Borne Along by tide

    IN less t St Oggs again, - out begun. It  any obvious effort; for ss to pay to  Glegg, and it ural t s ions to be t of for toms  Lucy  for  al Gleggs before dinner - `else  t could not be resisted. And Mr Step ably taken to dining at Mr Deanes as often as possible, instead of avoiding t, as o do. At first ion t  dine t even go in till Maggie ing off on a journey in tantly been alleging as a ground for stupidity and silence  ostensible motive. But t taken, and by tinct resolution  times  for a little c? to conceal beto part. o divide t appeal from  soul : but surely t cast a lingering look at eacurned ao look again till t strange lig of time, moved about orpor of manner, so contrasted ful brig Lucy  been convinced t tion in e enougo account for a large amount of depression. But under torpor ttle of emotions, sucruggle  seemed to  evil in ill noed up full-armed rengts in ting possession of  Lucy -  fulness of existence - love,  - all t ure craved , t anot  - anot less? But amidst all te tumult till, from time to time, tumult seemed quelled. as t existence ed ence sriving, all ty for anotured in ion and iment of somet ence in  by maiming t  organs of o   to oting - give me strengto bear it. - o truggle emptation t s e crime?  first eful moment in ion, and gratitude, and  s from  , since trange, s, subduing influence did not, s conquer  o remain simply ing Step t of  t still snatcs of mute confession before ting came. For  oo? S daily - sa in tigue  compelled to exert o indifference to ty of cimes to ans beseec to be folloill at last times made of a moments mutual gaze - t of it till it came, and epo care for, and t o sing: it o Maggie - per distinctly conscious t o it by a secret longing, running counter to all o deepen tcice  is guided by your less conscious purposes, and you and t contradiction in Stephen.

    P visitor, but

    out on t,

    `Noale of visits to aunt Glegg is completed, I mean t ing every day until s ing, because of tiresome visits, and s better t you, Maggie?

    `Better t of locomotion, I  Maggie,  gly boatman ed in a boat for ever.

    `So be man? said Lucy. `Because, if you ake an oar. If t a quiet lake instead of a river, leman, for Maggie can ro is, o ask services of knig seem to offer t alacrity.

    S Stepering up and do singing in pianissimo falsetto

    `t t from th ask a drink divine.

    ook no notice, but still kept aloof: ly during P visits.

    `You dont seem inclined for boating, said Lucy,  do you now?

    `O, I e a large party in a boat,  irritably. `Ill come when you have no one else.

    Lucy coloured, fearing t P: it e a neepo speak in t  ainly not been e. Poo, but less from a feeling of personal offence t Stepion to Maggie, ed up from oo look at t on the river.

    `As Miss Deane didnt know sing me, said Po resign.

    `No, indeed, you s, said Lucy, mucicularly ide  at  ten - it ime for a couple of o roo Luckrets too . And  to four people in a boat? s Stephen.

    `I dont object to t teped for a fourt all, of course it  divide ting take it alternately. Ill go t day.

    t  of draention ude toep ulliver and Mr Deane being occupied  apart near table ening abstractedly to teply turned to a duet  Lucy and Pen done t t ention in every epc Maggie virtually denied any ground for s on rutself; it  to believe  spoken togetep be strongly fascinated by  ural?), but P ruding on  be . Still, cepered slooable near urned over tly in mere idleness. ted o ting tracted by some bit of local ney looking at Maggie, aken test notice of ional strengtance  as rain our speecter in a spot t o be  at last s, uttered in test tone of pained entreaty, like t of a patient s in t Basset, arily as if it iculate cry. P o te side of tart and blusant toep immediately look appreo evident to  P a pang of s made o o c cribbage.

    P er in a state of  mingled cainty. It  tion t tual consciousness betep able, susceptible nerves  to frenzy by t one c: tempt no explanation t  ions.  last, to its ual predominance,  long in imagining trutruggling, so all urn. But at t belief, ties t  be driven out of sigion ory: Step old ed   -crus sowards him?

    oo ill to t to go in t. In  agitation ernate betradictory intentions. First,   erviereat o confide in rusted erference.  been ting tered inually present  to ask ion of feelings ended to  trust o see ill   from pure anxiety for  from egoistic irritation. e a brief note to Step it early by t, saying t  o Miss Deane. ould Stepake his excuse, and fill his place?

    Lucy e content epo go in t. S o drive to Lindum t ten: Lindum ed to go to, to make purcant purc by no means be put off to anotunity; and aunt tulliver must go too, because she purchases.

    `You  to Maggie  of t-room and upstairs toget  ten, and it is a delicious morning. No say a  it, you dear dolorous t is t your face against all t tom: you may disobey tle.

    Maggie did not persist in objecting. S glad of t o be alone  ing ter life, in umult of t. S, and at  ten sat ing in the drawing-room.

    t tual, and sionate pleasure of t o be inguisep across t ainly not Pep entered.

    In t moment too mucated to speak; for Step t t. Maggie arted up and sat do beating violently, and Step by  P effort - for srembled visibly - so go to a distant chair.

    ` coming, said Stepone, `I am going in t.

    `O,  go, said Maggie, sinking into  expect - s.  Philip come?

    ` ead.

    `Lucy is gone to Lindum, said Maggie, taking off , rembling fingers. `e must not go.

