Complete Short Works of George Meredith

ain bright space immediately underneath the vicar's terrace-garden steps. My astonishment was considerable when it became evident to me that th

of a cloudless summer day had tempted an eccentric couple to seek for coolness in the directest fashion, without absolute disregard to propriety. I made a point of listening for the accentuation of the 'my dear' which was being interchanged, but the key-note to the harmony existing between husband and wife was neither excessively unctuous, nor shrewd, and the connubial shuttlecock was so well kept up on both sides that I chose to await the issue rather than speculate on the origin of this strange exhibition. I therefore, as I could not be accused of an outrage to modesty, permitted myself to maintain what might be invidiously termed a satyr-like watch fr

to Smintheus which brought upon the Greeks disaster and much woe. Between the lines he replied to his wife, whose remarks increased in quantity, and also, as I tho

great expounder deliver himself on another subject; and he spoke very truly. So, I continued to look on with the gravity of Nature herself, and I could not but fancy, and with less than our usual wilfulness when we fancy things about Nature's moods, that the Mother of men beheld this scene with half a smile, differently from the simple observation of those cows whisking the flies from their flanks at the ed

e cluster-roses on the lower garden-terrace, and with an exclamation, stood petrified at the extraordinary spectacle, and then she laughed outright. I had hitherto resisted, but the young lady's frank and boisterous laughter carried me along, and I too let loose a peal, and

that Miss Alice was giving offence to her mother, and I presum

me out of Jor

ized with the water,' s

ng the best of circumstances; I hope you'll bear in mind that it's you who are

hing but sympathy from me.'-but as I was protesting, having my mouth op

Pollingray, and they've upset it. Oh! oh'

y to go and fetch John the ga

gone about the geraniums. Oh! don't look so resigned, pa

n against her waist and rolled

h the boat-house?' she asked

. I beheld him struc

en you know that the boat-house is locked, and that the boat was

the accident, Alice gave way

is when accidents befall us, for then, as we are not responsible, we know we are in other hands, and it is our duty to be c

foolish,' said the spouse, wit

only to decide,' w

Arrangements were made for Alice to pull, and the vicar to push; both in accordance with Mrs. Amble's stipulations, for even in her extremity of helplessness she affected rule and sovereignty. Unhappily, at the decisiv

did you manage

put it so-modestly in his hands, he would turn about with a quotation that compared him to old Palinurus, all the while allowing his worthy and admirable burden to sink lower and dispread in excess upon the surface of the water, until the vantage of her daughter's help was lost to her; I beheld the consequences of my

opina quies l

bens, cum pupp

lo liquidas pro

en of the uneducated ears can tolerate such anti-climax vituperative as English after sounding Latin. Mrs. Amble kept down those sentiments whic

statement with a run of negatives. 'No, no'; in a way peculiar to him. 'No, no. If I plant my grey hairs anywhere, it

the assistance given she made one of those senseless springs of the upper half of the body, which strike the philosophic eye with the futility of an effort that does not arise from a solid basis. Owing to the want of concert between them, the vicar's impulsive strength was expended whe

ned in suspense

e exclaimed very piteously, though I could see that she was half mad wit

Alice,' shou

creamed Mrs. Amb

l, A

, Ma

O

h, P

m d

m; Jane;

a: Abraham,

, but yo

t man op

lingray? H

sexes are merged at fifty-by which he means, I must presume, that something which may be good or bad, and is generally silly-of course, I admire and respect modesty and pudeur as much as any man-something has gone: a recognition of the bounds of division. There is, if that is a lamentable matter, a loss of certain of our young tricks at fifty. We have ceased to blush

and right it, and having secured one of the sculls, I pulled up to the rescue; though not before I had plucked a flower, actuated by a motive that I cannot account for. The vicar held the boat firmly against the camshot, while I, at the imminent risk of joining them (I shall not forget the combined expression of Miss Alice's retreating eyes and the malicious corners of her mouth) hoisted the l

paration of lovers; "even as a body from the watertorn," or "from the water pluc

g in grievous discomfort above

stupidity long enough. I insist upon your remembering, sir, that you

r whom the lady had never persuaded

m coming,' sa

I shall think you idio

a practical demonstration that women are capable of as much philosoph

will be rightly punished, and I

e. Pray run into the hous

e you out of t

ing your tem

saint lose his t

y to the first impulse. Discovering that all effort unaided to climb the bank was fruitless, she agreed to wait patiently and make the best of circumstances; and she did; and she learnt to enjoy it. There is marrow in every bone. My dear. Jane, I have never admired you so much. I tried her, Pollingray, in metaphysics. I talked to her of the opera we last heard, I think fifty years ago. And as i

nd the sun on his bald head, I am reduced to entreat you not to-though you have no family of your own-not to enc

notwithstanding. By dint of simple signs and nods of affirmative, and a constant propulsion of my friend's arm, I drew him into the boat, and thence projected him up to the level with his wife, who had perhap

and upon his head in a vain effort to catch at one of the fleeting ideas sowed in him by the quick passage of objects before his vision, and shaken out of him by abnormal hurry. The Rev. Abraham Amble had been lord of his wife in the water, but his i

d pleasant damsel made a clever descent into the boat, and having seated herself, she began to twirl the scull in the rowlock, and said: 'Do you feel disposed to join

ss of her head; I wet fee

out to give it, when she added: But Mr. Pollingray, I am really afraid that

rocked threateningly, and I found myself grasped by and grasping the pretty damsel, until by great good luck we were stead

metaphysics to me in th

rt of innocent speeches smacking of Eve most str

l, and was Adam enough to respond to temptation: 'I should perhaps have

r lay me open to fitful impressions. Indeed there are times when I fear I have the heart of a boy, and certainly nothing more calamitous can be conceived, supposing that it should ever for one instant get complete mastery of my head. This is the peril of a man who has lived soberly. Do we never know when we are safe? I am, in reflecting thereupon, positively prepared to say that if there is no fool lik

aves, nettle-flowers, ragged robins, and other weeds for which the learned young lady gave the botanical names. It was pleasant to hear her speak with the

ked, settling her arms to

eve it is only when they are using physical exertion that the eyes of young girls have entire simplicity-the simplicity of nature as opposed to that other artificial simplicity which they learn from their governesses, their mothers, and the admiration of witlings. Attractive purity, or th

t necessary to force a smile, or to speak, or to snigge

recreation. She forms an agreeable picture when she is rowing, and possesses a musical laugh. Now and then she gives way to the bad trick of laughing without caring or daring to explain the cause for it. She is moderately well-bred. I hope that she has pri