A Pair of Blue Eyes | Page 7

not unmixed with surprise,
at the person towards whom she was to do the duties of hospitality.
'I am Mr. Smith,' said the stranger in a musical voice.
'I am Miss Swancourt,' said Elfride.
Her constraint was over. The great contrast between the reality she
beheld before her, and the dark, taciturn, sharp, elderly man of business
who had lurked in her imagination--a man with clothes smelling of city
smoke, skin sallow from want of sun, and talk flavoured with
epigram--was such a relief to her that Elfride smiled, almost laughed, in
the new-comer's face.
Stephen Smith, who has hitherto been hidden from us by the darkness,
was at this time of his life but a youth in appearance, and barely a man
in years. Judging from his look, London was the last place in the world
that one would have imagined to be the scene of his activities: such a
face surely could not be nourished amid smoke and mud and fog and
dust; such an open countenance could never even have seen anything of
'the weariness, the fever, and the fret' of Babylon the Second.
His complexion was as fine as Elfride's own; the pink of his cheeks as
delicate. His mouth as perfect as Cupid's bow in form, and as
cherry-red in colour as hers. Bright curly hair; bright sparkling
blue-gray eyes; a boy's blush and manner; neither whisker nor
moustache, unless a little light-brown fur on his upper lip deserved the
latter title: this composed the London professional man, the prospect of
whose advent had so troubled Elfride.
Elfride hastened to say she was sorry to tell him that Mr. Swancourt
was not able to receive him that evening, and gave the reason why. Mr.
Smith replied, in a voice boyish by nature and manly by art, that he was

very sorry to hear this news; but that as far as his reception was
concerned, it did not matter in the least.
Stephen was shown up to his room. In his absence Elfride stealthily
glided into her father's.
'He's come, papa. Such a young man for a business man!'
'Oh, indeed!'
'His face is--well--PRETTY; just like mine.'
'H'm! what next?'
'Nothing; that's all I know of him yet. It is rather nice, is it not?'
'Well, we shall see that when we know him better. Go down and give
the poor fellow something to eat and drink, for Heaven's sake. And
when he has done eating, say I should like to have a few words with
him, if he doesn't mind coming up here.'
The young lady glided downstairs again, and whilst she awaits young
Smith's entry, the letters referring to his visit had better be given.
1.--MR. SWANCOURT TO MR. HEWBY.
'ENDELSTOW VICARAGE, Feb. 18, 18--.
'SIR,--We are thinking of restoring the tower and aisle of the church in
this parish; and Lord Luxellian, the patron of the living, has mentioned
your name as that of a trustworthy architect whom it would be desirable
to ask to superintend the work.
'I am exceedingly ignorant of the necessary preliminary steps. Probably,
however, the first is that (should you be, as Lord Luxellian says you are,
disposed to assist us) yourself or some member of your staff come and
see the building, and report thereupon for the satisfaction of
parishioners and others.

'The spot is a very remote one: we have no railway within fourteen
miles; and the nearest place for putting up at--called a town, though
merely a large village--is Castle Boterel, two miles further on; so that it
would be most convenient for you to stay at the vicarage--which I am
glad to place at your disposal--instead of pushing on to the hotel at
Castle Boterel, and coming back again in the morning.
'Any day of the next week that you like to name for the visit will find
us quite ready to receive you.--Yours very truly, CHRISTOPHER
SWANCOURT.
2.--MR. HEWBY TO MR. SWANCOURT.
"PERCY PLACE, CHARING CROSS, Feb. 20, 18--.
'DEAR SIR,--Agreeably to your request of the 18th instant, I have
arranged to survey and make drawings of the aisle and tower of your
parish church, and of the dilapidations which have been suffered to
accrue thereto, with a view to its restoration.
'My assistant, Mr. Stephen Smith, will leave London by the early train
to-morrow morning for the purpose. Many thanks for your proposal to
accommodate him. He will take advantage of your offer, and will
probably reach your house at some hour of the evening. You may put
every confidence in him, and may rely upon his discernment in the
matter of church architecture.
'Trusting that the plans for the restoration, which I shall prepare from
the details of his survey, will prove satisfactory to yourself and Lord
Luxellian, I am, dear sir, yours