - Bay you are thinking about, I suppose, Mrs. Graham? It is avery long walk, too far for you, and out of the question forArthur. But we were thinking about making a picnic to see it somefine day; and, if you will wait till the settled fine weathercomes, I'm sure we shall all be delighted to have you amongst us.'

Poor Mrs. Graham looked dismayed, and attempted to make excuses,but Rose, either compassionating her lonely life, or anxious tocultivate her acquaintance, was determined to have her; and everyobjection was overruled. She was told it would only be a smallparty, and all friends, and that the best view of all was from -Cliffs, full five miles distant.

'Just a nice walk for the gentlemen,' continued Rose; 'but theladies will drive and walk by turns; for we shall have our pony-carriage, which will be plenty large enough to contain littleArthur and three ladies, together with your sketching apparatus,and our provisions.'

So the proposal was finally acceded to; and, after some furtherdiscussion respecting the time and manner of the projectedexcursion, we rose, and took our leave.

But this was only March: a cold, wet April, and two weeks of Maypassed over before we could venture forth on our expedition withthe reasonable hope of obtaining that pleasure we sought inpleasant prospects, cheerful society, fresh air, good cheer andexercise, without the alloy of bad roads, cold winds, orthreatening clouds. Then, on a glorious morning, we gathered ourforces and set forth. The company consisted of Mrs. and MasterGraham, Mary and Eliza Millward, Jane and Richard Wilson, and Rose,Fergus, and Gilbert Markham.

Mr. Lawrence had been invited to join us, but, for some reason bestknown to himself, had refused to give us his company. I hadsolicited the favour myself. When I did so, he hesitated, andasked who were going. Upon my naming Miss Wilson among the rest,he seemed half inclined to go, but when I mentioned Mrs. Graham,thinking it might be a further inducement, it appeared to have acontrary effect, and he declined it altogether, and, to confess thetruth, the decision was not displeasing to me, though I couldscarcely tell you why.

It was about midday when we reached the place of our destination.Mrs. Graham walked all the way to the cliffs; and little Arthurwalked the greater part of it too; for he was now much more hardyand active than when he first entered the neighbourhood, and he didnot like being in the carriage with strangers, while all his fourfriends, mamma, and Sancho, and Mr. Markham, and Miss Millward,were on foot, journeying far behind, or passing through distantfields and lanes.

I have a very pleasant recollection of that walk, along the hard,white, sunny road, shaded here and there with bright green trees,and adorned with flowery banks and blossoming hedges of deliciousfragrance; or through pleasant fields and lanes, all glorious inthe sweet flowers and brilliant verdure of delightful May. It wastrue, Eliza was not beside me; but she was with her friends in thepony-carriage, as happy, I trusted, as I was; and even when wepedestrians, having forsaken the highway for a short cut across thefields, beheld the little carriage far away, disappearing amid thegreen, embowering trees, I did not hate those trees for snatchingthe dear little bonnet and shawl from my sight, nor did I feel thatall those intervening objects lay between my happiness and me; for,to confess the truth, I was too happy in the company of Mrs. Grahamto regret the absence of Eliza, Millward.

The former, it is true, was most provokingly unsociable at first -seemingly bent upon talking to no one but Mary Millward and Arthur.She and Mary journeyed along together, generally with the childbetween them; - but where the road permitted, I always walked onthe other side of her, Richard Wilson taking the other side of MissMillward, and Fergus roving here and there according to his fancy;and, after a while, she became more friendly, and at length Isucceeded in securing her attention almost entirely to myself - andthen I was happy indeed; for whenever she did condescend toconverse, I liked to listen. Where her opinions and sentimentstallied with mine, it was her extreme good sense, her exquisitetaste and feeling, that delighted me; where they differed, it wasstill her uncompromising boldness in the avowal or defence of thatdifference, her earnestness and keenness, that piqued my fancy:and even when she angered me by her unkind words or looks, and heruncharitable conclusions respecting me, it only made me the moredissatisfied with myself for having so unfavourably impressed her,and the more desirous to vindicate my character and disposition inher eyes, and, if possible, to win her esteem.

At length our walk was ended. The increasing height and boldnessof the hills had for some time intercepted the prospect; but, ongaining the summit of a steep acclivity, and looking downward, anopening lay before us - and the blue sea burst upon our sight! -deep violet blue - not deadly calm, but covered with glintingbreakers - diminutive white specks twinkling on its bosom, andscarcely to be distinguished, by the keenest vision, from thelittle seamews that sported above, their white wings glittering inthe sunshine: only one or two vessels were visible, and those werefar away.