    `Very ep ed ay here.

    o erious as tarlit blackness, and yet very near, and timidly loving. Maggie sat perfectly still - pers, peres - until trembling here was a warm glow on her cheek.

    `ting - aken tell him?

    ` sell ep in a he lips now.

    Maggie made no answer.

    `Let us go, Stepreatingly, rising, and taking o raise oo. `e s be long together.

    And t. Maggie felt t sender care into t, , and ten) - all by tronger presence t seemed to bear  any act of ing influence of a strong tonic - and s nothing else. Memory was excluded.

    to Stepide, past tofton trees and , sunny fields and pastures  ary song of a passing bird   solitude of a t o one by t grave untiring gaze ed -  ion of love came from Stepime to time, as  on roically: ot could  to t? and t did not belong to t enced  belonged to t and ture t lay outside t ion on to be passed before topped and left t. At all times so fits of absence, t so let iced.

    But at last Stepo roer as if c   tretc t t tirely strange to errible alarm took possession of her.

    `O, o stop? so see if t of sigo be seen. Surned round again, ressed questioning at Stephen.

    on cer, and said, in a strange, dreamy, absence tone, `Yes - a long way.

    `O  home for hours - and Lucy - O God, help me!

    So a sob, like a frig of not of meeting Lucy, and seeing  - per upbraiding.

    Step beside ly drehe clasped hands.

    `Maggie, one of slo us never go ill no one can part us - till we are married.

    tone, tartling ed Maggies sob, and s quite still - ep ies t er everytcs.

    `See, Maggie,  our seeking - in spite of all our efforts. e never t of being alone toget ide is carrying us out - aural bonds t o make faster round us - and trying in vain. It o torby, and  some carriage, and o York, and to Scotland - and never pause a moment till o eac only deat us. It is t t - it is tcanglement. Everyto point it out to us. e rived not of nothing ourselves.

    Step pleading. Maggie listened - passing from artled  to ter t belief t tide  all - t s glide along , silent stream and not struggle any more. But across t stealing influence came terrible s ts; and t no last t of fatal intoxication oephen.

    `Let me go! sated tone, flas look at rying to get ed to deprive me of any coo far - you o take advantage of my tlessness. It is unmanly to bring me into sucion.

    Stung at to  of desperation at ty Maggies o  consent to go on,  curse  o. But ting  sed uno one of suppressed rage,

    `I didnt notice t o t village - and t came into my mind t  justify it - I ougo old you. It is enougo make you e me - since you dont love me  to you - as I do you. Sop t, and try to get you out ell Lucy t I  you e me - and you so you.

    Maggie  o resist Stepure ed - easier even to turn a seemed to place ion from ate of feeling in ransmuted into mere self-regard. t fire in o look at imid distress. So irrevocable trespass - she, who had been so weak herself.

    `As if I s feel  trust. to tepal t inguis sense of otance.

    all ting in one, - it o utter anoto make anot, t mig - everyting in t silence as in a  till t t test perceptible fresill ter of tered.

    `You  up an instant, dearest.

    Maggie obeyed: told o do, and  doepook to e; for t try to get to torby as fast as ttended ance - it is tial sleep of t - it is ty by anotended to lull o acquiescence: t dreamy gliding in t, igued sensations from ticable difficulty of getting out of t at tance from o bring o more complete subjection to t strong mysterious c parting from Step of oucorturing iron before wion s o absorb all her languid energy.

    Presently Steper teamer to Mudport, ide, but for t  t o  and t Maggie, atingly.

    `Maggie, dearest,  last, `if to Mudport or to any convenient place on t nort  plan to get to take us on board. You are fatigued - and it may soon rain - it may be a cting to torby in t. Its only a trading vessel, but I dare say you can be made tolerably comfortable. ell take t of t. It is really our best plan. to take us - Ive got plenty of money about me - I can pay them well.

    Maggies  began to beat  tion; but s - one course seemed as difficult as another.

    Step co Mudport, te informed wo days.

    `e  out too far , said Steprying to make for torby. But Im afraid of ted igue and ake us on board, will you, and . Ill pay you well.

    Maggie, no and trembling aken on board, making an interesting object of contemplation to admiring Dutce feared time of it on board, for tion for sucirely unlooked-for passengers - no private cabin larger t at least tcolerable; and t-cuso a coucy. But to pace up and doeprengt c s reclining on t no neion could be taken t day. Everyt  till to-morroep beside o eacones, only look at eac ake a long y of trangers to t minor degree of interest s nearer t Stepriumply  or care o unmarked perspective by tainty t Maggie must be aken noured by scruples,  fiercely ering inclination, ated; but repentance ences ion - enderness -  toget be  ure to every common day - t to satisfy est  to part ; o   ered in loones by t  stirred t - on experienced minds at a distance from to poor Maggie tar o ty lips: t be, tals  ion epe  to  ime excluded all realities - all except turning sun-gleams ers as t of promised  t pressed  spoke to  looked at h grave, unspeakable love.

    to be no rain, after all; to t purple rampart, and long purple isles of t o us ar co sleep all nig ter t  ill early,  on a dro rest, and s t dying flus  Stepill seated by  t  stream and made irely passive, t tion ransient one, and t t bring back truggle - t ts  noinct to o sleep  soft stream still flo.