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following the movement of a distant bough or bird with features
petrified almost to painfulness。 Then she looked at Manston； he was
already regarding her with some purpose in his glance。
'It is coming this evening；' she said in her mind。 A minute later；
at the end of the hymn； when the congregation began to move out；
Manston came down the aisle。 He was opposite the end of her seat as
she stepped from it； the remainder of their progress to the door
being in contact with each other。 Miss Aldclyffe had lingered
behind。
'Don't let's hurry；' he said； when Cytherea was about to enter the
private path to the House as usual。 'Would you mind turning down
this way for a minute till Miss Aldclyffe has passed？'
She could not very well refuse now。 They turned into a secluded
path on their left； leading round through a thicket of laurels to
the other gate of the church…yard； walking very slowly。 By the time
the further gate was reached； the church was closed。 They met the
sexton with the keys in his hand。
'We are going inside for a minute；' said Manston to him； taking the
keys unceremoniously。 'I will bring them to you when we return。'
The sexton nodded his assent； and Cytherea and Manston walked into
the porch； and up the nave。
They did not speak a word during their progress； or in any way
interfere with the stillness and silence that prevailed everywhere
around them。 Everything in the place was the embodiment of decay：
the fading red glare from the setting sun； which came in at the west
window； emphasizing the end of the day and all its cheerful doings；
the mildewed walls； the uneven paving…stones； the wormy pews； the
sense of recent occupation； and the dank air of death which had
gathered with the evening； would have made grave a lighter mood than
Cytherea's was then。
'What sensations does the place impress you with？' she said at last；
very sadly。
'I feel imperatively called upon to be honest； from very despair of
achieving anything by stratagem in a world where the materials are
such as these。' He； too； spoke in a depressed voice； purposely or
otherwise。
'I feel as if I were almost ashamed to be seen walking such a
world；' she murmured； 'that's the effect it has upon me； but it does
not induce me to be honest particularly。'
He took her hand in both his； and looked down upon the lids of her
eyes。
'I pity you sometimes；' he said more emphatically。
'I am pitiable； perhaps； so are many people。 Why do you pity me？'
'I think that you make yourself needlessly sad。'
'Not needlessly。'
'Yes； needlessly。 Why should you be separated from your brother so
much； when you might have him to stay with you till he is well？'
'That can't be；' she said； turning away。
He went on； 'I think the real and only good thing that can be done
for him is to get him away from Budmouth awhile； and I have been
wondering whether it could not be managed for him to come to my
house to live for a few weeks。 Only a quarter of a mile from you。
How pleasant it would be！'
'It would。'
He moved himself round immediately to the front of her； and held her
hand more firmly； as he continued； 'Cytherea； why do you say 〃It
would；〃 so entirely in the tone of abstract supposition？ I want him
there： I want him to be my brother； too。 Then make him so； and be
my wife！ I cannot live without you。 O Cytherea。 my darling； my
love； come and be my wife！'
His face bent closer and closer to hers； and the last words sank to
a whisper as weak as the emotion inspiring it was strong。
She said firmly and distinctly； 'Yes； I will。'
'Next month？' he said on the instant； before taking breath。
'No； not next month。'
'The next？'
'No。'
'December？ Christmas Day； say？'
'I don't mind。'
'O； you darling！' He was about to imprint a kiss upon her pale；
cold mouth； but she hastily covered it with her hand。
'Don't kiss meat least where we are now！' she whispered
imploringly。
'Why？'
'We are too near God。'
He gave a sudden start； and his face flushed。 She had spoken so
emphatically that the words 'Near God' echoed back again through the
hollow building from the far end of the chancel。
'What a thing to say！' he exclaimed； 'surely a pure kiss is not
inappropriate to the place ！'
'No；' she replied； with a swelling heart； 'I don't know why I burst
out soI can't tell what has come over me！ Will you forgive me？'
'How shall I say 〃Yes〃 without judging you？ How shall I say 〃No〃
without losing the pleasure of saying 〃Yes？〃' He was himself again。
'I don't know；' she absently murmured。
'I'll say 〃Yes；〃' he answered daintily。 'It is sweeter to fancy we
are forgiven； than to think we have not sinned； and you shall have
the sweetness without the need。'
She did not reply； and they moved away。 The church was nearly dark
now； and melancholy in the extreme。 She stood beside him while he
locked the door； then took the arm he gave her； and wound her way
out of the churchyard with him。 Then they walked to the house
together； but the great matter having been set at rest； she
persisted in talking only on indifferent subjects。
'Christmas Day； then；' he said； as they were parting at the end of
the shrubbery。
'I meant Old Christmas Day；' she said evasively。
'H'm； people do not usually attach that meaning to the words。'
'No； but I should like it best if it could not be till then？' It
seemed to be still her instinct to delay the marriage to the utmost。
'Very well； love；' he said gently。 ''Tis a fortnight longer still；
but never mind。 Old Christmas Day。'
9。 THE ELEVENTH OF SEPTEMBER
'There。 It will be on a Friday！'
She sat upon a little footstool gazing intently into the fire。 It
was the afternoon of the day following that of the steward's
successful solicitation of her hand。
'I wonder if it would be proper in me to run across the park and
tell him it is a Friday？' she said to herself； rising to her feet；
looking at her hat lying near； and then out of the window towards
the Old House。 Proper or not； she felt that she must at all hazards
remove the disagreeable； though； as she herself owned； unfounded
impression the coincidence had occasioned。 She left the house
directly； and went to search for him。
Manston was in the timber…yard； looking at the sawyers as they
worked。 Cytherea came up to him hesitatingly。 Till within a
distance of a few yards she had hurried forward with alacritynow
that the practical expression of his face became visible she wished
almost she had never sought him on such an errand； in his business…
mood he was perhaps very stern。
'It will be on a Friday；' she said confusedly； and without any
preface。
'Come this way！' said Manston； in the tone he used for workmen； not
being able to alter at an instant's notice。 He gave her his arm and
led her back into the avenue； by which time he was lover again。 'On
a Friday； will it； dearest？ You do not mind Fridays； surely？
That's nonsense。'
'Not seriously mind them； exactlybut if it could be any other
day？'
'Well； let us say Old Christmas Eve； then。 Shall it be Old
Christmas Eve？'
'Yes； Old Christmas Eve。'
'Your word is so