I looked at my companion to see what she thought of this gloriousscene. She said nothing: but she stood still, and fixed her eyesupon it with a gaze that assured me she was not disappointed. Shehad very fine eyes, by-the-by - I don't know whether I have toldyou before, but they were full of soul, large, clear, and nearlyblack - not brown, but very dark grey. A cool, reviving breezeblew from the sea - soft, pure, salubrious: it waved her droopingringlets, and imparted a livelier colour to her usually too pallidlip and cheek. She felt its exhilarating influence, and so did I -I felt it tingling through my frame, but dared not give way to itwhile she remained so quiet. There was an aspect of subduedexhilaration in her face, that kindled into almost a smile ofexalted, glad intelligence as her eye met mine. Never had shelooked so lovely: never had my heart so warmly cleaved to her asnow. Had we been left two minutes longer standing there alone, Icannot answer for the consequences. Happily for my discretion,perhaps for my enjoyment during the remainder of the day, we werespeedily summoned to the repast - a very respectable collation,which Rose, assisted by Miss Wilson and Eliza, who, having sharedher seat in the carriage, had arrived with her a little before therest, had set out upon an elevated platform overlooking the sea,and sheltered from the hot sun by a shelving rock and overhangingtrees.

Mrs. Graham seated herself at a distance from me. Eliza was mynearest neighbour. She exerted herself to be agreeable, in hergentle, unobtrusive way, and was, no doubt, as fascinating andcharming as ever, if I could only have felt it. But soon my heartbegan to warm towards her once again; and we were all very merryand happy together - as far as I could see - throughout theprotracted social meal.

When that was over, Rose summoned Fergus to help her to gather upthe fragments, and the knives, dishes, &c., and restore them to thebaskets; and Mrs. Graham took her camp-stool and drawing materials;and having begged Miss Millward to take charge of her precious son,and strictly enjoined him not to wander from his new guardian'sside, she left us and proceeded along the steep, stony hill, to aloftier, more precipitous eminence at some distance, whence a stillfiner prospect was to be had, where she preferred taking hersketch, though some of the ladies told her it was a frightfulplace, and advised her not to attempt it.

When she was gone, I felt as if there was to be no more fun -though it is difficult to say what she had contributed to thehilarity of the party. No jests, and little laughter, had escapedher lips; but her smile had animated my mirth; a keen observationor a cheerful word from her had insensibly sharpened my wits, andthrown an interest over all that was done and said by the rest.Even my conversation with Eliza had been enlivened by her presence,though I knew it not; and now that she was gone, Eliza's playfulnonsense ceased to amuse me - nay, grew wearisome to my soul, and Igrew weary of amusing her: I felt myself drawn by an irresistibleattraction to that distant point where the fair artist sat andplied her solitary task - and not long did I attempt to resist it:while my little neighbour was exchanging a few words with MissWilson, I rose and cannily slipped away. A few rapid strides, anda little active clambering, soon brought me to the place where shewas seated - a narrow ledge of rock at the very verge of the cliff,which descended with a steep, precipitous slant, quite down to therocky shore.

She did not hear me coming: the falling of my shadow across herpaper gave her an electric start; and she looked hastily round -any other lady of my acquaintance would have screamed under such asudden alarm.

'Oh! I didn't know it was you. - Why did you startle me so?' saidshe, somewhat testily. 'I hate anybody to come upon me sounexpectedly.'

'Why, what did you take me for?' said I: 'if I had known you wereso nervous, I would have been more cautious; but - '

'Well, never mind. What did you come for? are they all coming?'

'No; this little ledge could scarcely contain them all.'

'I'm glad, for I'm tired of talking.'

'Well, then, I won't talk. I'll only sit and watch your drawing.'

'Oh, but you know I don't like that.'

'Then I'll content myself with admiring this magnificent prospect.'

She made no objection to this; and, for some time, sketched away insilence. But I could not help stealing a glance, now and then,from the splendid view at our feet to the elegant white hand thatheld the pencil, and the graceful neck and glossy raven curls thatdrooped over the paper.

'Now,' thought I, 'if I had but a pencil and a morsel of paper, Icould make a lovelier sketch than hers, admitting I had the powerto delineate faithfully what is before me.'

But, though this satisfaction was denied me, I was very wellcontent to sit beside her there, and say nothing.

'Are you there still, Mr. Markham?' said she at length, lookinground upon me - for I was seated a little behind on a mossyprojection of the cliff. - 'Why don't you go and amuse yourselfwith your friends?'

'Because I am tired of them, like you; and I shall have enough ofthem to-morrow - or at any time hence; but you I may not have thepleasure of seeing again for I know not how long.'

'What was Arthur doing when you came away?'

'He was with Miss Millward, where you left him - all right, buthoping mamma would not be long away. You didn't intrust him to me,by-the-by,' I grumbled, 'though I had the honour of a much longeracquaintance; but Miss Millward has the art of conciliating andamusing children,' I carelessly added, 'if she is good for nothingelse.'

'Miss Millward has many estimable qualities, which such as youcannot be expected to perceive or appreciate. Will you tell Arthurthat I shall come in a few minutes?'

'If that be the case, I will wait, with your permission, till thosefew minutes are past; and then I can assist you to descend thisdifficult path.'

'Thank you - I always manage best, on such occasions, withoutassistance.'

'But, at least, I can carry your stool and sketch-book.'

She did not deny me this favour; but I was rather offended at herevident desire to be rid of me, and was beginning to repent of mypertinacity, when she somewhat appeased me by consulting my tasteand judgment about some doubtful matter in her drawing. Myopinion, happily, met her approbation, and the improvement Isuggested was adopted without hesitation.

'I have often wished in vain,' said she, 'for another's judgment toappeal to when I could scarcely trust the direction of my own eyeand head, they having been so long occupied with the contemplationof a single object as to become almost incapable of forming aproper idea respecting it.'

'That,' replied I, 'is only one of many evils to which a solitarylife exposes us.'

'True,' said she; and again we relapsed into silence.

About two minutes after, however, she declared her sketchcompleted, and closed the book.

On returning to the scene of our repast we found all the companyhad deserted it, with the exception of three - Mary Millward,Richard Wilson, and Arthur Graham. The younger gentleman lay fastasleep with his head pillowed on the lady's lap; the other wasseated beside her with a pocket edition of some classic author inhis hand. He never went anywhere without such a companionwherewith to improve his leisure moments: all time seemed lostthat was not devoted to study, or exacted, by his physical nature,for the bare support of life. Even now he could not abandonhimself to the enjoyment of that pure air and balmy sunshine - thatsplendid prospect, and those soothing sounds, the music of thewaves and of the soft wind in the sheltering trees above him - noteven with a lady by his side (though not a very charming one, Iwill allow) - he must pull out his book, and make the most of histime while digesting his temperate meal, and reposing his wearylimbs, unused to so much exercise.

Perhaps, however, he spared a moment to exchange a word or a glancewith his companion now and then - at any rate, she did not appearat all resentful of his conduct; for her homely features wore anexpression of unusual cheerfulness and serenity, and she wasstudying his pale, thoughtful face with great complacency when wearrived.

The journey homeward was by no means so agreeable to me as theformer part of the day: for now Mrs. Graham was in the carriage,and Eliza Millward was the companion of my walk. She had observedmy preference for the young widow, and evidently felt herselfneglected. She did not manifest her chagrin by keen reproaches,bitter sarcasms, or pouting sullen silence - any or all of these Icould easily have endured, or lightly laughed away; but she showedit by a kind of gentle melancholy, a mild, reproachful sadness thatcut me to the heart. I tried to cheer her up, and apparentlysucceeded in some degree, before the walk was over; but in the veryact my conscience reproved me, knowing, as I did, that, sooner orlater, the tie must be broken, and this was only nourishing falsehopes and putting off the evil day.

When the pony-carriage had approached as near Wildfell Hall as theroad would permit - unless, indeed, it proceeded up the long roughlane, which Mrs. Graham would not allow - the young widow and herson alighted, relinquishing the driver's seat to Rose; and Ipersuaded Eliza to take the latter's place. Having put hercomfortably in, bid her take care of the evening air, and wishedher a kind good-night, I felt considerably relieved, and hastenedto offer my services to Mrs. Graham to carry her apparatus up thefields, but she had already hung her camp-stool on her arm andtaken her sketch-book in her hand, and insisted upon bidding meadieu then and there, with the rest of the company. But this timeshe declined my proffered aid in so kind and friendly a manner thatI almost forgave her.